THE WORLD... as I see it

my baby is going to be 2!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-08-08T13:37:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter from my favorite person everrrr!!!!!

2011-04-21T13:44:00.000-07:00

2010- she's so big now :)

worry wart

2011-02-28T11:16:00.000-08:00

so here is my story. i have always been a worrier. my whole life, even when i was little. and still i worry all the time. most of the stuff i worry about is ridiculous because it would never happen, i KNOW that, and yet i still worry about it. in fact, now that i think about it there is never a time when i'm NOT worrying about something. it's starting to get old. i know i have anxiety, and that's what it is, i'm just wondering if anyone else is like this, and any advice for a worry-free life would be awesome! end of post

a new post!

2011-01-07T15:59:00.001-08:00

i don't even have a title for this post. so much has been going on in our crazy lives. we finally got into our new house and we are LOVING it. ashton doesn't love the fact that it's a townhouse, but i do! i actually feel safer knowing that there are two nice families on both sides of us that i could run to if i ever need anything! i also love our ward. someday i'll get around to posting pictures of our little housy. in other news, i finally got off my butt and i'm going back to school at night to get my secondary ed license. i can't wait to share my love of science with the world! it'll be a slow process since i'm only taking one class at a time, but i am just enjoying my part time job now until sophie is in kindergarten, then we'll have the same schedule yay! thanksgiving and christmas was awesome as always. for christmas santa made the mistake of getting sophie a dvd with all the wiggles songs on it. needless to say i'm quite wiggled out since that is ALL she wants to watch. it is cute watching her shake her booty to fruit salad yummy yummy though :) well that's about all i have to share today. hopefully i can become a better blogger.

Happy Halloween!

2010-10-16T18:47:00.000-07:00

My baby is 1!!!

2010-09-18T21:03:00.000-07:00

Sophie's first birthday was soo fun! We had a party at the splash pad with family and friends. Unfortunatly it was soooo windy!! I HATE wind more than anything! It kinda put a damper on things, but it was still a good day! She got soo many fun toys and cute clothes. Here is the list of things at 1. And probably the last list I will make for a long time! Who has time to post blogs anyway, my life is nuts!

-can walk if someone holds her hands

-hello where is her hair????

-eats big people food now, loves toast, string cheese, lucky charms, and veggie stick chip things

-says mama and kitty kitty

-blows kisses, still has a great princess wave.

-loves doggies

-loves reading

-loves balls

-hates headbands

-18 lbs, size 3 diapers, 18 month clothes

-getting her molars. yikes!

-loves to play play play

-this just keeps getting better and better!!! love you soph

11 months

2010-08-08T17:18:00.001-07:00

11 months. wow is all i have to say!

-says mama more than anything

-loves anything to do with kids

-loves toast with butter, black beans, basically any big people food

-finally doing a real crawl.

-getting teeth # 5 and 6

-saw the beach for the first time, and did great on her first big road trip, despite her terrible ear infection

-getting quite the personality

-she's a monster!!!!!! no not really, she's just in to everything!

-is finally on a schedule! thanks to being in daycare 2 days a week. she actually loves it

-wakes up 5 or 6 times a night. i know right? what the heck. i'm more tired now than when she was a newborn. not sure what this phase is all about.

-still loves to read books.

-likes to stand up next to our coffee table and couch

-18 month clothes, size 3 diapers, weighing somewhere between 17 and 18 lbs.

-i've heard mommies say this all the time and it's true... each stage is more and more fun!!!!

10 months

2010-07-09T21:05:00.001-07:00

holy moly. 10 months for real? wow. i love this little girl so much. i was just looking at her today thinking i never would have guessed that the little baby squirming in my belly would be so cute! we love her so much and we love watching her grow everyday.

-still doing the army crawl, but can move at turbo speed.

-getting her top two teeth. not fun

-likes to eat "big girl" food. (human food)

-pulls herself up to standing position on EVERYTHING, makes mommy nervous

-looooooooooves little kids, and her cousins especially

-is a people watcher like mommy

- does a princess wave

-claps her hands while watching Ellen

-loves water and swimming

-we had to lower her crib to the lowest position :(

-put her in a big girl car seat and she loved it! needless to say, mommy will not miss lugging the baby car seat around

-loves to sing and squeal

-loves reading books

-loves to pull items out of containers or dressers and throw the over her shoulder. yup our house is a mess, much to my dismay.

-loves to play with the springy door stopper things.

-loves toys that aren't toys aka pieces of paper, candy rappers, beaded jewelry, you know, all the stuff that babies aren't supposed to play with

-loves to laugh and has the cutest personality!!!

hiking

2010-06-23T07:51:00.000-07:00

colors

2010-06-17T21:14:00.000-07:00

so i always thought i was crazy, until ashton told me today about the smartest man in the world (literally) who learned this really hard language in 6 days fluently. they asked him how he did it, and he said he learns by colors. that is what i do and everyone thinks i'm wierd! but maybe i'm just the smartest lady in the world jk hahaha:) in college i never really had to study, and i usually scored high in the class. not braggin, just proving my point! anyways, not gonna give away my secret too much :) but basically every word has a color to me because the letters i played with when i was little were certain colors and it just stuck in my brain. so when i'm taking a test i can picture the answer by picturing the color in my head and then i see the word. every word has a color, it's not something i memorize it just is, but when i hear or see a word i see it as a color. EVERY word. my name is orange, ashton is red, and dodge is green for example. i don't know if that makes sense, but it totally works for me. does anyone else do things similar to this to learn? or am i (along with the smartest man in the world) totally nuts?!?!

9 months

2010-06-07T17:31:00.000-07:00

-crawls everywhere!

