Christmas #1

We had our first Christmas stop at my Mom's house where Christmas Chaos commenced. Of course the men had to all site together because us women wanted the warm seats by the fire, there was a ton of snow outside!

My mom gave BJ and I a baby heartbeat-hearer. It was really fun to listen to Kenley's heart, even though she decided it was time to do acrobats and make it difficult to keep track of.

This was my blessing dress when I was a baby!! My mom re-vamped it for me, its beautiful! Not even born yet and she gets more presents than me :)

I decided to be crafty this year and created an apron for my mom in her favorite color combo=blue and yellow. I hope she doesn't notice all the crooked stitchings

Leg warmers! For Kenley of course :)

Thanks Kari!

Evan is just a big kid enjoying the ribbon more than the gift

We had a Hawaiian themed Christmas dinner. It was yummy!

BJ and I made this gingerbread creation, which looks more like a monster and a haunted house

Kari and Evan's masterpiece!

Tragically it did not survive the winter

We also made yummy white chocolate dipped marshmallow people, they got along great!

I think I was more sad to leave Drake than he was to be left, he had buddies to play with (pester) while we were in Alabama. My mom gave her dogs stockings with toys, and of course puppy Drake had to tear them all to shreds. You were done playing with them right Henry & Daisey?

December Baby

December 2009 has officially been named the busiest month of my life so far. It has been so jam packed, I haven't been able to update on all the awesome stuff we've been doing. I will post later about all our Christmases.

First I really wanna write about our Jersey Shores get-togethers. For the record-I HATE that we are contributing to their famedom. But I can't look away! They are the bottom of the barrel for reality TV, but at least they are dumb enough for me to believe none of it is scripted. I truly think they are just that stupid. Why in the world would you call yourself "Snooki", "Jwoww" or "The Situation"?? To be fair, I don't know if any of them can actually spell so they don't really know what they're saying.

We've been getting together to watch every new episode. So of course we needed nicknames too!
Me: Tan-Tric
BJ: Juice Box
Cali: The Rack

Shoney: S-Gel
Candice: The Appointment

Poke: Tan-Talizer

I cringe when I hear the things they say like "I'm not used to this work, I'm a bartender. I do great things!" and "All I want out of life is to find a nice, tan, souped up Guido and live my life."

I bet its the combination of the tanning beds, hair gel and silicon that have fried their personalities down to this. It's the longest public service announcement for "This is your brain on drugs." I have ever seen.

To help cleanse ourselves of this viewing experience we trotted down to temple square to see the lights and nativities. They are so pretty! It was packed and cold but we were able to enjoy all the sights and the babes had fun too! Aren't they two of the cutest kids you've ever seen!

Fun with Guns

This weekend we were able to go shooting with some friends; Morgan, Phil and their nugget Maddy (aka Little Morgan). It was soooo much fun to get out and wreak havoc on a few targets, pumpkins and clay pigeons. We took Drake and I was worried he wouldn't do very well with all the shooting. But it didn't even phase him! When we were shooting the pigeons he would even go fetch the ones we missed! Can you say awesome dog!

Maddy even had her own pink BB gun, and was darling shooting at the targets and entertaining herself the entire time.

I even got a bulls eye! With the smallest (cutest) gun, and reflexively closing my eyes. But I got it!

Thanks guys for the fun escape! Lets do it again!

Say WHAT?!?!

I've been on the receiving end of some funny reactions to finding out I'm pregnant. Some of them were just too great to pass on sharing.

Among the constant flow of:
"How do you feel??"

I got hit with this one:
"Yay!! Oh wait.... was it planned?"

One that was a little awkward and dangerous:
"I've observed you're looking pregnant."
"Um, yes..... Six months now...."

From a good friend:
"Whose is it?"
(I hope he was joking)

From a co-worker:
"Oh no!"

And my personal favorite:
"No you're not. You're ridiculous."
-Believe it or not that's from my baby daddy, he took a little convincing :) I guess he thought I was playing a mean joke.

