Diplomas, Frames & a Ward Split

A while ago I had Brian's diploma framed and we hung them both up in the loft. The BYU Provo Bookstore had ones already done that you could choose from, but BYU Hawaii didn't offer anything like that, so I went to Michael's to get Brian's done. I thought it'd be nice to put them on display, and here they are!

As part of our wedding photo package we got this 11x14 photo that I love. I've been waiting to get it framed, and we went to a place in Denver to get it done after we first got married, and I liked the result, but they wanted an insane amount of money for it, so we decided to wait. Then we recently went to Michael's during their 55% off sale, and they wanted like $250 (yes, that was half off!) for a pretty generic looking matte and frame combo that I didn't really like anyway. She kept wanting to put cream and tan mattes, which I didn't like with the black and white picture-it made it look sepia toned even though you knew it was supposed to be black and white.

So, Carrie offered to take it to China to see what she could get done there, and Destiny brought it back with her when she returned last Wednesday. I love the intricate frame, and I am so excited to finally have it framed and on display! Thank you so much Carrie! I know it's difficult picking things out for other people but I really do love it.

And the best part is that the total cost was a whopping $19!

In other news, our ward split yesterday. Our ward was up to 900+ people because of the housing boom in our area, and the construction for a new chapel hasn't been able to keep up with the families moving in. I told Brian before they announced the boundaries that we must be really good at being new because in the almost 4 years we've been married, the split would make our 5th ward. (Two were because we moved, and two would have been because of ward boundary changes). It was also fitting that we spoke in church two weeks ago and the rumors were that we'd be moved into the new ward they were creating, and would probably be top of the list to speak in church again.

Anyway, so they announced the new boundaries yesterday and just like the boundary change in Hawaii, we are the little section of our neighborhood that is plucked out from the rest of the neighborhood! Luckily, we will stay in our current ward, but it's kinda funny that we live in Providence, but are not in the Providence ward.

The Church is still true, but it will be nice to not have to fight for a soft seat in Sacrament mtg every Sunday (we have sacrament last so it's really a free for all)! Last Sunday I heard someone walking from behind me talking about how she has to run to beat all the old and pregnant ladies for a soft seat!

Happy Birthday Jill!

Today is my sister Jill's birthday! She is such a wonderful person, and I look up to her a lot. I am so grateful that we have such a close relationship. We talk about anything and everything, and she has the most adorable kids ever. I just hope my kids will be half as cute as hers are!

Jill is a very giving person-she is always thinking of others before herself. She is patient and she has worked very hard to be a fun chorister in the primary. She is a fabulous mom, too. I am already asking her all kinds of questions, and our little guy isn't even here yet! She takes such good care of her girls, and she is so supportive of Nate and the demanding life of a military wife. She knows that people and relationships are most important, and doesn't get worked up about the silly things I say.

Happy Birthday Jill! I wish I could see you more often but know that I miss and love you!

31 weeks!

Okay I know it's been a while since I've posted pictures of my baby belly so here they are! I definitely have a big guy growing in there! I am carrying straight out, which I guess is good on one hand b/c Brian says from the back you can't tell I'm pregnant, but on the other hand, it makes me feel enormous-and I still have two months to go! Ugh.....

This is a horrible picture but I am not in the mood so it's as good as it's gonna get.

I got these cartoons from my weekly email updates on the baby's progress and think they fit me and my current feelings perfectly. I feel this way more and more each day.

;)

Happy Birthday Brian!

Tuesday was Brian's birthday, and we had a great day together. He worked on Monday and took Tuesday off instead, so it was a lot less hectic.

First, I had previously typed up 101 things I love about Brian, and I got up in the middle of the night to cut them up and hide them randomly around the house. I had a great time watching him...I had one taped to the banister and he walked right past it because he saw one taped to a candle at the bottom of the stairs. I also enjoyed his frustration when he was looking right at one and still couldn't find it. (Don't worry, I wasn't mean about it, but it's only fair that the tables were turned for once!)

I told him he couldn't have his birthday breakfast until he found all 101. So here he is putting them in piles of 10 to see how many are left.

Once he had about 10 left, I started making breakfast and he really tried to cheat! He dug some of the scrap papers from out of the trash can and came up and added them to his piles and claimed he had found all 101! I knew he hadn't found the tie one (see picture below), so I knew he was up to something. He claims I'm in for it for my birthday.

This one was one of the most difficult for him to find. I folded the paper up and tucked it in the tag of the tie he wore last Sunday. As you can see from the picture, he has so many ties that even though I told him it was in his ties, it still took him a while to find it. He tried tricking me a few times into thinking he had found it so I would mess up and look to make sure he really had found it. He didn't get me though. Deep down, I know he enjoyed the hunt too!

After the hunt for 101 things, I made the stuffed sandwich French Toast, (with strawberries this time). It was delicious yet again. Kevin and Paul got Brian the Super Smash Brothers Wii Game, so we played that for a while, and then Brian and I went to see Angels & Demons. It was entertaining, but a lot of things were different from the book. Some differences weren't such a big deal (you can't expect them to keep everything the same in that kind of a time frame), but at the end they didn't reveal everything in the movie that the book does. I think they should have, but that's my opinion.

After the movie we went to eat at this new Indian Curry restaurant that Brian recently discovered. Yummy! Then we came home and went swimming/hot tubbing.

It was a perfect day with my hunk of a hubby! Now it's back to business as usual!
Happy Birthday Brian!

