BETA BABES

Flashback down Memory Lane:

It was my first year of college, I was barely eighteen, and determined to make friends at the "commuter" school I had chosen to go to.

I completed "rush" at the U of U LDSSA Institute and was given my second choice of Beta. Was I ever grateful! Not every friend I made in this amazing group of girls was there with me that first semester - they trickled in as the semesters went by.

I made friends for life! I thought having a twin best friend in Megan would sustain me through the years of college and on into real life. Boy was I wrong. Meg has since moved on to fun adventures out of state and I was left behind to reevaluate my life.

I love my husband. He is my rock, my safety net, my best friend and more. I couldn't have been luckier that he picked me to spend his life with. But I underestimated how much I needed "girlfriends".

Girls need to have girl talk. They need to have times to be silly and carefree instead of responsible and grown up. They need a friend they can connect with outside of the day to day routine. They need every excuse possible to eat lots of good food and talk for hours on end about the good, bad, exciting, sad and everything in between. These lovely ladies have been that and so much more!

Since graduation the Beta girls have gotten together for "dinner group" every few months to catch up on life. Sometimes we're all there, sometimes its just a few of us. Last night Erica hosted dinner at her beautiful new house. (Thank you to her husband TJ for letting us take over his house for the night...we're a handful to say the least!)

To my beautiful Beta friends I have to say thank you! What would I do without you? Thank you for your friendship, your support and the great memories over the years. Can't wait for many more dinner groups in the years to come!

From left to right, back row: Kristin, Sara, Gina, Erica (and Owen)

Front row: Trish, Me

(missing Jessi - she had to leave early)

Three of us are pregnant, all due within six weeks of each other!

In order of due dates (right to left)

Gina: June 18 (with baby boy!)

Me: July 6

Trish: July 14

Thanks Erica for hosting! I'll host the next one in March??? :)

Winter Fun

A couple weeneds ago Roger and I went snowmobiling with my mom and Grandma. Grandma finds it a little difficult to stay on - next time we're using a rope to keep her on the snowmobile!

This is right before Roger dumped both of us off the machine.

How in the world did Grandma's hair stay put? The lady that did her hair the night before must have used some serious hair spray. Hmmm...maybe I'll be buying some of that!

Excuse my lack of make-up, swollen face and Medusa hairdo. Early mornings are not my best friend.

Ummm...

I think I'm nervous.

I walked through Target today just for the fun of it to see how much we truly need to buy for this baby. I might have panicked as I quickly walked back out.

Going over to the parentals tonight to get my crib that they have kept all these years. Want a true reality check? Let's see how I react as soon as Roger finishes putting it together!

Looked down at my expanding waistline today and realized I might not fit into my regular clothes all that much longer.

Called my cousin Heather to make myself feel better.

But......

I'm so excited!

I watch my cute husband talk about the baby like it's already here (he keeps calling it a "her" by the way! Anyone want to take bets?) and am so humbled to get to have his baby. He will be an amazing dad.

I watched my stomach go completely lopsided a few mornings ago and caught myself with my mouth open. Why hasn't anyone told me babies can do that?

My aunt Jodie told me today I'm big. And I smiled.

In relief society they pass around a binder with a pregnancy list on it.

We already have names picked out. No, you can't offer your opinion.

I get to be called a mom in six months! July 6th can't come fast enough!

Fat.

I'm a fatty.

I feel like I'm pulling a "Gus-Gus" off Cinderella.

But ya know what? I'm thrilled. So no one mess with me.

In all seriousness, I'm starting to get comments about showing (ya that would be you mom), so I thought I'd post some pictures of what we're looking like at 14 weeks...

P.S. I always hated it when pregnant girls would post pics of themselves at certain weeks without their face showing. But considering salty foods are my best friends these days I thought I would spare myself the embarrassment of my swollen face in the blogging world.

Please excuse our dirty bathroom mirror, I'm seriously slacking in the cleaning department since Christmas.

Christmas Fun

We spent Christmas in Island Park with Roger's family this year, it was a total party!

I missed out on the first day because of my lovely work schedule (I was supposed to work Christmas Eve, but was cancelled - should have risked it and driven up there anyway huh!)

Roger opened gifts without me Christmas morning, so sad. I hate spending nights/holidays apart...the only downside to being a nurse!

Here are some highlights of the trip:

(Warning: Picture overload)

Considering swimming in the hypothermia water...

Sledding...

Roger bonding with the snow (I'm thinking he isn't missing me very much at this point)

Gary and Susan opening a Christmas gift

Doing what we all do best - eating! We were so poisoned by the end of this trip!

Snowmobiling day: if you went more than 5mph you were guaranteed frostbite on your face. Okay, not really. But wow was it cold!

Thanks to Dusty for the fabulous vacation!!