My Birthday Weekend

Saturday was my birthday and I was planning on doing some grown-up things, turns out this grown-up stuff is no fun on your birthday so I pulled out this antique instead!

This is a hand-me-down I was very excited about, until I set it up and all it did was make "whirring" noises. So after much cursing and fighting (and lots of help from BJ) I finally got it in working order!

I was so excited cause for a long time I've wanted to learn how to sew. So I bought some cute owl fabric and set out making these burp cloths and receiving blankets. Congrats me, I made lumpy squares!

I love this fabric, Joann's is having a sale on all flannel fabrics like this through the rest of the month for all you crafty people.

I went shopping at Target with a gift card I got from RE/MAX and got this cute outfit! Thanks RE/MAX! I also went in for a trim, but INCHES later I don't think you can call it a trim. I love weekends like this because it's so hard for me to find time to do things like this, it was so nice!

Thanks for all the texts/calls/birthday wishes!! You all really made my day!!

Does everything have to be PINK??

After initial excitement and much rejoicing, I wanted to get geared up for our little arrival. I decided to go shopping and view all the things we will need and make mental lists. I also thought it would be a great idea to find a fun outfit to bring home in celebration...... that's where my excitement faltered.

Every single little girls outfit was either disgustingly pink or covered in flowers.

Is it really necessary to dress up our infant girls as tiny floral pepto bismol bottles? For the first time, I worried that I was going to be the one needing reassuring about having a little girl. Don't dads go through this?

For the majority of my life I have fought my mom on getting anything too girly. I even remember getting my very first bra, after I tried it on my mom asked me how it fit. I replied "Great, now that I've removed the stupid little flower in the front." Mind you, this was an all white plain bra, and you can imagine how small a flower would have to be to fit in the front of a training bra!

Maybe I need some "girly girl" training. But I think I've devised the right plan.

1. I can handle purple. I actually really like this color and wish they made more purple baby outfits.

2. I do accessories. I have been focusing on headbands and tiny bracelets. Sooo cute!

3. Finding awesome sayings on onsies such as "Does this diaper make my butt look big?"-How funny is that!

If anyone has any suggestions on some little girl things for me, please pass them on!

Un-Sexy Halloween??

Halloween is one of my favorite days of the year. I love dressing up and having an excuse to get together with good friends and play some games and watch spooky movies. Little kids in their costumes are so darling!

But... one of the things thats really confusing to me is the mass of "Sexy" costumes (AKA: lingerie with a tail, or hat, or combat boots to complete the ensemble). Maybe its that i'm not a "flaunting" kind of girl, but some of these costumes are truly mind boggling as to why such characters were turned into something so provocative. I understand that showing skin is the goal with these.

The following, however, leave me with questions.......

Snow-woman

Simple white nightie with 3 buttons and a scarf for this one. Or if you prefer, white underwear with three dots plastered to your skin. I never imagined my lumpy snow figure with a carrot in his face was something to aspire to.....

Animals: Dog, cat, Fish???

Can you say Bestiality? Sexy heroins such as Cat Woman aside, just because you love your Mr. Whiskers doesn't mean you need to dress up like him. Cats lick themselves and cough up hair balls, nuff said. Fish?? Really?? How are slimy things known for their bad smell attractive?

Santa/Elf

Not only is it the wrong Holiday, but who knew matronly Mrs. Clause had a boob job to look good on Christmas eve in her Bustier.

Raggedy Ann Doll

This must get some girl thinking she's gonna make something quirky and sexy.... Awful! I don't think children's toys should hold any sex-appeal. Look at her name "Raggedy". Raggedy+Sexy= ?? Same goes for you Rainbow Brite!

Sponge bob

Sure he looks happy to be plastered across her chest, but lets face it-its creepy and ugly.

Football/Baseball

Everything in my past has proven to me that when youre playing sports, you want to do everything in your power to strap those sweater puppies down. But, this costume seems to have a double purpose-showing off your assets while simultaneously letting all those guys think you have something in common. "Hey look! I like sports too!"

