It has been a long and crazy month.

I can't believe it has been over a month since I last posted.  This month has been long and short all at once.  I spent 2 weeks of this month down in Salem while my grandma was in the hospital, and then after she passes away planning the funeral.  I may have only seen my grandparents 3x a year, but it is never easy to lose them.  All the sudden you realize all the traditions they created and how special each one was.  I am thankful all of her family was around her in her last hours.  Thankful for such a supportive husband that made sure I ate protein rich food when I probably would have forgotten to eat. Thankful for a family that agreed with grandmas plan at the end of her life.  But I still miss her, and that will never change.  

Here she is, bright red lipstick laying on the beach on her honeymoon in 1947 at the age of 23.  She was so beautiful and as my grandpa said in a letter that he wrote to his parents telling them about her, and that he would marry her: "you don't have to worry about Gertrude because there isn't any better".  

The amazing thing is that no matter how consumed I was with family and my grandma's passing this little thumper in my belly kept growing away.  I just turned 17 weeks on Thursday and have been feeling pretty good.  It actually seems that the farther along in my pregnancy I go, the less pregnant I look, but I think that has more to do with losing a lot of water weight and gaining baby/belly weight.  My scrub pants no longer fit, they look like non stretchy leggins.  Or like someone trying to squeeze into pants 2 sizes to small.  I just ordered maternity scrubs online because my regular scrub store doesn't sell them.  But those should be all the maternity clothes I need because Becca you hooked me up!  Today was the first day I felt caught up on life and had the energy to look through the bin you gave me (and all my other clothes are feeling snug) and there is so much stuff in there, and it's all so cute!  I can't thank you enough!  

This is a crappy panorama because the crib and banner don't line up, but I was too lazy to take another one when I noticed, but Baby's room is essentially complete.  I will probably add a banner and a mobile once I know baby's gender (I think we are finding out) but we are only having one ultrasound so if baby doesn't cooperate then I guess baby will be a surprise!  Ultrasound is scheduled for August 28 and they told me to drink 32oz of water an hour before and not pee.  Um, I don't know if the people who made those rules have ever been pregnant because there is no way that is going to work.  I am going to shoot for 24 ounces and hope I don't pee my pants.  This baby is taking up half my bladder space and it is only 5.1 inches long right now!  I can't imagine what I will feel like when I am 22 weeks pregnant at this ultrasound! 

Maxi skirts are my new favorite thing.  Stretchy around the waist.  Basically they are fancy yoga pants.  I wear them on a regular basis now.  

I have still been trying to swim on a regular basis but being out of town so much has thrown a kink in it.  I will get back on track soon!  

My mom is a rockstar.  About a month ago she came over and helped me paint baby's room grey and the crib.  I love it all. 

My favorite maxi skirt.  

Paul at the firework stand- It was our last year going to the Muckleshoots because it is not a safe place for children.  We only stayed out till like 9:45 because I had to work the next morning and was tired, but it was fun! 

The kitties have been swarming me every time I am home, I don't think they like us being gone.  They do love it when I nap or read a book tho! 

I had the genius idea of bringing shorts and a tank top to work so I could change out of my long pants scrubs before leaving and walking in 90 degree weather.  Best idea ever since my car is usually sweltering inside.  

Some pictures from my two weeks in Salem.  I spent a lot of time holding my grandmas hand.  I can't think of a place I would have rather been in those last few days.  A dress my grandma wore as a child that has always been hanging in her house.  If Paul and I have a girl i want pictures of her in it. :)  

We also spent a lot of time hanging out with my grandpa, who we call Pop.  He lives in the assisted living/nursing home part of their huge complex.  It is super nice there, and if you have ever been to a nursing home you know most of them smell like pee.  This one doesn't and everything is super nice.  In the picture below we were hanging out on the deck by his room. 

Do you see how classy that wedding invitation was?!  Pop and Grandma were married 65 years, and it will be 66 in August. :) 

Pop loves looking at old pictures.  Here he is looking through an album of pictures of the amazing yard and garden they kept for years!  To the right he is all spiffied up for the memorial service.  

Below is the picture table.  My grandma was so gorgeous!  I loved looking at all the pictures of her all together. The service was beautiful.  I would say 100-150 people showed up with only 2 days notice. 

After the service we had a family meal with Chinese take out.  The place we always ate from for my grandmas birthday.  Here Pop is holding his almost 1 year old great grandson.  Eamon was the only thing making everyone smile that day.  We needed him. :) 

I was soooo busy when I got home.  The house had been neglected for 2 weeks.  I only came home for a 23 hour period in that two weeks and that was enough time to do a load of laundry, go to my midwife appointment, and meet our friend Joel for little get together.  I felt way better after I got this list done, and amazingly got it all done in one day.  And I don't usually scoop cat boxes but we got home late and Paul forgot to scoop because we were all out of schedule and routine with being gone so long, so that day was my exception. 

We will probably get 10 tomatoes out of our garden this year.  Apparently you need to water a garden for it to grow. ;)  First I wasn't feeling good and then we were gone.  And all the other times I just forgot.  Maybe next year. :) 

Baby's room before I took the dart board down and cut the map into pieces.  I had been putting off buying the map on amazon and then when I went to costco they had a two pack of maps (one USA one world) for the same price I was going to pay for one on amazon! 

Eating lunch with my kitties, clothes are totally overrated when it is 80+ degrees outside and you don't own an airconditioner.  I didn't put a shirt on until I had to go run errands.  

Home depot cuts wood for free!  To make the map into three pieces I needed three equal wood boards.  I bought a huge board and then this dude cut it all up for me.  So nice! 

Tomorrow I head to Moses Lake for my dear friends wedding reception.  She got married on Tuesday.  I didn't go because she is the one who did a 14 mile round trip hike up a mountain for her wedding.  About 20 people were able to go, including a photographer friend, and I can't wait to see pictures.  The few that have been posted are breathtaking!  I can't wait to see her in person with her hair all done up and her wedding dress on. 

Do you see that backdrop?!  Pictures to cherish for a lifetime!  I made their wedding card with my Silhouette, I was glad for an excuse to get it out and use it again.  It seems I have only been keeping up with daily activities and have been putting crafting and blogging to the wayside.  I also finally got around to making nice labels for my dresser that stores all my craft stuff and a few bins.  Someday all my bins will be labeled like this! 

And that's the end ladies.  Paul and I just celebrated our 3rd year anniversary yesterday by going to the DOL after he got off work to license our new car.  Ill have to post pictures of the car sometime, it's really nice and he loves it, so it's a double win.  We sold our accord within 18 hours of posting it on craigslist.  We sold it for blue book even though it needed $1200 of work done on it, kinda crazy what people will pay for a working honda!  Oh yes back to anniversary, then we went to Costco for dinner because neither of us wanted to cook, but we didn't want to eat out either because all we did in Salem was eat out the last week!  Then we went home so Paul could change out of his work clothes then headed to the river for a little walk and people watching and capped off the night by visiting Paul's grandparents, who we don't visit often enough.  It was a nice relaxed evening. :)  

Hope all you ladies are doing great!