A Trip Down Memory Lane

It's fun to look back and see how far Cody and I have come.  He first came into my life when I least expected it (and in a way I would have never expected!). I guess Mama's just know best...Thanks Kim!!!! We wouldn't be where we are today without you!

So, lets take a stroll down memory lane...

2007-New Beginnings
We met in March of 2007, our senior year in college. That was a year full of lots of changes...from graduating college, moving to Portland, entering the work world (aka: the real world), learning to live together and bringing Roxy into our lives.  I look back and think of how much fun these days were.  I loved the "newness" of dating and getting to know each other but what we have now has turned into so much more.

2008-Cody's Plan
In February of 2008, we decided Roxy was getting too big for our SE Portland apartment and I was getting ready to start my new job in Tualatin. So...Cody found us the cheapest/crappiest rental in Tualatin for us he could find.  He told me it was a necessary sacrafice in order for us to save money for a down payment on a house.  Little did I know, a house was not the only thing on his mind. His other top priority...a ring! By May that year we were engaged! Then by October we bought our first home! We still had a lease on our rental so we were paying our rent on top of our new mortgage. I thought living the broke college life was rough until we became house poor for 3 months!

2009-I Do!
2009 was the year of Wedding planning!  I enjoyed every moment of wedding planning, except the few times (or many...who know, who's counting?) we argued over something "budget" related to the wedding. In the end, our Wedding day was perfect and our honeymoon was the most amazing week of my life. A relaxed Cody was something I hadn't experience before, but I knew it would be short lived....and it was :o)

2010-There's No Place Like Home
In spring of 2010, we started working on our house.  ALL of our time outside of work was spent installing new floors, trim, light fixtures, doors, appliances, furniture, paining, etc. When we were finally done with the house, we weren't even sure what to do with ourselves!  It was almost weird to come home from work and to have some free time.  But it sure was nice to kick up our feet in a house that felt a lot more like our own.

2011-Work Hard to Play Hard
2011 was a great year!!!! Cody was aware of my expectations before starting a family.  He already checked off the new floors and furniture requirement but he knew it was important to me that we do some travelling before kiddos came into the picture.  So, we planned my lifelong dream vacation to Japan in March.  It was truly a trip of a lifetime!! Later that year, we visited some good friends in Alaska, relaxed poolside in Cabo, and explored San Diego.

2012-Baby O Blessing's
This year has brought us the biggest blessing so far...Baby O. Preparing for Hanley to enter this world has been a whole new kind of new for us in every way! It's been an exciting journey that continues!

One dinner, one blind date, and one dose of Cody Olson led me here today. Who would have ever thought?


The best part is...I wouldn't want it any other way!

Go Ducks!

My best friend, Amie and her husband recently bought their first home in Eugene.  They have been working day and night (literally!) to completely renovate the inside. 

I just had to share this picture of what they are doing to the game room....

Looks like a great place to watch some Duck games if you ask me!!!





A weekend at Home

After several weekends on the go, it was nice to spend the weekend at home for once! We enjoyed a laid back weekend with no real set plans. 

-I got some housework done on Friday. Our master bedroom got a nice deep cleaning...including the closet. After my little emotional outburst Thursday night, I decided it would be best to box up any clothes that aren't going to fit for awhile.  No need to go through that again :o)

-Friday night we stopped by the Tigard Balloon Festival to visit with my parents for awhile.  We wished there would have been better weather but we still had a great time.

 -We ran some errands on Saturday. After doing a little stroller research, I had to go check out The Bob Revolution SE Stroller.  One push of that baby, and I was sold! We did some furniture shopping and Cody got some new shoes and shirts too.

-Maxi and I laid down to take a nap Saturday afternoon and Hanley decided it was playtime.  He was on the move for a good 20 minutes! Every other time I have felt him move has just been for a couple of seconds but this time it was totally different and I loved it.

-We went out to breakfast with our friends Cam and Sarah and their two daughters.  It's always fun to catch up with them.

-The in-laws drove up on Sunday to visit.  Kim went on a small shopping spree at Gymboree for Hanley and couldn't wait to bring it up to us! She also took me shopping for a new Mommy swimsuit too (now I can look forward to water aerobics). We spent some time with some family friends and went out to dinner to finish off the weekend before Kim and Loren headed home.

Hanley is going to be one spoiled little grandson:

Back to work tomorrow I suppose...

North for the Weekend

We headed up North to visit some great friends last weekend. Here's a summary of our weekend:

-Roxy got to spend the weekend at the Puppy Ranch.  She had a great weekend and made friends with a Bernese Mountain Dog while she was there.

-Brandon and Ashley were nice enough to host us for the weekend.  They have been in Japan for the last 6 months and are heading to San Diego next weekend for another 6 months so it was nice to spend some time with them before they leave again.  Andrew and Ava are getting so big (2 and 4 years old already...how did that happen!?). We had so much fun witht he kids...Spending the weekend with them made us even more excited about Hanley's arrival.

-Jordan, Marissa, Brooklyn, Jeff and Jeana met up with all of us for dinner Saturday night. 