Referee

Doesn't make sense to me either. I've never seen a ref that wasn't a balding middle-aged man. Once again, stop pretending to love sports to give the opposite sex a false sense of camaraderie.

Taxi Driver

Do you have a dirty mouth and a bad attitude? People will think its all a great act when you dress up as this. I still don't know how a woman can be considered sexy when she's chain smoking and cursing about the Cubs.

Eve

This is just lazy. Don't have a costume ready for the big Halloween party? Don't stress! Just glue a few strategically placed leaves onto yourself and Voila! Not only does it reveal your toned tummy, but you'll appear deep and biblical.

Zombie

Wanna be scary and sexy this Halloween? A zombie is a good way to go. Just slather yourself in green makeup so your skin looks like its rotting off and hike your tattered skirt up. You will be both terrifying and completely alluring!

Dude we look GOOD!

I LOVE being a big kid on Halloween. This year we dressed up again- I was a banana and BJ was a spoon. I'm so glad we weren't the only big kids dressed up this year! We had a devil-Janessa, and some hippies-The Zharts. Work was festive as these ladies always are! Jessica was a Bed Bug- in footie pajamas and bug eyes! How cute is that! And we had an outhouse! (For taking all the agents crap!) For some reason i didn't get a picture of BJ and I all dressed up or even of BJ in his spoon costume-but i do have Brandon modeling it here so you can imagine BJ wearing it :)

Some of my favorite highlights of the weekend:

I had an unplanned Banana twin.
I won the pumpkin carving contest with this creepy looking toothy face.
I'm amazed we got the babies to sit still and take this picture-they were all so cute in their little costumes!

We played our favorite "fight-starter" game-pictionary. The wives won! Get used to it men, women are superior.
And I stole sweet baby Zoie for most of the night (i'm holding her in this photo even, while BJ is being his super competitive self and making sure no one is slacking on the timer)

All in all a pretty fun weekend.

Thanks again Candice for hosting our fun get-togethers! And for giving us a big laugh by framing our picture of last years Reno 911 getup-so funny!

Sugar & Spice & Everything Nice....

It's A Girl!!!

Finally!! It feels like we've had to wait forever! I had my big ultrasound appointment today, and after measuring and making sure everything is ok: No downs syndrome, heart is perfect, no cleft palate etc... We get down to the business of seeing if we're getting pink or blue, and of course it's our child and too stubborn to move their tiny feet! Much poking and prodding later the tech announces its a girl- we stared at the screen for about 30 seconds trying to see how she decided that, I couldn't make out anything in the blurry image. My first reaction was to ask Bj if he was sad about it, he seemed honestly offended that I even asked. He's already wrapped around her little perfect finger :)

It was amazing to see her tiny little body, it made it even more real. She looked beautiful to me even in those black & white foggy photos.

I can't wait to meet you little Kenley Taryn Driggers!!

I HATE Football

I know who I married, and I knew what I was getting myself into when I said "I do". But lets be honest, this is ridiculous!

At first I tried to make this something fun we could do together. I would prepare the game time snacks and put on my best cheering face while we watched grown men in padding slap each other on the bum. Not knowing a lot about football, I would ask questions and try to get involved and interested. After almost 3 years of marriage-I still don't care! I don't understand how something he has no control over can ruin his day. But I still respect that its something BJ has loved his whole life and wont be changing, so I do my own thing while he's having a tantrum over some call the Ref made that "is just to make up for a bad call he made against the other team".

Why is it bothering me now? You might ask.

For one thing, BJ's best friend is having a birthday party for his son's first birthday. Guess who wont be attending because "the game is on"?

Also, in the past two weeks he has abandoned me not twice but 4 times to watch football! Yes, we had plans that I was excited about.

