Fantastic Dream

I used to have this recurring nightmare when I was pretty young. It was rather traumatic, and as a result I just stopped remembering my dreams. I have only remembered a handful over the last 20 odd years. Its quite sad really. When I got pregnant everybody told me I would have these fantastic, super-crazy, pregnancy dreams. I just smiled and nodded.

Well, the other night I actually remembered a dream, and it was fabulous. In my dream I was told that I had an unlimited budget to build the house of my dreams. to me, that in itself is pretty cool, but my imagination took it one step further - its true - in my dream, I built my dream house inside of a BIODOME. I know isn't that spectacular? I had the perfect house, with the perfect weather, and the perfect pool, and the perfect garden, and orchard and vineyard and veggie garden, I even had a couple of cows, goats and chickens. I was going for the whole self sustaining thing apparently. AND, I had all this perfection around me ALL THE TIME! I was SO disappointed when I woke up and it wasn't reality.

You see I live in Utah, where the license plate reads "Greatest Snow on Earth". And, it is - if you don't have to go outside - EVER! (except to go skiing of course). This last winter was the worst, and driving on the frozen roads were treacherous. Everybody had horrible cases of cabin fever. You feel like you want to go crazy. Now if you lived in a biodome that wouldn't be an issue, and you would only have to venture out of the biodome when you really had to, and, you could pick the days you left. Wouldn't that be fantastic?

My point being - I'm stuck on the idea of having my own biodome. (reality isn't an option)

Does it Suit Me?

No the baby is not mine, that is my two week old niece Maeve. I babysat her on mothers day so that Allyson could take Ethan to church.

So I got the chance to test out my mad mothering skills for 3 hours while they were gone. This is what we did. Napped together. Ate a little. Belched a little. Napped some more. Went to the loo. Changed a diaper (hers not mine), and then napped some more.

It went great. If those 3 hours are anything to go by, then I'm going to be a fabulous mother. Okay, so don't start worrying about me. I do live in the real world and know it won't be like that all the time, but thats when I get to hand her over to Mack. Yay!

Checkup

I had another checkup today, and was given a very enthusiastic thumbs up with everything. The Tazlings heart rate was really strong and she behaved herself this time and didn't kick anything. My blood pressure is great and apparently there is nothing abnormal in my pee - thank goodness!

I asked the doctor if there was anything I could do besides putting my feet up to help with the swelling in my feet. He went into this long explanation about water retention and how putting my feet up isn't going to reduce the amount of water I'm retaining. He said that whatever I'm doing its just going to drain to the lowest point of my body, so if I lie with my feet up, it just means the water will drain into my butt. To which I replied, "Yes, but my butt is used to being that size, my feet aren't!"

Tagged - I'm it.

My good friend Jen Salisbury tagged me. Its a good thing she's so high on my most loveable peoples list, or I'd be grumpy at her. Here goes:-

1. What were you doing 10 years ago?

Hmmm let me think...10 years ago I was living in London with Gillian and Isandi in a really dodgy hole in the wall about a block away from Portobello Road. We worked nights looking after crazy old grannies,and slept and pretty much acted like zombies during the days, but oh what good times were had.

2. 5 Things on my to do list today.

- Lie on the couch like a beached whale
- Dream about getting my waist line back
- Take the cat for a walk/waddle (she walks, I waddle)
- Try to reduce my sugar intake so that my baby doesn't go into a sugar coma
- Wish my husband were home

3. Snacks I enjoy.

- Ice cream
- Chocolate Nesquick
- Banana Nesquick (if I could get some in this country)
- Fruit (any kind goes,but I just ate a small, sweet, watermelon and it was so yummy!)
- Werthers Original sweeties
- cake
- and, more fruit

4. What would I do if suddenly I were a billionaire?

First, I would faint, and then I would spend, and then I would definitely give to those who might need it more than I would, and then I would spend some more, and then I would start a scholarship program for kids who can't afford an education, and then I'd by some shoes, and then I'd take a nap from all the spending.