-finally fits into newborn size shoes

-will not eat her bottle and throws a little tantrum sometimes :S

-loves to be thrown up in the air

-size 3 diapers

-still no hair

-sleeps through the night

-always has a "serious" face

-sometimes does an "O" face, and a grandma face.

-weighs 17 lbs., 25% percentile

-loves and i mean LOVES baby einstein

-still loves being outside

Ashton - 30 years

2010-05-14T21:23:00.000-07:00

Since Sophie gets a post every month on her birthday, Ashton gets a post for his, even if it is a few days late. Happy Birthday old man. Here are a few things about Ashton at 30 years.
-Even though he's 30, he's still a little kid, and that's why I love him!
-You can fix any of his problems with a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup- seriously.
-He is on a "diet"
-He looks at dirt bikes on the internet every night. He already has one, but it's not his dream bike. Someday Ashton!
-He loves Sophie :) He also loves Sophie to be clean and tidy. His baby is not allowed to be running around with a dirty face!
-He is a good singer, he just won't let anyone hear him sing, not even me. I have to sneak up on him :)
-He has been practicing the guitar, and he's getting good!
-Recently bought a ukelele and is great at that too.
-He's the best daddy in the world. (and so is my dad!)
-He's the best husband in the world.
-No matter how bad my day is he can always cheer me up!
-The only thing that can ever make him mad is when I'm mad.
-He becomes bff's with everyone he meets.
-He thinks that every old lady in the world and every teenage girl working at fast food restaurants has a crush on him. Oh please Ashton, get real.
-In this partnership he is the one with the common sense, and I am the one with the brains. Or in other words, I have no common sense so without him I would never survive. But still, I am just a little bit smarter than him! hahahaha
-I love my husband. He is gettin hotter every year! He will be smokin at 40.

8 months

2010-05-11T21:28:00.000-07:00

So I haven't gotten the time to take 8 month Sophie pictures yet, but I wanted to do an 8 month post before too much time goes by. Pictures to come...
-between the 7 and 8 month has been by far the greatest development. She is like her own little person now with her own personality and it's sooo fun, I just love it.
-weighs only about 15 lbs. her height and weight are below average, but lo and behold the Wittwer head is bustin through in the 75th percentile
-still no hair
-100% on formula now :(
-not quite crawling yet, but can get wherever she wants to go other ways...
-has a tiny tiny attitude. I hope it stays tiny.
-loves baths and anything that involves water
-loves music and dancing
-does an "o" face and makes fart noises with her lips
-size 3 diaper
-9-12 month clothes
-loves being outside
-loves grandma grandpa granny and papa A LOT
-eats sweat potatoes, chicken, peas, carrots, pears, peaches, and baby cheetos and baby cereal things
-likes to play and laughs a lot
-but has a serious face most of the time
-it just keeps getting more and more fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Children's Place

2010-05-11T18:39:00.001-07:00

Let me just say how much I love LOVE this store!!!! But, the trick is to go in and buy their stuff from the last season on sale for the NEXT year. I just went in and got the cutest pink and green church dress for 5$ for Sophie for next spring, a cute black and white outfit of a 3 quarter length sweater and capris for 6$. I even almost went as far as to buy the CUTEST green and purple sweater vest and plaid button up shirt underneath (9$ for both) for whenever I have a boy! But I didn't because that would be going a little too far hahaha. Well let's just say I love going in there and buying off the $1.99 rack, and then scouting out the rest of the store to see what I want to buy off the $1.99 rack since it all ends up there eventually! If you have kids you must go to this store. ok bye.

Done

2010-05-06T20:25:00.001-07:00

This post might be a little TMI or maybe even IDC (I don't care) but I'm sharing anyway. I'm sad/happy to say that I am done nursing. I have had mixed feelings about this for about a month. It would totally work out if Sophie would cooperate. If she would eat in the morning right before I go to work, and then right when I get home, and then right before bed, but babies don't follow mommy's schedules do they! As of right now, Sophie will not even nurse at all- ever. She has Daddy's energy, and there are too many other things she'd rather be doing than nursing, she takes her bottle just fine though. So I decided that rather than spending hours a day pumping, I'd rather be able to play with my Soph. So I'm done! Here are a few things I will miss about nursing... -just being able to grab her out of her crib in the morning, stick her in bed with us, and fall back to sleep while she eats, free food, having boobies :), being able to eat a million calories a day because hey, I'm eating for 2!, NOT having a period, knowing that if there were some kind of natural disaster or something Sophie will have all the food she needs. Some things I will NOT miss- my stupid pump! I want to burn it! I hate washing it out everytime even more! Buying nursing pads, wearing nursing pads, nursing bras, nursing garments, not fitting into my shirts, having to time when Sophie eats so I will not have to do it in public, it will be so amazing to just be able to make a bottle and feed her in the middle of any store! Or at anyone's house! Ok that's enough. I am so sad to be done nursing, but it's also a huge relief. My goal was 6 months and I made it 8. All and all I am satisfied. I love my Sophie!!!!!
p.s. formula is soooo gross, it smells like barf!!!!!!!! my poor baby

SIIGHHH that's my big sigh of relief

2010-04-18T18:11:00.000-07:00

so ashton finally got on full time at the city! the pay is not amazing BUT what i am excited about if the benefits- health insurance for our family! i hate when i place says the "give" you benefits, and then take outrageous amounts of money out of your paycheck to "give" them to you! we have had an experience like this before, but with st george city they actually give them to you :) we are not rich by any means haha but i am just happy that he is working full time, we can stop buying our own health insurance, ashton's building a retirement, and i am bringing in some part time! let's move on with our lives, get off government assistance and give me my pride back!!!!!!!!!! woo hoo for this job.

