Mockingjay Review

We finally got the stinking book! Well we got it a while ago. I had been waiting for it, almost dying with out it and then it came in the mail while I was home in Washington with Lainee. So Garen, who stayed here to work, read it all before I ever got back. Oh well at least then he was done so I didn't have to take turns.

Anyway, the book was amazing but left me somewhat disappointed for some reason I can't put my finger on. It seemed like it just ended, and skipped over the things I was waiting for throughout all three books. There was nothing about the way it ended that I disliked. I was just waiting for some description of happiness that freedom and love bring to the main character, but instead was given the reality of what happens to people who are in wars and who witness traumatic things. But I guess the whole point of the series was that the greatest good would be justice, freedom, and happiness for everybody, so it's all good. : )

But still LOVE the series as a whole.

Bodily Functions

Our life right now is full of the results of bodily functions... Baby poo (as seen above), puke, spit up, milk, boogers, slobber, smiles, tears, blood, drool, laughter, you get the picture.

Update on Lainee's life.

*She is gaining weight and very healthy.

*The baby acne is gone.

*She bathes in the big tub.

*The primary kids (and everyone else who meets her) adore her.

*She is getting really awesome at  holding her own head up.

*This girl does not want anybody's clothes to be clean.

*Her favorite things are riding in the stroller and snuggling with Mom and Dad.

*She is learning to sleep at night (in her crib, yes!) and wake during the day.

(I know they say it's not safe but I gave in and started letting her sleep on her tummy on her silky blanky. My whole world has improved in the last 3 days since I made that decision. Ssshh.)

*Her smile has come into our lives for real officially

and is the cutest one I have seen ever in my entire adult life. 

Sometimes she even gives us a little wanna-be giggle.

LOVE it.

Here are pictures.

The WEIGHT is finally OVER! ...and the princess is finally here!

She's here!!! Lainee Kate Blanchard was born August 5, 2010 at 10:48pm. She weighed 7 pounds and 9 ounces, and was 18 and 1/2 inches long.
Here's the story:

The summer was too hot and the mama (I) wasn't feeling so hott, so after a week or two of the Doctor telling me the baby would be here any day (and stripping the membrane twice to try to move it all along), I tried drinking some caster oil. I heard from everyone that it worked, but for me it just caused a false alarm and the nurses at the hospital sent me home because the the contractions weren't causing any more dilation. That was Tuesday.
By Thursday there were hardly contractions at all so I went to my normal check up at the Doctor's office and he tried again to move the process along. He said I would be in labor in a few hours. So, in a few hours, a lady at the hospital called and asked where I was because she said Doctor Watson thought I would be there by now, but nothing had started yet. They told me to go have him check again so I went and when he came in he just asked if I wanted him to break my water. Of course I said yes so Garen and I met him at the hospital at 5. My water was broken at 5:30, I was in labor for the next few hours, got an epidural that didn't work correctly, they took it out, redid it... When the doctor finally came back at 10:30 to see how far we had gotten, he was in the room for about 30 seconds before he said to me "Are you ready to deliver this baby?" as he and the nurse started pulling stuff out and getting ready... 10 or 15 minutes later THERE SHE WAS!!! Garen got to cut the cord. Yay!

It was the most painful thing I've done, and just as hard as we've all heard, but even more rewarding and awesome than anyone can even imagine, let alone put to words.

She and I got the green light to come home Saturday morning, and Sunday we even went to sacrament meeting in Rigby for Derrick's farewell talk. But after that we both needed alot of rest, so that's mostly what we've been doing this week and my wonderful mother has been here to help us out. She's a lifesaver. Garen and I are so excited and happy and Lainee really is the most beautiful girl in the whole wide world.

Thanks a ton to everyone who got us cool/cute gifts and who were so excited for us!

Our New Favorite!

We both read these. We both love these.

We are both going crazy waiting for this.

So I'm not a huge book worm but I love to read if I find something good and let me tell ya, this is GOOD. Soo GOOD! I read the first two books faster than I've ever read any book/series and I will probably go insane waiting for the third! I only hope they don't try to make a movie. I hate when they ruin stories like this with crappy actors and missing details. ugh.

I recommend you read these!!! (but I might rate them about a PG 13 as far as younger readers go.)

auhh. summer time.

Here's our June in a nutshell.

Suprise Birthday Party for Garen. 25!

It was at the Gym. FUN!

Garen's brother Chris came home from his mission in Iowa. He and I met for the first time (me being twice my usual size, haha.)!

We went to Yellowstone with Garen's family and I saw Old Faithful for the first time.

Garen and his sibs on the ride from Island Park to Yellowstone.

We also saw some "buff-tooters" (for some reason that's what the brothers call them).

The sibs again.

I gained a few more pounds... but the weight gain is very slow lately... We're almost done!

Garen's on a softball team with guys from work so I get to watch 2 games every Wednesday night.

There was a Tovey family reunion in Pocotello. This is my Grandma and Grandpa and two of my uncles. There were alot of people there but no where near as many as could have been, considering my grandpa is one of 14 siblings who all have children, and he has 11 who all have children!

See?^ The family tree starting with my mom's grandma and grandpa Tovey.

My two aunts, an uncle, and my grandpa playing and singing.

All my great aunts and uncles, my aunts and uncle, my cousins, and my cousins kids sat around a piano (sort of) and sang songs that my mom's grandpa used to sing and change the words to. This family is slightly obsessed with music.

We also got to hear Chris give a homecoming talk in Sacrament meeting and had a picnic party with lots of good food and the Blanchard home after church...

....and that was pretty much our June.

Here's our July in a nutshell (so far)...

I got Garen to sit out in the sun by the river with me so we could get some sun in our swim suits. So we did, and of course got some fishing in too. I got roasted, and I'm a baby about it because I don't usually burn very easily. Anyway I was glad to have some color when it changed to a tan, but now it's kinda peely. yuck.

but hey! I cannot complain because I did complain about the snow in May, and it's gone. The sun in finally here for the summer!

We watched fireworks of course, in Rigby on the 2nd and then in Idaho Falls on the 3rd. I was in the parade for the gym on the 3rd too, but obviously this year I didn't do any tumbling. I'm a slacker and didn't take pictures of any of that so instead, here are my cute flag toenails on my swollen feet. This painting was much more difficult than it has been in years past.... haha.

My dear sweet cousin, Marlaina helped throw a baby shower here in Rexburg and the baby got tons of cute new outfits and things from friends, as well as some bigger, more useful gifts from her grandma and great grandmas. Thanks everybody!

This is tubby me at the river where we took another little afternoon trip with our little grill for hot dogs and did some more fishing.

That's about where we're at right now.

Here's the news on the baby. I have (of course) started going to the doctor weekly. The due date is 3 1/2 weeks away. At my appointment yesterday, I found out that the baby and I are both well on our way to being done so I guess it could be any day now (or it could also still be 3 weeks away) so I guess we'll wait and see!