5. List 3 bad habits

- Being self righteous
- picking my nose while driving
- Did I mention I'm really stubborn

6. List 5 places you've lived

- Cape Town, South Africa
- Sidmouth, England
- Tavistock, England
- London, England
- Rexburg, Idaho, USA
- Provo, Utah, USA
- Saratoga Springs, Utah, USA

7. List 5 jobs you've had

- Bookkeeper for an accounting firm
- Dishwasher at a restaurant
- Waitress
- Bar maid
- Granny sitter
- Producer for a Stock photography company
- PA on a movie set
- Production Co-ordinator
Wait thats more than five

8. List 5 things people may not know about you

- I'm blind in my right eye, so have absolutely no depth perception - so don't throw things at me, I'll scream and duck.
- I once sailed (with a skipper) in the Western Province Finals Hobie Cat regatta and placed 10th.
- I have an associates degree in broadcast journalism.
- I would love to write and illustrate children's fiction.
- I have long conversations with my cat, and don't think I'm crazy for doing so.

And that is it. I hope you enjoy this little tidbit of info about me.

Baby Ticker

I am down to my last few weeks of pregnancy, so decided to add a baby ticker (on the left) for everybody to anticipate and count down the days with me. Woohoo!

Pork Sausage Toes, Cankles and Dents

I must write a disclaimer at the beginning of this post. If you are in anyway squimish - look away now!

This is what my feet have evolved into over the last couple of days. I still can't believe that they actually belong to me. I have a hard time recognising them as feet at all. And, I must admit that I lament the loss of what used to be my ankles. I will never take them for granted again.



I was showing the girls at work how deep I can stick my finger into my poor swollen ankle, when one of the guys walked in, took one look at my foot and proclaimed, "whoa, you're dented!"

And its true, just take a look at this:



(Jeremy this post is for you - now stop laughing. I know I have granny feet right now, but the doctor promises me they will go back to normal eventually, one day.)

Ready to Pop

Have a look at this belly button. We're taking bets on when its going to blow.

And, please excuse the hairyness of the belly, my doctor says its hormones and will go back to its normal hairless state after the baby arrives (It had better or there will be some serious laser hair removal going on).



So this is the belly at 32 weeks pregnant (and still growing).

Making Pretty

On Saturday, Mack and I decided that we needed to make our little porch area a bit more attractive (up until Wednesday evening it had our old dried up Christmas tree and a bunch of tumble weeds as its only residents). We cleaned out the trash and bought some hanging baskets and annuals. Saturday morning was so pretty but a little chilly, so we layed a plastic liner down in the kitchen and proceeded to create flower master pieces for our porch.

I was so proud once they were hanging and my porch wasn't such an eyesore anymore. The very next day it turned cold again and the poor little plants took a beating, and tonight we'll have to bring them in cause its most probably going to snow again slightly. Can you believe it.

Anyway, here are a few pictures taken by Mack and myself of our once pretty little flowers.











I just realised that we didn't take any pictures of the baskets outside on the porch. Oh well, next time.

Yummy!

It was almost a year ago that my friend Nicole and I fell in love with traditional Greek Yogurt on the island of Oia. We have been searching for the luscious thickness of this traditional yogurt in the States ever since we got back.

Well I happened to be in Walmart (of all places) the other day and needed some plain yogurt, and to my surprise I found a little tub of OIKOS organic Greek yogurt. I didn't think it would be authentic, but decided to buy a small tub and try it anyway. It was delicious and exactly how I remembered the yogurt in Greece. The tub I bought had honey on the bottom. It was so good I scarfed it completely. So if you want to try some really good yogurt, find the OIKOS brand. And, you have to have it with honey, cause thats how they served it to us in Greece.

Thanks for your Prayers

Little Maeve is doing much better, and will most probably be able to go home on Wednesday. Thank you so much for all your prayers.