7 months

2010-04-11T08:21:00.000-07:00

-finally sits up on her own... most of the time

-as i always say, waves bye bye, but now she actually knows what it means

-moved up to stage 2 foods

-does a wiggle dance. if you say wiggle wiggle she'll do it, or right when she hears music she'll do it. she even does it in her sleep sometimes :)

-her bottom 2 teeth poked through

-size 3 diapers

-9 and 12 month clothes

-i recently decided she doesn't eat very much, she eats 4-6 oz at a time.... is this ok?

-she is way smaller than other babies her age, or even smaller than babies younger than her

-always wakes up happy

-like to play with boxes of tissues and any kind of cord or string
-eats formula about once a day. ewww that is nasty stuff blah i feel bad making her eat it hahaha

-she is gonna be just like all ashton's nephews, she wants to GOOOOO all day long!! :)

-loves peek a boo still

:) Happy Happy :)

2010-03-27T13:37:00.000-07:00

I can't believe somebody wanted to finally hire me! I definitely have mixed emotions about it, but I'm excited to move on to this new part of my life. Now I can get a new car! And hopefully soon a new house!!! Well most likely an old house, but it'd be new to me! I got hired at Advanced Physical Therapy as a PCC, and I can't remember what it stands for, but it's part reception and part dealing with insurance! I'm very excited. It's just part time 26 hours a week so I'll still get my Sophie time! Wish me luck! I start on Tuesday. This is great news to me because I was actually considering going back to Village Inn to make extra money until I decided I would rather lose my left pinky than go back there. No offense to any Villagers, it's a great job, but 5 years of serving is ENOUGH for me :) and I hate working weekends! I can't stop smiling. yay!

Equinox

2010-03-24T10:48:00.000-07:00

READ STORY BELOW FIRST, I DON'T KNOW HOW TO MAKE IT ABOVE THE PICTURES!
SOPHIE IS SUCH A GOOD SPORT :) ARE THEY TIRED?

THE SUN'S ABOUT TO RISE!

THE SUN SHINING THROUGH THE HOLE!

KINDA HARD TO TELL BUT CAN YOU SEE IT HITTING THE TARGET ON THAT LITTLE PEAK?

A FURTHER AWAY VIEW, YOU CAN KINDA SEE THE LITTLE PEAK LIT UP...

So, it's no secret that I am easily amused by wierd things, but I just think this story is AWESOME! Ashton's family has been telling me about this equinox thing they have heard of for a long time, and we didn't really know if it was real or not. But here's the story

At a certain location, and I'm not gonna tell you where because I want it all to myself!! :) on the Spring Equinox the sun shines through a hole in a rock and the sunbeam hits an indian petroglyph target on another rock exactly at sunrise. That's how the Indians knew when Spring began so they could plant their crops.

So to see if this was true or not, Ashton, Sophie, Eric, Laurel, and I woke up at 6:30 am on the equinox so we could drive out to this top secret location to see if it was true. It took about 45 minutes to get out there and we hiked to the spot and waited for sunrise to see what would happen. I was skeptical, but lo and behold it actually happened! It wasn't this dramatic sunbeam that I was picturing, but sure enough the sun shone through the hole and lit up the target! Indians were so smart, I wonder if they made the hole so they would know, or if it just happened to already work that way. Anyway, I thought it was magical haha. I am making a tradition to go back every year, but next time I'm bringing donuts and hot chocolate!

Pictures

2010-03-23T17:32:00.001-07:00

I took some family pictures and senior pictures that I love! Check them out on my photo blog! dodgephoto.blogspot.com

my musical baby

2010-03-13T10:45:00.000-08:00

Decisions... decisions...

2010-03-08T13:30:00.000-08:00

So... Lately I have been considering teaching again. The whole PA thing is not panning out too well for me, and I want to be able to spend more time with Sophie.. I love LOVE Science, as I am sure you are all aware, and I would love to give kids the opportunity to love it too! Anyway, Dixie has a Secondary Ed program that is a year and a half long. It would cost me approximatley $4,000 to do this. I also could probably get FAFSA to pay for most of it. However the thought of going back to Dixie and taking 1010 classes with a bunch of Freshman does not thrill me AT ALL. Plus, who is gonna watch Sophie? So I have been talking to the Univesity of Pheonix to see about online teaching programs. They have a Master's Degree in secondary education that I could do all online, and get it faster than I could at Dixie. Perfect, I'll just do my work here at home while Sophie is asleep! And I'll have a Masters rather than just a teaching certificate from Dixie. This means my pay as a teacher would be a lot more each year!!! So I'm thinking, "this is great! I am totally doing this!" So how much does something like this cost???...... 20,000$!!!!!!!!!!!!! AHHHHHHHH!!! I could definitetly apply for student loans and get them, but could I find a job to pay them back??? FAFSA doesn't give grants for Master's Degrees, so that's out. I just don't think that's gonna work out for me... I better get ready to take some classes at Dixie with all the Freshmen skanks... hahahahhaha sorry Freshmen, I'm joking, but maybe anyone who has attended Dixie will understand. I just have too much pride for 1010 classes. I know, I'm wierd. Decision making time.

6 months

2010-03-07T10:44:00.000-08:00

Sophie's official 6 month birthday is tomorrow, but since next week is going to be pretty busy, and I have nothing to do today I am going to post today. Anyway, I CAN'T BELIEVE MY BABY IS 6 MONTHS!!! If you think you love your newborn, it just gets better and better! I love her more every day and it gets more and more fun! Well you know the drill, here's the list!

-I hate to say it, but she turns in to a stinker if anyone but Mommy, Daddy, Grandpa, Grandma, Granny, or Papa try to hold her :S I am hoping it's just a phase!

-She has tried pears, carrots, bananas, and green beans. The order is in her most favorite to least.