We have discussed how much we should take advantage of our time left as a couple before Little Driggers makes his/her entrance. But BJ is acting like these are his last few months of freedom and to do as much "dude" stuff as he possibly can. I shouldn't feel jealous of his hobby, suddenly I became second to everything football?

I am no longer going to sit through another game, or fake like I care about anything Football. It's not a fair trade for BJ to expect this of me when he refuses to be involved in things I enjoy. (And I'm taking down the Alabama banner we have hanging above our bed!)

Well tonight BJ is going out to watch football again with a friend while I do the grocery shopping and laundry. I might go out and get myself something fun and BJ cant say a dang thing :)



BJ, have fun with your mistress tonight!



This is just a rant, I am married to a very sweet, loving husband who goes out of his way daily to make me smile. But this is the one thing in our marriage that I really wish I could change.

Alright...

So.... I need to get this out of my system..... I'm turning into a crazy, obsessive mom-to-be. I feel the need to bring up my pregnancy to total strangers, and at any opening when I'm with friends.

I must find an outlet for my madness!

I'm so completely overjoyed and elated that we are starting our family, and I am thrilled by every little development. This week's updates included that my baby is the size of a lemon and can now pee! That's right, he/she is floating around in pee, poor thing.

After a year of crossing my fingers (and holding my legs in the air) it feels like a huge weight has been lifted that neither of us is defective. Plus a year of stressing and praying feels like forever, it was really difficult to cope- I saw pregnant women and babies everywhere. I was surrounded and it was KILLING me.

But now, it's amazing! I'm heading into week 15 and I've been so lucky with no puking. I'm starting to realize now that I actually didn't feel that great that first little while, cause I'm feeling great and energized now. Excitement must have covered all that bad stuff up for me.

I have the smallest of pooches and have been good and only gained a couple el bees so far. It's uncomfortable to button my pants and I just feel chubby. I hope this awkward stage passes quickly though, because in the next little while the most exciting things are supposed to happen: I should start to feel kicking in the next few weeks, I'll get a roundness that people wont confuse with chub, and in a month I'm finding out the sex!

WARNING- Cheesy part to follow, if you are easily nauseated please end reading here.

I am so lucky to have such a sweet and supportive husband with all this. He has been so excited and has actually been reading about the process and his part in it! Every night, he kisses my belly and says "I love you baby". Sometimes he even unconsciously places his hand on the bump. I know we're in for some rough times, but I couldn't have chosen a better partner to have with me. I can't wait to make you a dad, and see you fulfill this role that you will be so good at.

Scatterbrain-oidosis Awareness!

I am writing in hopes of raising awareness of this terrible problem!

Recently my symptoms of Scatterbrain-oidosis have become exponentially worse. I don't feel justified in blaming "Pregnancy Brain" for these memory malfunctions, since these are things I have been doing all my life. While I'm still not sure if its something in the water or if the changing weather has this much of an effect on me, I am sure that if I don't find a cure soon I could do some major damage!

My symptoms include:


A) Putting "away" B.J.'s ipod in the fridge.

B) Going to the grocery store and forgetting what for until i get back home.


C) Registering and attending the wrong class for 4 weeks. (Yes, that is correct)

D) Applying one side of eye makeup, but not the other.

E) Packing a lunch for myself and promptly leaving it on the table.

F) Calling B.J. repeatedly, then calling highway patrol when he doesn't answer-only to remember that Thursday he has his weekly evening lab.

Scatterbrain-oidosis (aka: hairbrained, birdbrained, airheaded, ditsy and simpleminded) can play havoc on your personal life- I once forgot to pick up a friend for a baby shower that was 20 minutes away. Luckily, she still talks to me.

I know there are other sufferers out there like me, maybe you are too ashamed and don't want to come forward. There is no shame in admitting your problem! The shame comes with going to the gym in the morning and forgetting your bra at home!

Lets come together and find a cure!