-Hanley came home with Beaver gear and lots of toys passed down for The Draper's :o)  Can't say I was thrilled about the Beaver gear but Cody sure loved it!

-We rode the ferry into Seattle Saturday morning to go out to brunch with Jeff and Jeana.  They are moving to Arizona so we wanted to make sure we got a good dose of The Wiser's before their big move!

-After brunch we stopped in a super cute bookstore and picked up a book for Hanley.  Mike Mulligan and His Steam Shovel was one of Cody's favorite books as a child so we thought it would be a fun book to be able to read to Hanley.

-We went to the International District in Seattle to have tea at The Panama Hotel Tea House.  I recently read (and loved!) the book At the Corner of Bitter and Sweet and just had to check out the Panama Hotel and Tea House that still stands. Being there brought back many memories from our vacation in Japan last year.

It was a great way to spend our weekend! We feel pretty lucky to have such a great group of friends.

BIG Day and PERFECT Weekend....

Friday was the big day!!!! The ultrasound was much more than we imagined it would be.  The tech scanned Baby O from head to toe making sure all fingers and toes were accounted for, took several measurements, checked all major organs and blood flow, etc.  She was very thorough and explained everything to us as she went along. Then she checked Baby's gender and told us we are having a HEALTHY BOY!!!!!!!!!! And let me tell you, he is one active little boy! He was moving all around the tech was practically chasing him to get all the photos and measurements. I was a little bummed to see him move around so much and not feel a darn thing going on inside of me! He measured in right on schedule with my original due date of October 30th. (Clearly, he is is Dad's son already-right on schedule!).

The proof is in the pic...

Our handesome little man already deep in thought...

Crescent Lake surprised us with unexpected good weather! We woke up to a dusting of snow Saturday morning but enjoyed some sunshine Saturday and Sunday. My parents came up on Saturday and spent most of the day with us.  Kim and Loren made an awesome lasagna dinner in the dutch oven and we informed my Dad that he hasn't lost his touch. He is officially 5/5 in determining gender (4/4 with us his own kids and 1/1 with his grandchild). Pretty impressive, eh?  (I wonder if it's a Canadian thing?!). Much of the conversation over the weekend was talking about a middle name for Little Hanley Olson. We are not set on anything yet so the discussion continues...

Roxy had a blast at Crescent too.  In fact, she was so tired on the ride home that she fell asleep standing up in the bed of the truck (she refuses to lay down during truck rides no matter how long they are)!

We got home to check the mail to find exactly what we have been waiting for....A letter from the State Board of Examiners for Engineering.  It read: Congratulations Cody P. Olson!!!! My wonderful husband passed his exam and is now officially a Licensed Engineer in the Sate of Oregon!!! I couldn't be more proud of him.  All his hard work has truly paid off. I hope Hanley inherits some of his intelligence, drive, and good work ethic.

Once we settled in at home and unpacked, I jumped into the shower (nothin' like a good shower after a weekend of camping!).  That's when I felt Hanley move for the first time!!!!!!!!!!! It was such a weird feeling but I know it was him.  It felt like 3 little pressure point movements thump in a row right near my belly button.

I just can't think of better news we could have gotten this weekend or a better way to celebrate it all. I feel an overwhelming amount of love and happiness.

Baby O's Big Secret

Oh, the wait is killing me! Today's young generation has been spoiled with instant knowledge and gratification with internet, cell phones, iPads, direct deposit and the list goes on.  But even in this day and age everything about having a baby is a waiting game from conception to birth. But in 3 days (which may seem like 3 very long days!) Baby O's big secret is going to be revealed!  That is assuming Baby will cooperate during the ultrasound :o)

The funny thing is that I don't even care if the Dr. tells us that we are having a boy or a girl because I will be just as excited either way.  But the idea of KNOWING Baby's gender makes it all feel so much more real and not to mention, really kick off all the shopping!!!!!!

If Baby is a BOY.....

1. It will take the pressure off for Baby #2 because Cody producing a boy is the only chance for the Olson family name to continue.  Although, I would like to mention that I have made it very clear to him that he only gets 2 tries :o)

2. Then if Baby #2 is a girl she would have an older brother to watch over her (ALMOST like what my brothers did for me!).

3. Cody will have a hunting/fishing buddy.

4. Downfalls: Wild, messy boys to keep up with!

If Baby is a GIRL...

1. Oh, how fun it would be to do her hair and dress her in all the cute clothes that are out there. If she is cursed with my hair, she's going to need a lot of help but at least I will be able to handle the mess.  My Mom was blessed with perfectly straight, normal hair and was clueless what to do with me when me and my wild hair came along.

2. When she is older, we will have girl days full of shopping and pedicures (which sounds expensive to Cody but fun to me!)

3. Downfalls: Teenage hormones, boys and all that to worry about!

We want to share the news with our parents in person so after our ultrasound on Friday we are heading to the one and only Crescent Lake for the weekend! Crescent Lake has been a very special place for Cody and I:

-We both grew up going there with our families.
-The first time I spend an entire weekend with all his friends and family was at the Crescent Lake Memorial Day Weekend Camp Out in 2007. We had only been dating for 3 months but I was welcomed into the group and had a blast.  I think it was clear that I fit into the family quite well after that weekend.
-He took me fishing for the first time there.
-We had our first serious talk about a future together, babies, ect. sitting on Simax Beach together.
-Cody proposed to me at the following Crescent Lake Memorial Day Weekend Camp Out in 2008 on Simax Beach.
-We even tried to plan our Wedding there.