-Grandpa and Grandma try to give her tastes of icecream. I get a little irritated by this, I am trying to not let her know what sugar is for a long time if she is going to have the addiction that her Mommy and Daddy have.

-We also let her taste a pickle. I thought she would pull a face, but she actually loved it and kept reaching for it.

-She can ALMOST sit unassisted.

-She hasn't crawled yet, but I can tell she wants to!

-She can almost stand up by herself.

-She loves hiking while Daddy carries her in the snuggie!!

-She loves going on motorcycle rides with Grandpa.

-Waves bye bye, but only for Granny

-We watch Playhouse Disney in the mornings, and she loves Mickey Mouse.

-She goes to bed around 10 and sleeps until 7, wakes up for half an hour to eat, and goes back to sleep until 10 am. This is great, but she only takes about 2 hours worth of naps all day.

-She's still nursing... until she gets teeth, and I think the bottom 2 are gonna pop any day! Ok I take that back, she can nurse until she starts biting :)

-She definitley knows how to get pissed. She may have a little attitude.... She sure can scream. I call it "Dodgeitude" to tease Ashton and say she gets it from him.

-6-9 month clothes, size 2 diapers, 14 lbs. 4 ozs. My little mini-me

-This is off subject, but did you notice I decided to not be lazy? I figured I better start using proper grammar and punctuation. I do know how, I am just lazy most of the time.

Crafts

2010-03-05T10:26:00.000-08:00

I've already made one of these.....

now next on my list are these pretty little gems

Maybe it's the whole stay-at-home-mom-thing... but I have been obsessed with crafts lately! Usually it's just the typical baby stuff like flower bows and tutus. But yesterday I saw this idea on Good Things Utah and I madE a cute little flower paper thing. Now I have been linking to all kinds of different crafty blogs and there are so many things I want to make. Especially EASTER things since I LOVE EASTER!!!!!

Weekend Adventures

2010-03-01T12:29:00.000-08:00

first we saw some really cool petroglyphs

Sophie got her first motorcycle ride from Grandpa! She loved it! Grandpa likes to wait until babies are 6 months old for their first ride, but Sophie (or Sophie's mommy) could not wait another week!

i love sophie lots

2010-02-17T10:58:00.001-08:00

our fun hike in zions. i love that sophie loves to hike!

sophie in her new church dress that i love and wearing my shoes when i was a baby

food

2010-02-10T21:27:00.000-08:00

first of all let me start off by saying i am NOT pregnant. but i have had uncontrollable cravings lately! today i was sitting at home and all of a sudden i needed chocolate. not in 5 minutes... or an hour... I NEEDED IT NOW! so i made ashton bring me home some chocolate and i ate 2 whole candy bars. which i would normally never be able to do because so much sugar makes me sick. i also am hungry all the time! and i eat a lot! i was getting a little nervous that there was some sort of oops or something, so i googled craving food while breastfeeding, and it turns out a lot of people crave things like chocolate or sugar while they are breastfeeding. the reason for this post is that i am wondering if i am crazy or did any other mommies have these crazy craving while they were breastfeeding. k i am gonna go eat some cookies... :)

5 Months

2010-02-08T10:24:00.000-08:00

Sophie at 5 months...

-she loves to bounce if you hold her under her armpits while she stands she will jump all day. but when we put her in her bouncer she doesn't know what to do.

-she loves to stand. i'm afraid she'll try to walk before she crawls.

-she can roll.

-she loves rice cereal. she's also tried pears, apples, and bananas, but she loves pears the most.

-she is now pooping 8 times a day. i only bring this up because i wonder if it's normal. she usually only goes about every other day, but now it's 8 times. i do not love this.

-she waves bye bye. but will only do it for her granny.

-size 2 diapers

-6-9 month clothes

- i have no clue how much she weighs.

-she's starting to look more like her mommy :)

-she is starting to get separation anxiety. if she realizes we have left her she will scream so we are trying to leave her with people more often so she'll get over it.

-she finally allowed us to go to all 3 meetings of church for the first time yesterday. although daddy ditched out a little early anyway :)

-she still loves watching sports and music.

-she can sleep for 8 hours straight. happy happy for me!

-she makes fart sounds with her lips. i love this.

-she laughs a lot, and it's super cute.

-she's starting to teeth, and the first tooth is coming in on top. i'm not to excited about this!!! ouchie!!!

-she's finally starting to get a little hair.

LOVE YOU SOPH!!!!

thank you note

2010-02-05T08:38:00.001-08:00

so here is another random post. i seem to think this is more funny than everyone else does. last night i was going through a huge bin of old pictures at my parents' house and i found this thank you note in cute little kid handwriting with letters backwards and things spelled wrong. it was written by my little brother daxi. this is what is said....

on the front there was a stick figure person holding a big piece of gum with a caption saying.
"a peace of gum. oh my gosh! thank you!"

Then inside it said, "thank you for the peace of gum. my breath stinked bad. i would love to go to afghanistan and breathe and kill osadan bolatin. thank you. dax wittwer."

hahaha i love it so much. little kids are so funny. we can't figure out who it was to or anything. but i love it.

dumb, but TRUE song

2010-02-04T09:52:00.000-08:00

I just heard this song on Good Things Utah. It's a really dumb song, but I was laughing because it's so true... You think college is hard while you're there, but the real world sucks a lot more hahahhaha. (I had to edit the song a little) hah

