baby survival

Now that things are starting to calm down a little for me, I'm on my way out to do a little baby shopping. What sort of things helped all you new mothers with your new babies? What did you LOVE having that made life a little bit easier.

golfing anniversary

This past weekend was our anniversary. We went to Sherwood Hills where we ate at their restaurant and played a round of golf. Joe gave me a journey diamond necklace, explaining that this would have to suffice for the next four years while he goes to Pharmacy school.

I gave Joe golf balls. For those of you who know his nickname, it was only befitting to get him Nike MOJO golf balls. Sadly, he lost one of those balls in the forest at Sherwood Hills.

While we were at Sherwood Hills, we got to experience all sorts of nature. We only got to play four holes because we were going to SLC for our family reunion. I did pretty good and shot well. I even sunk a 20 foot putt! I'm pretty much amazing and the best golfer ever. This is my first time adding movies to this thing, so I hope it works.

family reunion

These are two of my nieces and they're sisters! Joe told me that this picture of Lily (pictured on the left) would be a good Powerade commercial. Audrey (pictured on the right) was learning how to wear shades.

We went to Salt Lake City last weekend for a Griffin family reunion. My dad's brothers are making it an annual tradition so all of they're kids can get to know each other. It was fun to get out of the house and spend some time outside.

hospital bags

Going into labor and having a baby is becoming more and more of a reality to me. What kinds of things did you pack in your hospital bags? What did you wish you had brought but didn't think about?

mawage

"Mawage. Mawage is wot bwings us togeder tooday.

Mawage, that bwessed awangment,

that dweam wifin a dweam...

And wuv, tru wuv, will fowow you foweva...

So tweasure your wuv."

Two years ago today I married my best friend. The best thing that ever happened to me was marrying Joseph Christian Beck for time and all eternity in the Logan LDS Temple on August 15, 2006! Reminiscing about that day, a few things that I remember about that day is when we got to the sealing room, I had his ring with a tissue strung through it on one of my fingers. While the sealer was chatting with us, Joe reached over and grabbed my hand. Apparently I had been fidgeting with the ring and tissue, turning the tissue into confetti. Joe had a huge smile on his face and tears in his eyes as we kneeled across the alter from each other (there's no need to explain what I was doing--if only I had that darn tissue). It was if everyone had melted away and it was only the two of us. The family dinner and reception are kind of a blur. I do remember getting booed when we fed each other a piece of our cake. Needless to say, people were cheering as I stuffed cake into his face and up his nose! Joe, ever the romantic, hired a horse and carriage to take us away. What a romantic way to end an unforgettable day.

Happy anniversary baby! I love you heart, mind, body and soul.

snoring

I guess, among other things, snoring has become yet another side-affect of my pregnancy. The other night I had barely fallen asleep when this loud, awful grunting sound echoed through my mattress. I gasped a couple of times, and sat up in bed.

"What was that?"
"Uh, that was you."
"Oh."

I'm glad that I am at least Joe's nightly entertainment.

toes, reunions, vandalism

Don't you just love long boring days at the office? It's 9:00 in the morning and I'm completely out of things to do. So, naturally, this post is going to be a monstor blog. Consider your self warned and happy reading.

Joe's family reunion was last week in Sandy. Before we left Friday night, I stopped by the salon and got a manicure and pedicure. Aren't those little toe sausages cute? I blame it on the prenatal vitamins, but my pedicure is history. Is it possible to get sick right after a hand/foot massage? I don't know, but I'm gonna blame that night's bathroom episodes on the pedicure and manicure. I was so sick that night. I had to keep running to the bathroom in the dark in a strange house. I'm pretty impressed with myself that I didn't run into any walls or walk into an in-law's bedroom! Wouldn't that be something?!

While were in Sandy, we decided to go to the Heritage Farm up by the University of Utah. The farm is basically old pioneer buildings that were relocated to this central place where all the employees pretend they are really back in the 1800's. The day before we went on the Heber Creeper. I told them I didn't care what we did the next day as long as it was out of the sun and in air conditioning. I guess I got out voted. I was so hot. Joe was pretty good with staying with me in the shade or the air conditioned stores. He had a bottle of water that he kept splashing me with. I even had to go into a bathroom, wet a paper towel and keep it wrapped around my neck. A lady under an awning saw me walking toward the bathroom and about crapped her pants. "Oh! I don't know HOW you're handling this heat! I wouldn't be caught dead out here when I was as pregnant as you!" Okay lady.

We stopped by a cabinet shop and got Joe fitted for a coffin. I think I'll have to shorten him a bit before we can fit him into the box.

Joe's family has a tradition where they do a fun run/walk at the reunions in honor of their dad's new outlook on life with his new heart. This year, we made T-shirts. Joe was gracious enough to decorate both of ours. And it only took him a little over an hour and a half to finish them! Good job baby. I didn't participate in the run, but I dressed up for it any way. I'm such a good sport!

I live for this kind of stuff! Joe sold his little brother his car and accidently held on to a spare key. We were going to mail it to him, but then we found out that Joe's little bro was getting married! We put glitter all over the dashboard and into the vents, toilet papered the inside of the car and put ballons in the front seats. We cheese-whized sayings on the windows, put oreo cookies all over the place, saran wrapped the doors shut, put PB under the door handles, smeared PB all over the car, added more glitter to the stickier foods, and tied plastic water bottles to the the back of the car! What a masterpiece.

Steve and Anna thought they had the perfect solution to not getting their car decorated. They parked the car a couple of blocks away from the park where they had their reception and rode off on a bicycle-built-for-two. Needless to say, with the help of a reliable source, we found the car. Sorry guys. It's a tradition that everyone has to experience at least once in their life!

The happy couple, Steve and Anna, feeding each other cake.