Prayers for Little Maeve

Please keep little Maeve in your prayers today. She was life flighted from the hospital in Logan Utah, to Salt Lake where she is being cared for at the Primary Children's Hospital. She has some sort of blockage somewhere and may have to have surgery. She isn't even two days old yet the poor little thing. Darren and Allyson are with her, but can't do much till she is better and the adoption papers can be signed. So again, please keep them in your prayers.

I'm an Aunty...again

Darren and Allyson's little girl was born yesterday at 3:45pm. They are naming her Maeve. You can go to their blog here, and see the precious little bundle.

I am so excited she is finally here, and that Maeve and Tamzin are going to be so close together - Allyson and I have already decided they are going to be BFF's. We'll see.

Artistic Endeavours

On Friday morning we're shooting a commercial for a slimming product. I have been asked to do art on the shoot, which is pretty cool. I get to take this location, and turn it into an outdoor bistro.



So for the next couple of days I have to go shopping. Rough life I live isn't it?

Movie Recommendation

Last night my friend Johanna came over to hang out. I made some delicious pork chops, and she brought a movie called "The Greatest Game Ever Played".

I was a bit skeptical about my enjoyment levels of this movie: 1st its a Disney Movie, 2nd its about golf, and 3rd its about golf.

But, to my pleasant surprise I really enjoyed it. It was interesting and entertaining and kept my attention on a bunch of different levels. I was completely intrigued by the directors choice of camera angle, the different devices that were used to compress time, and also the methods he used to move a story forward that had the potential of being pretty boring.

So, if you're looking for a heartwarming movie for the whole family, take a look at this one.

Delicious!!!

This is my breakfast this morning. Jealous?

Good, cause you should be.

Supermodel Mike

Last weekend one of my models canceled on me only minutes before our shoot was supposed to start. I called some agency talent that I had numbers for, but none of them got back to me. Right about this moment, I hit critical stress levels. But instead of having a melt down, I decided to call my brother-in-law Mike, he was snoring away in slumberland, so I spoke to Cecily (his wife) and asked her to get him to call me back. He did, and the conversation went as follows:

Me: Hi Mike, so ummm do you want to be a model for me?
Mike: Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha
Me: Its not hard, you just have to look like a construction worker.
Mike: Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha, Ha
Me: It pays.
Mike: What time would you like me there?

He turned out fabulous. Here are a few untouched moments in his fledgling supermodel career.

Sleep - Precious, Precious Sleep

The shoot is over. I was really relieved and a little sad at the same time. I got home at 11pm Monday night and just flopped into bed. I was so tired. If I ever decide to take on a project like this again in my third trimester of pregnancy, PLEASE remind me how exhausting it will be. I had to be back at work on Tuesday, and could barely pull myself out of bed. Last night I got home, flopped on the couch and promptly fell asleep, then I pulled myself to the bedroom, crawled into bed and slept some more. Phoebe is not very impressed with me right now cause I won't play with her, and with Mack in Seattle she is having to entertain herself. Too bad. I've decided that right now, sleep is the only thing I really want. I hope I recoup from these four days pretty quickly. My house is a complete pig stye and I need to find the energy and inclination to clean it before Mack comes home. I really am enjoying not caring though. It makes for a good break from my normal high strung, perfectionist nature.

Apparently, this is Me...

Apparently if I were a Jane Austen character I would be played by Emma Thompson. I am completely flattered. She is my all time favourite actress. Hmm I wonder what she would look like with red hair?

Take the Quiz here!

Family Get Together

Yes this is my family. Need I say more....




For my dear brother Jeremy's benefit: The girl in green is Cecily, Mack's sister. They guy she is force feeding is Mike her husband, and the on looker with the facial hair is Jacob, husband of Sara, another of Mack's sisters.

And Jeremy if you ever got your cute little behind over here you would know who these people are - so there!

It Starts!

I am up way too early this morning for the first of 4 shoot days. Pre-production was hectic to say the least and I am so relieved that all permits and paperwork are finally in order. Now its up to the photographer to make my hard work pay off.

We will be shooting solidly till monday evening and then its all over and the photographer goes back to New York and life here goes back to normal.

I can't wait.