- I Wish I Could Go Back to College Lyrics
I wish I could go back to college. Life was so simple back then.
What would I give to go back and live in a dorm with a meal plan again!
I wish I could go back to college.In college you know who you are. You sit in the quad, and think, "Oh my gosh!I am totally gonna go far!"
How do I go back to college?I don't know who I am anymore!
I wanna go back to my room and find a message in dry-erase pen on the door!Ohhh...I wish I could just drop a class...
Or get into a play...
Or change my major...
Or kiss my T.A.
I need an academic advisor to point the way!We could be...Sitting in the computer lab,4 A.M. before the final paper is due,Cursing the world 'cause I didn't start sooner,And seeing the rest of the class there, too!
I wish I could go back to college!
How do I go back to college?!AHHHH...
I wish I had taken more pictures.
But if I were to go back to college,Think what a loser I'd be-I'd walk through the quad,And think "Oh my Gosh..."
"These kids are so much younger than me."

babies

2010-02-01T13:26:00.001-08:00

so i always have thoughts about all these weird random things. today it's about babies and having babies. isn't it so wierd that you grow a baby inside your belly? i mean, you make a whole person in there! that is just amazing. the whole time i was pregnant i would watch baby story on tlc and watch the women deliver babies, and i still watch it sometimes. i would always get scared because so many things can go wrong. but i must say.... it is more awesome than scary! it's like i can't wait to do it again. not literally, i can wait a couple years. but it is so amazing i will be so excited to do it again! (let's just hope the epidural doesn't take 2 hours to kick in next time) anyway, it's just so fun. you wait 9 months to meet this little thing. i never knew that 9 months was so long, and then within a couple pushes they are out and you are holding them!!!! i know this is totally random. but as i was watching baby story today i was just thinking how cool that is that we have the opportunity to create life. what a blessing!!!! the end.

st george

2010-01-26T10:58:00.000-08:00

i love love this pretty town. but i DON'T love the money we DON'T make in this town......

Intro To Solids

2010-01-20T09:02:00.000-08:00

a couple weeks ago we let sophie have some rice cereal. she really liked it right away! at first she would only eat a little, but now she'll eat a whole bowl. she even makes little mmmmm sounds when she's eating it. i feed her a bowl in the morning, and then a bowl at night before she goes to bed. yesterday i tried feeding her baby food- bananas. those she did not like. she gagged a lot. sooo funny! i just love her. ps check out my photography blog nikellandashtonsphotos.blogspot.com :)

education vs. experience

2010-01-18T10:36:00.000-08:00

warning. this is another nikell rampage. if you don't like them, don't read it. why is it that experience will always win over education? WHY?! that job i applied for originally wanted to hire someone with a degree. aka ME. but then little miss california lady comes along and SHE gets the job because she has many many years of experience working in a wastewater lab. and who ends up in second place still jobless? ME! (i know this info because i know someone on the inside of the wastewater dept.) i totally get why they hired her over me. that makes sense. but i would like to think that someday someone will want to hire someone that has a greater understanding of what they are doing, even though you have to train them rather than just hires someone that just knows what they are doing, not why. i don't know if that makes any sense. so anyway, while i am spending five years sitting in the lab dissecting sharks and cats and people, or genetically creating e coli that can glow in the dark.... everyone else is out in the "real world" getting "real life experience". and their real life experience is obviously better to employers than an education. looks like i'll just have to get a job as a cashier at my favorite store target. oh wait a second! that's not gonna work! i don't have any retail experience! but hey i am sure they would let me serve food from their cafe since that seems to be the only thing i am good at! bah humbug. i am going to go play with sophie

4 months

2010-01-08T10:55:00.000-08:00

sophie is 4 months old today. i can't believe that she is that old, but to be honest it seems like she was born 2 years ago! but seriously the bigger they get, the more fun they are. now she is less work and more fun. we took her to the doctor today and she got her shots :( i hate that. everyone else i see posts about how their babies are in the 99th percentile for height and weight blah blah blah, but not my little teeny sophie. she is 50th percentile for height (average) and a 45% for weight which is a little below average. what a cute tiny girl! just like her mommy hahahha. here are a few things about sophie (i do this so i can put it in her scrapbook when i finally get caught up)

-she laughs now and it's the most precious sound ever!

-she still sucks her thumb..... but hey if it makes her be good then whatever!

-we are going to give her some rice cereal tomorrow! hope she likes it!

-she can roll from her belly to her back, but not her back to her belly.

-probably because she hates to be on her belly.

-she can reach for and hold toys.

-she farts.... all the time.... and they stink!!!

-she loves patty cake.

-she doesn't scoot or crawl or roll around, but somehow she can move around. i think it's by squirming. i once put her on a small blanket on the floor, went in the other room for 10 minutes, came back and she was about 5 feet off the blanket!

- she likes to watch little einsteins

-she still loves music.

-she talks all the time and goos and gaas i love it.

-she wears 6-9 month clothing, and a few 3 month things still.

-size 2 diapers. i still haven't had to buy any diapers myself yet. awesome!

-she weighs 12 lbs 7 oz and is 24 inches tall

-she doesn't cry in the car seat anymore

-she likes to pull my hair

-she is STILL a daddys girl

-she likes to be outside and go on hikes in her snuggie!

yay

2010-01-06T13:37:00.001-08:00

so i am pretty excited right now. i just got called for an interview for my DREAAAAAM job! whether or not i even get the job, i am pretty happy to know that i was even qualified. it reminds me that my degree is not useless! the job is for a lab technician for the st george city wastewater department. which means i would be collecting data, interpreting test results, making bacterial cultures..... a dream come true! (yes that's how nerdy i am) it's 15$/hr plus benefits. ashton and i would not even know what to do with that kind of money. that's how poor we are! hahahaha. the downside is i would have to leave sophie :( but hey let's not even think about that right now cuz who knows if i'll even get it! just thought i'd share my joy! wish me luck cuz i SUCK at interviews. any advice on how to be better at them would be greatly appreciated. have a nice day and cross your fingers!

