Pre baby fun!

Rifle Splash Pad:

Lowe's day:

Denver Temple

Melita's a greek deli in Denver my family has been going to for 30 years.   We met up with TJ's sister who was there for a Down Syndrome Convention

I might have to forgo the Hanging Lake hike till post baby, I feel like he might pop out any day now, haha, TMI

Pre-baby #2 goals

Time is ticking and yes I know my life will go on with this baby but it also will also mark the end of summer:-0  Sad day.  So I'm making a list of things to do before this new munchkin and the Fall take over.
1.  Rifle Splash Pad (Rifle isn't my favorite place on the planet but there is a Splash Pad)
2.  Hike Hanging Lake (the weekends are crazy so in order to do this I will have to convince Hudson he can hike a steep 1 mile up and back, maybe I will carry my hiker pack, do you think that will work 36 weeks pregnant?  Better do that next week!)
3.  Finish this Catherine the Great book, which I am going to work on as soon as I get off my blog.
4.  Camping at Lake Rudi, because I haven't been there and it's much cooler for a persistently sweaty pregnant lady without ac, I may move up there till I go into labor.
5.  Take Huds to a Lowe's class, I suppose I can do this with him after the baby comes but I am really sad to mark the end of Hud's and mommy era, however I am equally as excited to start the Hud's, baby, and mommy era.
6.  Make a baby blanket for the new little guy, I have the fabric it's been washed, not sure what I am waiting for.
7.  Make 5 freezer meals, one a week for the next 5 weeks!
8. Go to the temple.
Hopefully I'll get some pics and share them with my readers.  Most of lately has consisted of playing in the river if you haven't seen it on my instagram.  Maybe I will do a post on the Hudsie and momma era, there will be lots of river pics.

My dress

I'm so proud of myself I made a dress!  I always have these dreams of making things but never attempt because I don't want to mess up.  Finally thanks to a sale on this wonderful knit fabric and dying of heat, and ordering like a million dresses that were too short or too low cut (so I would have to layer, and I think layering in the summer is generally too hot) or just plane unflattering I decided it was worth the risk of messing up.  I used this tutorial.  I obviously made a few adjustments and prefer this method of sewing.  The wing it method.  I just fitted the skirt around my waist, sewed it on to some elastic, traced a top and sewed it all together.  Granted I made some mistakes I either thought my arms were really skinny or forgot to leave a seam allowance so winged that as well.  The original dress sleeves were super cute but I really wanted and needed something light and airy and this fabric was just too perfect to use for any other purpose.  I promptly went back and purchased 3 more knit fabrics and have an awesome wing it idea for one of them!  I love making my own clothes it's always been one of my top dreams.  I know this is super shallow but I have always wanted to be a clothing designer.  My family always discouraged me, but really if I've had one constant dream and passion besides my family and nutrition it's clothing.  So it's so fun for me to finally live this out, plus maternity fashion is either terrible or terribly priced, sometimes both!  I wish I wasn't so tired all the time so I could start my new one before I deliver this baby!

Cali pt 3

Huds loved this guy at the Avila Barn, remind me to eat there next time it smelled amazing!!!

these poor animals will do anything for lettuce

Avila Beach

Celebrating my biggest bros birthday

whale shorts and whale at Morro Bay

My bro and me

family shot

Morro Bay Aquarium

cousins

LA airport (on our way in actually)

Cali Pt 2 Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara Zoo

train ride

these elephants are like 40 years old

check out these baboons

Santa Barbara beach

Pizza on the pier

Cali pt 1

driving to the airport on mother's day

Huds is currently obsessed with planes, it wasn't hard to entertain him at the airport

plane ride

Lake Mead

Sunday at the park

living the life in Malibu

Huds only likes the ocean from a distance

chuckee cheeses, chocolate fountain and the LA temple

It was really great spending so much time with TJ's sister Christy in Thousand Oaks!

Huds and Thomas get eachother

had to take a pic with this hunk

For the love of these mountains!

I've always loved/dreamed of living in this neck of the woods!  As time trickled on though I had a tendency to zillow other locations and see what home we could be buying instead of being crammed in a condo.  I would also tell people not from here, "well there aren't too many great places to go out to eat (coming from a foodie who left Salt Lake, the food melting pot of the world) and shopping is well . . . ."  My husband and I had talked about maybe transferring with work someday but it really wasn't an option and I hoped that we would be well and happily settled or some amazing opportunity would take us to some magical place.  Then he made a phone call and said "where do you want to go?"  I bawled a thousand tissues, my heart would not let me leave this place, not now, maybe not ever.  I all of a sudden didn't care if we had an office and craft room in our future home.  I didn't care if I ever saw a shopping mall again, in fact I despised the thought of a shopping mall.  This was the magical place!  These are my mountains!  I spent my childhood in these mountains.  I love them and they love me!  I haven't had near enough time to know each of them as well as I want to and I'm sure I won't want to leave once I have.  I told my hubby I would go wherever if he thought it was better for our family, but inside my heart was breaking it felt like a break up but worse!  I don't know how to live in a city after this, I never liked cars driving everywhere and people consuming all the time.  I love the clean air.  The slow pace of life.  People walking, biking, and jogging to their destinations.  Getting to know people and seeing them again.  People who know and care about me.  Spending time with my friends trail running and hiking.  Not so many unimportant demands, and more meaningful demands.  After drying my tears we got in the car and drove to Aspen to one of our favorite places to dine.  I almost didn't want to go, I felt it would be too painful seeing all that I love and knowing I couldn't have it anymore.  I took crappy car pictures of mountain tops.  But you know what the magic of the mountains worked over my husband and while we aren't completely decided he is on my side.  The only thing taking us away is more paid vacation and a pension but right now I'm just going to let that slide till it feels right to move, because right now it doesn't.  Here is my favorite poem I ever wrote, this marks it's 10 year anniversary, it's one of my favorites and may not be used without my permission.

Colorado

I open my eyes
I tilt my head to see
in the perfection of the first hours
crushing grace in its fullest magnitude
I feel so protected
shadows sculpt each rocky dimension
hiding views, waterfalls, and the rich memories that only the few that were there will ever remember

From the corner of my eye
I see the mountain in flames
the swirling clouds painting
a new picture every second
I taste the wild fruit naturally pure and sweet
I hear the rushing water of
the single Aspen spread miles long
I truly understand why rarely
found Columbines are not to be plucked

I feel this place created with joy
a solitudinous garden a masterpiece in
HIs very own eyes

I close my eyes and listen to the silence
of the full moon upon the snow
I feel power and miles of privacy hiking up a thousand foot summit
carving the freshest possible
most untouched powder at midnight

I feel so far away like 
I'm on another planet
I see the Milky Way arched
over my body starting
from one end of the Earth
and ending at the other
the stars like windows to other galaxies
so concentrated I can taste their silver purity
I open my eyes and I am home