With all those special moments and wonderful memories at Crescent Lake, we felt it was only natural to celebrate the coming news there this weekend!

Really? Maternity Pants?

This morning Cody decided he wanted to take Roxy fishing so the 2 of them loaded up in the truck and headed up the Clackamas River.  So, I got ready and headed to the mall in search of some more comfortable clothes that actually fit me.  At 18 weeks pregnant, I kind of feel like I am in a weird limbo land.  Where my normal clothes barely fit and I wasn't really ready to jump into maternity clothes.  So, I wasnt' really sure where this shopping trip was going to take me.

I originally thought I would purchase "normal" clothes, just a size larger than I would normally wear. Since I wasn't really sure how long these clothes would last me before my belly outgrew them, I figured it wouldn't be wise to spend too much money. So, I thought Target would be a great place to start. Once I got there, I figured I should at least check out their maternity section to see what I would be dealing with in the near future.  End result- I ended up doing ALL my target shopping in the maternity section! I was surprised to see their cute selection on many basic necessities and size XS which fit me just perfect!

Here's what I found at Target:

-2 Under Shirts
-2 T-Shirts
-2 Tanks (1 casual and 1 nicer one)

My real search for the day was new pants.  So, I went to Macy's and didn't have any luck.  I sucked it up and headed to Motherhood Maternity.  I was determined to stay away from any kind of "real" maternity pants but thought I would at least see what they have to offer.  Maybe something in between normal pants and maternity pants? The lady in there was so helpful! She explained the difference between "under the belly" pants and "belly band" pants.  I told her no way was I wearing belly band pants!! She said she has actually heard that a lot and when women try them both on, the majority of them prefer the belly band pants. Heck, turns out I joined the crowd. I am not sure if I have just worn my pants with a hair tie too long or what but maternity pants are way more comfortable than I expected them to be.  And in reality, the fit is great too.  I actually think they look like normal pants with a shirt on.

Here's what I found at Motherhood Maternity:

-1 pair of belly band pants
-1 pair of of elastic pants in the back and regular zipper and button in the front
-1 pair of Capri's
-1 pair of shorts

I would say my shopping trip was a success.  I got a few of the basics and seriously I feel like it's changed my mood.  I started to worry that I wasn't going to handle getting any bigger very well.  I have already gained 10 pounds (which I have never in my life weighed this much) and the thought of gaining 20+ more made me cringe. If I am already uncomfortable at this stage, I figured this was going to be one long pregnancy.  Turns out all I needed was a mini shopping spree.

Crescent Lake 2012

Another great Memorial Day Weekend in the books! Started out at little rough but as always we had a great weekend with some of our most favorite friends and family.

When Courtney moved to Houston she promised she would fly home to join the family for the annual camping trip.  She kept her word which is a good thing because it wouldn't be the same without her. We picked her up from the airport and the 3 of us + Roxy made the 5 hour drive to Crescent Lake (arriving at midnight on Thursday night).  Normally it would only be a 3 1/2  hour drive but the tunnel was closed due to construction so we had to take a round about way to get there. When we finally arrived, it was already snowing and the snow didn't stop.  We could hear clumps of snow running down our tent all night.  We woke up, still snowing and absolutely beautiful! The snow melted Friday afternoon and the rest of the weekend was actually pretty nice.  The sun made an appearance occasionally and the rain stayed away for the most part. 

The weekend was filled with lots of food (I was almost scared to weigh in at my Dr.'s appointment the following week!), great company, fishing for the men, games, swimming for the dogs, lots of hikes and walks, endless hours of campfire conversations, and the comfort of being outdoors.  Cody got in a little "practice" when Ryan and April showed up with their little man.  Beer in one hand and Baby in the other and I would say he passed!

A special Thank You to Jeff, Jeana and Tyler for making the drive from Seattle, Kramer and Rachel for making the drive from Yakima and of course Courtney for making the trip all the way from Texas (I think she takes the cake on this one!).

It's crazy to think that next year, Baby O will be joining the crew!!!

The Ugly Truth About Scrubs

My post college work attire has been scrubs....Five years of wearing scrubs and I have hated everyday of it (not work, just the scrubs!).  Lets face it, its hard to look cute in scrubs.  They are not flattering in any form.  I have always felt huge in them, even when I have to special order size double 0/double petite they are still huge on me.

Now the tables have turned....

My view of scrubs has recently changed.  I now find them 100 times more comfortable compared to my weekend clothes. Now that my boobs are popping out of every shirt I own, and my belly is popping out of every pair of Jeans in my drawers, scrubs just keep getting better as the days go on and my body expands! Now thats when reality hit me--time to go shopping!!!  It feels wrong to be feel better in scrubs than it does in jeans and a tee. So, this weekend my lovely husband will be taking me shopping!