2 great years

2009-12-31T10:59:00.000-08:00

HAPPY TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY TO ME AND ASHTON!!! i always say this... but how did i get so lucky??? here's to 60 more happy years!

christmas

2009-12-26T17:25:00.000-08:00

christmas was so fun this year with a baby! with both of our families living here we do a lot of running around. on christmas eve we go to the wittwer family christmas eve at my grandparents' house. then christmas morning we started off opening our own little family presents to each other, then we went upstairs to open presents with all of ashton's family. after that we went to my grandparents to have our annual christmas breakfast. then we opened presents with my family. after that we rushed back to ashton's parents' for lunch. then we had to rush back to my parent's house for the norcross family christmas dinner. we had three huge meals within 5 hours. yikes! so much fun! i love christmas and i am sad it's over, but on to 2010!! let's get january out of the way to move on to funner months please :) hope everyone had a great christmas! at the end i added a picture of me and my friends at dinner on wed. love you girls!

photography blog

2009-12-23T15:08:00.000-08:00

ok so i know everyone and their dog are trying to do a photography business, so right now ashton and i are doing it for fun! check out our blog and let us know if you want some FREE pictures!!! :) http://nikellandashtonsphotos.blogspot.com

one crazy year

2009-12-18T08:36:00.000-08:00

THE BEST PART OF 2009!!!!! see picture above

i can't believe that it was one year ago today that i swapped chromosomes with ashton (yes i know the exact day and time) but i didn't find out until january 6 :) it has been an amazing/crazy/scary/exciting year. let me tell you it was scary being pregnant and having your husband run out of work a month after you find out, and then me only having a job that pays 9.45$/hr blah! but we pulled through and we have a beautiful little baby girl, and STILL have a bit of money left. oh the blessings of paying your tithing! we never even had to touch my lifetime savings account. i have no idea how we did it, but i am so happy! i may not be rich, but i get to stay home with my little girl, which is the best and rewarding job in the world! i have an awesome husband who works so hard for our little family! i really know that money isn't what makes you happy all you need is love! haha so cheesy, but could not be more true! anyway i just thought i needed to make a post since it was a year ago since i got pregnant. i thought graduating college made me feel cool, which i also did a year ago because i got pregnant the day i graduated, but being a mommy???? that was way more cool! i am so greatful for my inlaws for letting us live in their basement. i know they probably don't like it at times, but they would never complain and if they didn't let us live here i have no clue where we would be right now. i am also thankful for my parents, i know they would do anything in the world for us. and i am thankful for my challenges that i've had this year, they only make ya stronger. it's been a great year! i hope 2010 is just as fun and crazy! (but hopefully doesn't involve me being pregnant hahahhaa) bring it on

vote for sophie!!

2009-12-15T21:28:00.000-08:00

go here and vote for sophie pretty please!!
Hi,
I just entered my child in the "Parenting - Baby and Child Model Search contest" and we need your vote to help us win!
You can view my entry and vote for me here:http://modelsearch.parenting.com/contests/voteformyentry/129266?sk=Zi23slThanks and wish me luck!
Nikell

vegas

2009-12-14T15:18:00.000-08:00

we just had the best weekend ever. you really still can have fun when you have kids!! we went to vegas saturday night because eric was singing for a christmas party down there and ashton was helping with it. we got to stay at caesar's palace saturday night. the rooms were awesome! we are not used to classy stuff :) there was a two person jacuzzi, which was awesome! then the next day we did some christmas shopping, i had to go to my favorite little baby clothes store. aren't little girls so fun?! then on sunday night we stayed at the excaliber since rooms were only 28$ a night. quite a downgrade from caesers i must say! then we also got to go see cori's new house and her cute pregnant self. so fun! we also go to go see ashton's old mission companion and his family. it was such a fun weekend and having sophie with us made it even more fun. she loved the bright lights of vegas! and to top it off we won enough money to cover the expenses for the whole trip! ;) nice! sorry i dont' have any pictures we are having camera issues. boo

sweet dreams

2009-12-11T08:15:00.000-08:00

sophie has slept in her cradle next to our bed in our room with us since she was born. so after three nights of sophie tossing and turning and waking up every two hours (blah) i figured out that every time ashton and i moved or coughed or snored (ashton) in the night she would wake up. i think because her cradle is so close to our bed. so i finally had to be a big girl and let her sleep in her own crib. i did a trial run the other night and just put her cradle right outside our door. it went ok, but last night i put her clear in her own room in the crib all by herself. then i turned up the baby moniter as loud as it would go. i could even hear her breathing!! hahahaha (to future mommies in my opinion a baby moniter is a must have! i got the cheapest one from target only $30 and totally worth it!) well much to my surprise she slept until six in the morning! wow! too bad for me, i didn't take advantage of this, and i was up checking on her about a total of 15 times through thenight! but now that i know she isn't going to die in there, i think i will sleep like a champ tonight, that is if her sleeping through the night wasn't a one time thing. one thing i hate about baby moniters is that i feel like i am going to hear a scary voice through it saying "i've got your baby...." ahhh! ashton thinks i am crazy.

you know you're a mom when....

2009-12-06T07:53:00.001-08:00

lately i have been thinking about how much being a parent changes your life. here are some things i have been thinking....

YOU KNOW YOU'RE A MOMMY WHEN....

-you suddenly become the best singer in the world and can insert your baby's name into any song.

-you can sleep with one eye open.

-you go into your favorite store (target) skip your formally favorite adult clothes and accessories section and go straight to the baby section.

-you get excited to see poop because you know everything is working right.

-you make a diaper last as long as possible because you have calculated that they each cost about... 0.30$

-you have to wake up about 3 hours earlier than you need to be somewhere. suddenly 9 am church is not your favorite church time anymore.

