1. iPhone 4
I know I’ve been holding out for the white iPhone, but since it is not available, I’ve decided that I’d be okay with black.  I would really enjoy/use the video camera feature.  Remember how our video camera is on the fritz and we have a new baby coming rather soon?  I kind of like to document those kinds of things, you know.  And by “those kinds of things” I mean our fourth child, whom I will be birthing within the next month or so.

2. Kate Spain’s Fandango fabric
Even though my stash is currently on the healthy side, I really like this line of fabric and would like to make a throw for our living room since it’s now February and I have yet to put our Christmas quilt away. I think a layer cake from this line would suffice.

3. Wool Roving

4. This embroidery book.  Or this one.  Or both! I’m flexible.

5. This sewing book.  Who knows?  I could have four girls to sew for (in the near future).

6. Japanese Masking Tape

A few more things to add to the list—See’s candy (always good for pregnant women), coconut body butter (always good for a pregnant belly), hooks for the office from Anthropologie, in teal (home organization will help accomplish my nesting desire, because I’m pregnant).

If anything else comes to my mind (when I’m not dwelling on the fact that I’m pregnant with your fourth child), I’ll let you know.  I know where to find you.

Thaaaaanks!

Love your 36+ weeks pregnant wife,
Holly

These fat quarters are from Heather Bailey’s Nicey Jane line.

I need more. 

Like I said, I’m addicted.

Back to the tagging thing. I am supposed to list six interesting things about myself. I don’t really know six things that are interesting about me, but I’ll let you be the judge of that.

1. I went to Morocco with my Dad while we were traveling in Spain. It was a very scary experience. Almost as scary as going through customs when my Dad smuggled baby tortoises back to the States and thinking we were going to get thrown into customs jail.

2. I can pick things up with my toes, which comes in very handy when I am very pregnant. Actually, it comes in handy all the time. Almost everyone in my family can do it, including Inez. We call it “basque toes” because we got it from my Mom who is Basque. Dave tries to do it sometimes and claim that it is his “mexican toes” when he does it but we don’t buy it. He totally has “basque toe” envy.
2a. Dave is Mexican and we are not racist.

3. I danced on American Bandstand when I was very young, maybe eight years old. My older sister Kristy took me to the Christmas show where families could come and shake their thang. When the first song started (Karma Chameleon by The Culture Club) Kristy’s date said, “let’s take her to the front so she can get on camera!” Translated: “let’s take her to the front so I can get on camera!” Anyway, I got really scared at the idea of being in the front and started to cry. Ah, the memories. They can be seen on VHS in case anyone would like to watch my mad dance skillz—for a fee, of course.

4. I want to move to England. I have only been there once, and want to go back with Dave. Actually, I want to live there with Dave. I am obsessed with England. I almost bought Gwen tights with the Union Jack on them. I love England. If England were a person, I would be its stalker. If I were going to buy a Mini Cooper, I would get one with the Union Jack on the roof. I am very fond of England.

5. I have a crush on Jim from The Office—but only when he is on The Office and definitely not in those Gap ads. And I have a crush on Justin Timberlake—but only when he’s performing. Others that I think are attractive are (in no particular order): Ken Watanabe, Cary Grant, Hugh Grant, Mr. Darcy from the most recent P&P, and the Mr. Darcy from the A&E P&P as well.
5a. I think it’s no coincidence that four of the seven are from England.

6. I broke up with Dave two times before our relationship “stuck.” When he got home after I broke up with him the second time, he told his roomate Matt that he was going to marry me. I know. We are so MFEO. And boy is he stuck with me now.

I hope you enjoyed these little factoids. I’m supposed to tag six people, but I refuse to put that pressure on anyone. Wait, actually I choose to tag DAVE. He needs to post something, so that will be a good excuse. Plus he is my fave. Even more than Jim, Justin, Ken, Cary, Hugh, Fitzwilliam, Fitzwilliam and England put together. Now that’s saying something.

• being informed by our health insurance company that we can’t cancel our insurance until the end of the month. Well, actually we can. But we will still be charged the full amount of $404.60 even if we faxed over our written request and cancelled it today. Dave’s work finally got us on a group plan. And because it wasn’t greenlit until yesterday, we hadn’t cancelled our private insurance. So we are paying through the nose and not being supplemented by Dave’s work (like we used to be), and having the new insurance money for the new plan taken out of the paycheck all in the same month. All this for our terrible coverage. Fantastic.

• dealing with THE grumpiest three-year-old in all of Utah County. She certainly woke up on the wrong side of the bed and it just went downhill from there.

• my rib(s) going out of place for the third day in a row. It’s so lovely when it happens because I can hardly breathe, let alone pick up a ten month old while dealing with the most dramatic three-year-old.

• having super hairy legs, very dirty feet and going on the second day of wearing the same shirt. Day and night.

This evening I had to run to the library before it closed and I was still feeling sorry for myself, so I went to drown my sorrows at Target. And I bought this for myself.

I also made cookie dough. It was too late to bake them tonight, so I just had a few bites. I felt so much better.

Now, I’m not trying to generate sympathy or get cookies delivered (especially since I have some dough in the fridge right now). I’m just venting. I know it’s on days like this that I need to write in my gratitude journal and remember the good that still surrounds me. For example:

• even after spanking (yes, spanking happens on days like today) my three-year-old, she still loves me.

• having my sister in town for a few more days, and sharing some quality girl time with her and my Mom tonight after all the kids were asleep and until my Dad came upstairs because it was 1am, wanting to go to bed and kicked us out (in a nice way) of his room.

• having a husband that loves me no matter how hairy my legs get and I’m sure, hasn’t even noticed that I’ve sported the same shirt two days in a row.

So, no matter how terrible, horrible, no good, or very bad my days get, I know that I still have it good. Especially as long as Target is open.

Happy anniversary, babe. I love you.

 I love you Dave.

I am SO grateful for my mission and for the lessons it taught me, the people that I met, the lifelong friends that I made, the language I learned, the country I lived in and love, and everything else in between—the good and the bad. As I was perusing my mission pictures my mind was completely flooded with emotions and memories. I laughed at the crazy companions, members, strangers, situations. I was saddened by what I couldn’t remember, people mostly. And I was happy from those who taught me, loved me, and strengthened me. It was such an amazing time in my life, and I can only hope for the same experiences for my own daughters.