Guilty Pleasures

I was thinking the other day as I rocked out to Miley Cyrus (don't judge, it's a party in the USA!) that I would hate it if anyone could hear or see me while I was being so completely embarrassing. It made me think of all the other guilty pleasures i have. I happen to have quite a few and I thought it was about time I admit to my time wasting, brain melting deeds.

Numero Uno: Manswers. If you've never watched this show, you can probably just guess from the name that this show is one of Spike TV's most desperate attempts to appeal to men and be somewhat informative. It gives answers to life's most pressing questions; such as Which military pays for a boob job? A-Australia's (who'd have thunk?) and Are midget strippers less money cause they're smaller? A-No, there are fewer of them and they fall under the fetish category so you will have to dish out some big bucks for this "Tiny Dancer"

I feel smarter already!

B: Gay, Straight or Taken? The normal dating shows like "The Bachelor" and "Rock of Love" are filled with intrigue and drama enough to fill any gals quota. However, for those of us with a limited attention span, we have a compact hour of guessing before we are given a reveal! My favorite thing about this obviously scripted show is that I can test out my Gaydar.
PS has anyone heard of the show "Littlest Groom" ?? Its a little person dating show where he dates LP's and normal sized women. How could I have missed this gem! It opens the doorway for so many other special-needs dating shows! "Who Wants to Marry a Conjoined Twin" could be next! Speaking of which.....

3: "Tween" Books. However perfect for your young pre-teens, to strengthen their love of reading. I have (hopefully) surpassed the need for such simple wording and simple plot lines. But, just like my love for Disney creations old and new, I have continued to read "Uglies" to the very last page. (I would like to also state that I do read many other very good books, but still enjoy these simple-minded easy reads)

Lastly: Personality Tests. It's not that I'm still in the "who am I?" phase. Sometimes I just like to hear an already pre-prepared form telling me how nice I am (its easy to get if you select all the cutesy answers). But sometimes I want to know which Scrubs character I am most like (JD yay!) or what my Redneck Name would be! (I hope there's a Bobby-Jo!) I do more than I'm really willing to admit, I don't even want to publish them on Facebook. My silent shame. Well I gotta go! I NEED to find out which Shoe Defines me. Ta -ta!

One tiny thing

If you've never seen this picture before (like me until a few days ago) This is a REAL photo of a 10 week old fetus. Its been used by anti abortionists in their ads and they also created tiny feet pins that have become a highly recognizable symbol. It's really sad to me to think a woman contemplating abortion might not know that the tiny inch & 1/2 "fetus" they are wanting to get rid of is in fact a tiny person with fingers and toes, hair and fingernails.
I've become obsessed with following the progress of my own pregnancy and have recently gone to searching for real photos to get a better idea of the actual size. I've come across many of the jarred tiny ones that you might see at "Body Worlds" but this photo really struck me. There are tiny toes and details already in this tiny body that stun me. Although i cant feel or see anything yet, my little bean is starting to look like the cute little baby i cant wait to meet. I had the opportunity to get another ultrasound last week and i was able to see my tiny baby wriggling around, it was amazing! After a year of trying, we're gushing over every little detail thats happening. I'm so glad BJ is enjoying it as much as me, its been so much fun sharing this with him, as well as enjoying our time we have left as a couple.

B.J.'s vacation

So we just got back from California. It was SOOOO much fun, but in 2 days you have to run to do everything you want. Especially when what you want to do involves 3 BASEBALL GAMES! Sheesh, I'm baseballed out.

This trip was B.J.'s trip. You see, its a goal of his to see every single major league baseball stadium before he dies. Its a cool goal that I support cause baseball is the sport that least bores me to watch, and we get to go to some cool places where I sneak in what I want to do :)
This time I snuck in a trip to Sea World! It was really cute.

We decided regular vacation photos are too boring and we wanted to have a little fun. So you will find all of the pictures with us in them have us doing the same pose. It made for some funny questions and shouts when we asked these perfect strangers to snap a few pics for us.

(We would actually start out as the normal smiling couple, and then just before they took the picture we would strike a pose)