-you are a professional booger getter outer

-anytime you are in a public place and someone walks by your baby and coughs you give them a crusty and cover your baby's face with a blanket (maybe this is just me?)

-at first you check your baby to see if they are breathing every 15 minutes, then after about a month you get tired and get over it

-you get excited about opening a new pack of binkies because you get sick of the old colors

-doing your baby's laundry is fun

-you get excited about the smallest things, like watching your baby reach for a toy for the first time.

-seeing your baby smile can make you smile no matter how mad you are.

-you will do ridiculous things to see that little smile, maybe even act like a monkey?

-you don't like to leave the house because it's too much effort.

-you have to schedule an "appointment" to be able to have sex with your spouse... (sorry maybe too much info???) hah

-you buy your baby lots of christmas presents, wrap them, and put them under the tree even though they are too young to even open them or care.

-your baby wants to eat whenever you are eating.

-you never knew you could care so much about one little person. when they are sad you are sad, when they are happy you are happy, when they are sick you would trade them places in a second!!!

-you get SOO EXCITED when you hear about other pregnant girls because you think of all the fun stuff they are about to experience.

-you blogstalk other people that have a baby around the same age as you

-you think you want time away from your baby, but while you're gone you call every fifteen minutes to check on them.

-you try to recruit all your friends and family member to reproduce too. c'mon your just trying to find playmates for your baby!

-suddenly your cats that you "thought" were your "babies" get neglected. poor kitties.

-fart sounds are funny.

-you no longer wear your lotion, baby lotion is your new favorite scent!

-you spend an extra 10 minutes on the toilet reading because that might be the only time alone you get all day.

-everyone else's baby's poo and spit up is disgusting. but your baby's is not.

-spit up becomes your new everyday accessory.

-you can tell the difference between your baby's cries. they have a fake one, hungry one, tired one, bored one, and mad one.

-you already forgot how bad contractions hurt.

-you can change a diaper in complete darkness

ISN'T BEING A MOMMY THE BEST THING EVER???

p.s. don't forget to add your email to the post below, going private!!

private

2009-12-05T13:41:00.000-08:00

so i am thinking about going private so the entire world cannot spy on my little sophie :) please leave your email if you want to me to add you! thanks!

Dodge Family Pics

2009-11-30T12:35:00.000-08:00

We had a fun Thanksgiving this year. We were able to go to Ashton's family dinner in Cedar and mine in Santa Clara, so that was nice. Usually we can either do one or the other! We had the whole Dodge family together so we got some good pictures.

thankfulness

2009-11-24T12:15:00.000-08:00

i guess i'll jump on the whole "thankful post" train. mostly because i feel like i have tons to be thankful for, and this is the perfect time of year to remember everything i am blessed with...
-SOPHIE of course! and a direct quote from ashton, "the best thing to ever happen." and i could not agree more!
-more about sophie, the fact that she is such a good baby! i don't know what i would do if i got one of those cry all the time babies! i would not be able to handle that! just one hour of her crying straight when she got a bladder infection was too much for me!
-a beautiful basement to live in for FREE and the opportunity to catch up and build our savings.
-amazing families that we can live so close to and hang out with all the time!
-ashton's friends, they are amazing. they would do anything for him, and i am thankful they influenced him to be the great guy he is today!
-the fact that ashton has a job. sure he had to start THE DAY sophie was born, which was so hard, but how i could complain???
-my education and all the doors it has opened for me..... someday maybe it will pay off. i jsut need to be patient
-my parents. having a baby makes you appreciate them so much more!
-ASHTON the best husband and daddy ever! how did i ever get so lucky?!?!?
-my friends, i am not the best at making new friends, but i still have my longtime ones i know that i could go to for anything and i know we'll be friends until we die!!!!
-i know i would have never said this back then, but i am thankful for the five years that ashton and i got to spend dating and that we didn't get married right away. we had tons of fun experiences and i had some growing up to do!
-my brothers, they are all so unique and fun i just love them.
-my experiences, good and bad. they have made me a better person and hopefully a little bit smarter!
-a totally easy and fun pregnancy! it just makes me want to have ten more babies!
well there is so much more! but i'll save that for another day. everyone have a happy thanksgiving and remember everything you are thankful for!!!

unfortunately, fortunately

2009-11-19T10:37:00.001-08:00

lately around our house it' been this....................

...... rather than this lovely face i love so much....

unfortunately, sophie has a bladder infection. fortunately we finally know what is wrong with her! after a few days of nonstop crying and sleepless nights (so unusual for our happy perfect little soph) we took her to the doctor. my hunch was that she had reflux. when we took her in the doc said that he read a study where a high percentage of babies that were taken to the doctor for unexplained fussiness had a bladder infection. i was thinking ya right, well i guess we'll see. sure enough she had blood, white blood cells, and bacteria in her urine. poor little sophie. just some advice for other mommies out there. if your baby is really fussy and you don't know why go get their urine analyzed! i'm just happy that my life isn't over and she's going to get better so i can actually dare to leave the house with her again. yay for doctors! one that finally took the time to do some tests to actually figure out what was wrong!

