Arizona Trip #4: Mom and Lacey's Birthday and my babyshower

Brian and I just got home today from our latest trek back to Mesa - we always have SO MUCH FUN when we go back to visit my friends and family. We want to see everyone and hang with everyone so I also have such a hard time balancing my time and getting to visit everyone - you know what I mean? :) We went this time because my mom wanted to hang in AZ with her mom and sisters for her birthday so it was decided to also do my AZ baby shower then. Worked out perfectly. My mom and both my sisters flew in as did my aunt Amy from Kansas. It was so fun to see her - usually I only see her when there is a wedding - so thanks Amy from coming :)

Due to Brian's work schedule we drove to AZ on Friday (Jan 15th). The ride went really well and I actually travel pretty well pregnant. Right after we got there we all called in an order to Cafe Rio, Brian and I picked it up (we're usually the official food runners), and then we ate it at Grandma's. It was yummy and it was so fun to just hang out and talk with everyone - Amy had gotten there earlier that afternoon. Dave came over that night to hang - he's my favorite uncle - he cracks me up.

Saturday Brian worked out in the garden with Grandpa in the morning. He was using the roda tiller (I don't even know how to spell that??) while Grandpa ordered him where to go, then watched to make sure he didn't screw up. Well right as Brian was finishing up the last row the clutch busted on the machines and Brian told my Grandpa something like "Oh, the crutch just broke." My Grandma responded back "Well that was a stupid thing to do." Brian was like oh my gosh he just called me stupid!!! And then quickly realized that my Grandpa was not calling HIM stupid but was calling the machine stupid :) It was funny! Brian's catching on to Grandpa speak slowly but surely. That afternoon we went and bought new parts for the machine - we had to order them and sent to gma's because they didn't have them in the store. It drove Brian crazy that he couldn't just fix it right then for my Grandparents. We also ran to Ulta and then Bass Pro Shop - just a few places we don't have in Visalia. Then we just hung out at Gma's that night eating and laughing. Love it!

Sunday - Brian and I went to sacrament meeting at gma's ward. It was so hot in there we were dying! That's when my ankles and feet started swelling.... they've never done that before. Then my mom and lacey flew into town and scott, kim and brooklynne came over to hang. It's so fun to see everyone! That night of course it was a typical Sunday night at gma's - packed full of people and hot hot hot!

Monday - HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM AND LACEY!!! :) 50 and 16 - major years you guys! That morning gma made wheat pancakes and buttermilk syrup - yummy! Then in the afternoon all the women - gma, the aunts, tons of little girl cousins, me, my mom, lacey, kim and her sister all went to get pedicures (gma got a manicure instead). Kim, Amy, my mom and I all ended up getting the same color because we loved it so much - Red Pumps - it looks like Dorothy's ruby red slippers. Amy and I both bought a bottle of the nail polish because we loved it so much. Then that night we called a to go order into The Cheesecake Factory and ate at gma's for my mom's and lacey's birthday dinner. It was so yuumy! We stayed up until 2:30 in the morning handing out!

Tuesday - Brian, Amy and I all woke up before the butt crack of dawn so we could go to the 6am temple session. I loved it! It's the first time Brian and I were able to go back to the Mesa temple since we got married. And it was great because Amy came.... so it's almost like I had an escort again :) Trust me.... I still need help. It was so awesome - thanks for coming Amy! I just barely still fit in my temple dress - whew! What was funny is as we were walking up to the temple I was telling Brian I do not want to be the witness couple - I was scared I'd faint or not be able to get my fat butt up and down....... and low and behold as Amy and I walked out of the dressing room I was asked to be the witness couple with my husband. Um... you can't say NO in the temple! So before the session when we were waiting the told me to sit in the front "special needs" row so I can wait for my husband.... Well Brian came in (very excited about his suspenders that he rented) and was like oh so we're "special"? Uh huh - AND the witness couple. He just laughed and was like you just couldn't say no could you? Nope :) I didn't faint though and I was able to get up and down without any problems! That afternoon we had to take a nap Brian and I were walking zombies. Then it was get up and run errands. We went to the distribution center where I got a few pair of maternity garments. The old lady that was helping me was so sweet and cute! She was like why don't you buy one pair and try them on here to make sure about the size right. So she walked me back there and wow - WAY WAY to many mirrors in those dressing rooms - i'm freakin' massive! I swear I just all the sudden blew up the last two weeks. As soon as I put those garments on i was like AHHHHHHHH felt so much better! I left the new ones on and came out and the cute lady was like well how did they work out - I was like well I've still got them on so we're doing great! She just cracked up and was like I know I know when I was prego..... blah blah blah. It was cute :) Then we picked up the Sprinkles cupcakes that were for my shower all the way out in Scottsdale (I choose lemon coconut and cinnamon sugar - way way yummy). Then dropped them off a gma's, took Lacey's out to lunch at Jason's Deli, then a Target run on the way back to gma's. Once we got back to Gma's finally it was full swing of getting ready for the shower. It was so much fun! I was takling to Brian later and was like I don't know why but that was way more fun then a bridal shower! Thank you thank you everyone for your gifts and support! We had gma's chicken salad on Becky's roll and Sprinkles cupcakes. Yummy! Brian and Scott Allen hung out in the kitchen while all of us girls played in the living room. But they came back in once the shower was officially over and Brian had just as much fun as I did going through what everyone gave us and our little Conan. My gma made zach this ADORABLE duck quilt! As I was opening the present she was like "you have to give that back to me, for now, I'm not done with it" so it's still in AZ. She just has to put the back on and quilt it. Brian saw it and was shocked! He's never seen one of gma's quilts and was mistified that someone could make something that cool and intricate! yeah my gma is pretty much awesome :) My gma and the aunts also made us these really cute burp rags. And Kim made me this amazing 1st year scrapbook. I love homemade gifts - I have such talented family. Thanks everyone again for everything you did to put on the shower and for the gifts :)

I forgot my camera so my mom and Becc were the photographers. As soon as I get photos I'll put them up.