Baby Turner 3D Ultrasound Video

Here is the little video we made highlighting the almost hour long footage from the ultrasound! It was pretty cool to see, and we are even more excited to meet him in the flesh!

I thought it was just adorable to see him try to suck his thumb and stick out his tongue!

3D Ultrasound

We went to get a 3D Ultrasound last night and couldn't wait to share the pictures! At first he was asleep and just about everything possible was blocking his face. I even had to get up off the bed and jump around a little to get him to wake up! We gradually got him to peel away his feet and one hand, but it was still a chore to get him to move the other hand. Then my jumping around and the milkshake I had must have finally kicked in, but after he peeled the last hand away from his face, we discovered that the umbilical cord was in front of his face too! Ugh. It was frustrating, and I did not enjoy the technician 'tapping' my stomach to get him to move, but what can you do? We still got some cute pictures, of course.

Here he is looking to the right with his hand brushed up on his cheek.

Here he is all cramped up! The very top is his forehead, then you can see a tiny bit of his nose. Then his left hand and left foot are both squished right up there!
Here he is opening his mouth. He was trying so hard to suck his little thumb. What a cutie!

Here he is sticking his tongue out! The umbilical cord was right in front of his face, so the technician tried to blur it out, but it kind of blurred his face a little. Even so, it was funny to see him stick his little tongue out!

Here is my little snuggler! This is one of my favorite pictures-he just looks all ready to be cuddled (by me, of course)! He has his knees squished up a little bit and was trying to suck his thumb. Poor little guy couldn't ever get it in there though!

We have a DVD recording of the session too, so once we get the highlights compiled and edited into a little movie I'll post that as well. I'm so excited for the new little man in my life and can't wait to hold him in my arms! Not too much longer!

Beverly Hills

Now that the weather here is in the 90's, it's warm enough to take advantage of the pool. The pool is right around 72-75 degrees, which is still a little chilly, but on a hot day it feels awesome. As I was out relaxing, reading my book and talking on the phone, Brian took some pictures to document my last days of childless carefree lounging.

Taking a break from my book to stay hydrated!

The lounge/swim chairs are pretty nice to relax in. However, I have to be in the shallow end to roll in/out of it.

Me talking to Keli on the phone.

A co-worker/friend came over while I was swimming and Brian told him to go look outside and see what I was doing. Brent's response was "What does she think this is, Beverly Hills?" To which my resonse was, "Yes, and I am taking advantage while I can!"

Mother's Day

For our first Mother's Day Brian and I made Stuffed French Toast with raspberries and it was delicious! We made a sandwich by spreading cream cheese on two pieces of french toast. Then we put fresh raspberries inside and dipped the whole sandwich in the egg mixture. It was yummy! Brian is pretty proud of it and was trying to think of what else we could put inside for next time!

We even discovered that our camera has a special food setting! Kinda random, but the top picture is without the setting, the bottom two are with it.

For all you fellow French Toast lovers, this is a yummy idea worth trying!

How to Win a Pine Wood Derby

Brian Turner presents...

How to Win a Pine Wood Derby!
(in order of appearance: Brian, Zach, and Taylor)



Step 1: Draw your design.

Step 2: Saw, sand and/or chisel out the design.

Step 3: Paint and add accessories
(in this case Brian is adding the chair to "Billy Bob's Fan Boat").

Step 4: Add the wheels and take pictures of the final product. The car on the left is my very first Pine Wood Derby car. Brian showed me what to do, but I did it all by myself! (My first attempt at learning all things Cub Scout)

Step 5: Watch all the deacons and little kids puzzle over how to turn the fan on, and make sure they don't break it before you even get a chance to race it.

Step 6: RACE!!!! Make it in the Final Four!

Step 7: Try to keep your heart from breaking as your car rebounds off the finish line, bounce off the track and fall apart in the middle of the heat to determine final placement. (You can see a tiny piece of his orange car in the bottom left corner as it bounced off the wall and flipped over, breaking the fan, chair, and batteries)

Step 8: Emergency Repair!
(Sorry, no picture here, it really was an emergency!)

Step 9: WIN!

This picture is of our friend Taylor, who won 1st in the "Regulation Category" and Brian, who won 1st in the "No Rules Category". Check out their awesome trophies!

And that's how you win a Pine Wood Derby!

Paul's Mission Call

Brian's youngest brother Paul got his mission call the other day! He is visiting Steve and Carrie in China for the month so his call was mailed here. While we were waiting for morning in China, Brian made a fake mission call by re-typing the letter, inserting a made up call and report date, and cutting and pasting President Monson's signature from the real mission call.
We emailed the document titled "Paul call" to Paul once everyone woke up, and were able to see and hear everyone via Skype. Our made up call was to the Korea, Seoul Mission, speaking Korean, reporting June 3rd (like a week and a half after he returns from China). We were planning on getting both Paul and Carrie in the same prank (Paul b/c he'd be going somewhere totally foreign, with weird food, speaking a difficult language, and Carrie b/c of the date).

Success!

Everyone was cheering for Paul as he read the call, and as soon as he read the date, Carrie yelled out "NO WAY!" and started crying. Then everyone suddenly busted up laughing as they saw the file transfer titled "Paul REAL call".

He is really going to the Canada, Winnepeg Mission, speaking English, reporting August 19th. Paul is relieved he is speaking English, and now he and Carrie have time to get everything ready and Paul can work for a few months this summer before he leaves.

He will even be here to bring me ice chips when Jr. is born! See Paul, even the Lord is ensuring that you get to be a part of it! Don't fight the will of the Lord!

Congrats Paul!