Writer's block

-Spring high school sports have started! Softball, baseball, soccer, ect. So, I have plenty to write about. The tricky part is getting in contact with the coaches. As long as I have been writing for various newspapers, I have always been nervous about my deadlines for some reason. They loom over my head and I go into this crazed mode to get all my work done. I think I need to chill out a little bit.

-Which is what I did on Monday evening. Ben and I started a child-birthing class. For about 20 minutes of the class Monday, I laid on the hard floor in the dark, listened to funky wind chime music and envisioned my womb. It sounds very funny, but the class as a whole was extremely informative and helped me relax a little bit and feel more confident. And Ben learned how to massage and stretch my aching back and hips -- that was pretty awesome. The "coaches" (that's Ben) also got a massage from their partners, too, so they wouldn't feel left out.

-I want to say THANK YOU to all the Copper Hills High School swimmers who very sweetly pitched in for a coach gift card. We got a great car seat with thier help!

-I am improving on my cake-decorating skills. (A little) Here is my latest creation: A red velvet birthday cake for Natalie. (I have to admit, Ben did the letters. That kind of stuff is just way beyond my capacities.)

The masterpiece

I'm going to start a cooking blog. Mmm-mmm! Doesn't this just look divine? Best-looking cake I've ever seen! This was my attempt at a scrumptious Valentine's Day treat. Too bad the frosting wouldn't spread. We think it is because this cake recipe did not call for any oil, so when we tried spreading the frosting, the cake just kept falling apart.

But, never judge a cake by it's appearance, because it tasted very yummy, and the entire thing was gone after a couple hours. (No, I did not eat the whole thing myself out of self pity because I can't make a cute cake.)

I'm going to try a different recipe -- any suicidal cake testers out there that dare to try my inventions?

Anyways, I have a huge problem lately. I work from home now, writing. :) (That is not the problem.) I've found that because I work from home, there is really no hurry to get ready in the morning. I can work in my Pj's if I want to. And I've developed a great dislike of getting dressed in the morning. It's BAD!! It's just so easy to get up and go straight to work without getting ready. My only hope is when I workout in the mornings, then I HAVE to get ready. But working out seems to be getting harder and harder lately now that I'm 31 weeks pregnant. I've slowly gone from working out four days a week to three, and lately a measly two. My body just doesn't like to move anymore. The worst thing is that I am NOT a pretty picture in the morning. Good thing Ben gets out of our apartment by 6:30 every morning, before I'm up.

Any advice? Or has this post just made me sound like a weirdo?

Watch out for those Charmin Bears -- they ain't so charming

I just have to share this with the wonderful blogging world.

The other night, well, more like extreme early morning, I couldn't sleep. (Story of my life lately.) So, I was just lying there listening to Ben's deep breaths, which seemed to taunt me by whispering "Oh, sleep is so good, what a deep sleep I'm in, don't you wish you were snoring away like this?"

Anyways, all of a sudden, Ben's long breaths became very shallow and short gasps. Like he couldn't catch his breath or he was panicking. It scared me very badly at first! "What is wrong with him," I thought. The idea came to my head then that maybe he was dreaming. I decided to wake him up to make sure he was OK.

He woke up easily, which usually is not the case for Ben. (I swear there could be a marching band in the room jumping on the bed and he wouldn't even stir.) I asked him if he had a bad dream, and he mumbled yes. I was very relieved.

"And the weird part was that you were going to the bathroom in a tree," he told me.

"What???" But it was too late, he was fast asleep already.

The next day I couldn't help but ask for more details about this dream. Ben cracked up when I asked him.

Apparently, while I was going to the bathroom in a tree in the mountains, Ben was standing by some bushes when he heard some growling noises coming from the other side of the plants. Suddenly, a big bear (looking exactly like the ones in those Charmin toilet paper commercials on TV) stood up on its hind legs and raised one paw in the air, like it was announcing its presence or something.

The bear then proceeded to get down on all fours again. Ben couldn't see where the bear went until it stuck its big old butt out of the bushes, aiming straight for Ben, lifted up its little cotton-ball tail, and blasted the biggest fart ever in Ben's face.

And that's when I woke him up. Drat, I would have loved to hear more of that dream.

I wonder if Ben may have been experiencing some gastrointestinal problems that night.

Haunted house, a little late

This picture was meant to be posted around Halloween because of the scary house that sits uninhabited in Summit, Utah. My sisters and I have tested our bravery growing up as we've visited my Stapley grandparents in Summit by daring each other to go near that house. None of us ever made it past the fence. But, upon his first visit to the house, Ben showed us all up by walking past the fence, onto the porch, and probably would have walked right inside if it weren't for me begging him to come back. I thought the house was going to cave in on him or he would get a disease or something. I guess that shows the difference between boys and girls.

Which provides me with a nice transition. Speaking of boys and girls ... We found out in November that our baby is a BOY!!! I was pretty much in shock when we found out. I did not think I was able to have a boy inside of me! I'm a little intimidated -- I know how girls are, but I don't know what boys like! But at the same time, I sure am happy that he's a boy.

Other November items:

-We lost Grandpa Stapley to leukemia. We all miss him greatly.
-I went from having 0 jobs to 2 all in one week. I've been a little stressed out ever since.
-Ben went from having a temporary job to an internship, that, all though we are very grateful for, is also temporary.
-We found out that Max Hall hates us. Darn.

Happy Halloween!

Our dryer sadly stopped working this morning. It was given to us for free, and we were very grateful for it, but it's dead now. So, I brought all my laundry to my mom's house today.

And it smelled so good when I came in! My mom made Halloween cupcakes and let me frost and sprinkle them. How festive I felt today!

Here's some eye candy for you.

Baby Wilson: Coming April 2010

OK, here it goes: We are expecting a baby!! Due to my crazy sisters, I think the whole world may already know, but I thought I'd better make the official announcement anyway.

I had my second doctor's appointment today, and was able to hear the fetus'/unborn child's/baby's ( I highly prefer to call it "baby;" that sounds the least alien-like) heart beat! I can't believe how excited it made me feel to hear the heart beat! It had 150 beats per minute, which the nurse said is normal.

Ben and I are very happy and grateful for the experience we have had so far! I have to admit, though, that sometimes I get so nervous!! I worry about EVERYTHING and then some. I really am my grandma Stapley's granddaughter. (When she was growing up, she was known by all her friends as "Nervous Norma.")

Ben has his suspicions about the gender, and I refuse to say anything about it. We find that out in a month!

No more tonsil talk, please

I had to post something so that the nasty "tonsil" entry would not show up at the top of my blog anymore.

Ben has really gotten to know the LDS Conference Center grounds in Salt Lake City very well as he has been working there this summer. His grounds crew started putting up the famous Temple Square Christmas lights in August, and recently got to start using lifts to put up the lights in the tall trees.


It's a different point of view from 40 feet up in the lifts, he says. Here is a picture he snapped while in a lift:

He's seen some real characters while working downtown, too. Elder L. Tom Perry of the Quorum of the Twelve frequently walks from his apartment north of the Conference Center to attend his meetings at the Temple. One time, he had to help Ben's crew, as they got locked outside of the building. Of course, Elder Perry's keys can open pretty much all the doors around there.

Then there was the "mentally challenged" man who stood on the corner of Temple Square wearing the sacred Temple clothing, that church members are urged not to display in public. He just stood there; he didn't say anything or try to start any fights. Apparently, according to a Temple Square security guard, during this time, he was not taking his medication. He finally started taking it again, and has not been seen on the corner since.

It's been quite the job for Ben.