changin

2009-11-06T20:40:00.000-08:00

i thought i'd do a little 2 month old sophie update. here ya go
-she can sit up in her bumbo chair all by herself, but she doesn't really like it.
-according to our inaccurate measurements she weighs about 12 lbs.
-she grows so fast she only gets to wear each outfit about one time :(
-she cries more than she used to, but still not very much.
-she would rather be laid on the ground than held, this makes me feel like a bad mom because i rarely get to hold her, but hey i figure if she's happy then it's ok...
-she is wearing her three month clothes.
-she's totally a daddy's girl.
-she sleeps a lot
-if she is ever crying i set her on her changing table and she instantly stops crying and starts smiling. i think it's wierd, but i can't complain about having a quick fix!
-she loves our "story time" i read to her and she smiles the whole time... until she falls asleep.
-she looks us in the eyes and smiles. real smiles.
-she still sleeps in her bassinet next to our bed. her crib seems so far away...
-i wake up in the night and her arms or legs are always totally sticking out the sides of her bassinet.
-i let her sleep with me in our bed in the mornings after about 6 am, something i said i'd never do, but i can't resist snuggling her.
-she is already so HYPER she gets that from her dada. her arms and legs get going a million miles an hour all at the same time. sometimes she just kicks one leg so my dad calls her kickstart like she's kicking a dirt bike.
-she loves to lay in her playpen and she laughs at the monkeys that hang above her in it.
-she always stares at the same spot upstairs at ashton's parent's house. baby jayden also stares at this same spot and so does poindexter the cat. this creeps me out. GHOSTS!!!
-she makes the cutest sounds when she sucks on her binky.
-but she'd rather suck on her hands than her binky.

ok enough already!! can you tell i love this girl? she's my best friend :)

sophie's blessing day

2009-11-02T09:11:00.000-08:00

yesterday was such an awesome day! we got to bless sophie! she looked like a little princess in her pretty little blessing dress. she woke up that morning so happy she was smiling all day! we were nervous that she would cry during her blessing, but she didn't cry at all. ashton gave the MOST BEAUTIFUL blessing that i have ever heard!!! he is the best dad and i can tell he loves sophie so much! i love watching him with her, it's the most special thing in the world. i wanna thank all our family and friends that came. literally half of the congregation were people there for the blessing, it was awesome to have such good support. then we had a fun lunch after at our house. it was a great day thanks everyone!!!

halloween

2009-10-31T21:21:00.000-07:00

ashton this might have been your costume, but i think it's a super hot look for you! ;)

can you tell that doonie is supposed to be my dad??

so i love halloween! it is the best holiday next to christmas! the day that you can dress however you want and no one can say anything!! here are our halloween pictures

frustrated

2009-10-27T09:11:00.000-07:00

today i am frustrated. i finally made up my mind about going to pa school, and nothing seems to be working out. first, the school i was going to apply to added a class like one month ago to their list of prerequisites, which i don't have. they said that people who have already taken this class will be interviewed and considered first, and then if there are any spots left they will interview people like me. any spots left?? are you serious?? last year like 1,200 people applied to that school and they only accept fifty. i don't think there are going to be any spots left. second, it says that the deadline to apply isn't until march, but apparantley it's just first come first serve. they are already doing interviews for the school, and my application isn't even sent in to CASPA yet and after they get it it can take up to five weeks to send it to my school. i also have to have a letter of recommendation for a doctor i have been working or shadowing for, and i've only been doing that for 2 weeks, none of them know me well enough to give me one, and i thought i had until march to get that. well, it looks like i probably won't get accepted this year, which makes me sad :(:( i don't know if i'll still be able to go next year. my family is priority now, and so i don't know if i'll be able to go. i should have made up my mind five years ago that that's what i wanted to be and maybe i would have done things different. oh well. at least sophie always knows how to smile at me or make a funny sound whenever i am grouchy! thanks soph :)

tutu

2009-10-23T21:21:00.000-07:00

#10

i am quite proud of these pictures. i took them myself, i made the tutu and the bow... not to mention the baby too! i love these pictures so much! vote on which one i should blow up big!

dad/grandpa's birthday party!

2009-10-21T20:32:00.000-07:00

my dad turned fifty today! what a good grandpa and dad he is! here are some pictures from his birthday party

my baby is one month old today!

2009-10-08T11:19:00.000-07:00

What a crazy month it's been! I cannot believe that Sophie is one month old today! She is getting so big and chunky, and I love it! I am finally getting used to being a mommy. It seems like I have known Sophie forever, and I don't know what we ever did without her! Here is a quote from a book my cousin gave me that I like...

"When I first found out I was pregnant I was over the moon with excitement. Imagine this tiny little person with no previous thoughts or dreams- someone who I could teach about life, love, and the world. By week two after birth, however, I realized that I was not the teacher. Instead this tiny person was teaching me! Everyday I was learning something new about the selfless part of life- the place where your own needs come second or third; the place where sleep is something you do between feedings. How selfish we were with our time! I would never go back to being "just me." I love being a mom and the daily challenge it brings to not only teach our little princess, but also be taught be her. Enjoy every minute!"

Sure we have a lot of sleepless nights, poopy diapers, and spit ups but it's all totally worth it! I could sit and stare at her all day while she is sleeping. Anyway, here are some things about Sophie this month...

-when she's awake she'd rather lay on the ground on look around then be held

-we drag her everywhere with us! but we gotta get her used to going places!

-she took her first bottle from ashton like a pro! now maybe we'll dare to leave her with a babysitter!

-she gags on her binky

-she is so strong and can hold up her own head most of the time.

-she grunts and squeaks all night long... i can sleep through it, but Ashton can't

-she sleeps most of the day. but when she's awake she's really alert!

-she's going bald!

-she loves music and listening to her daddy sing and play the guitar

Love you Sophie!!! We couldn't ask for a better baby!

P.S. I finally filled out my application for PA school! Looks like I am SERIOUS this time! I hope I can get an interview!!!

my little sophie angel :)

2009-09-28T09:45:00.000-07:00

so i guess i am one of those new mom's where all they can talk about is their baby! but hey that's my life now! so i have just been thinking back to the day sophie was born and i wanna write some stuff down while it's still vivid. i have always kinda wondered when a baby's spirit comes from heaven to their body. my mind has been trained to think scientifically so to me i've always thought that a baby became the baby the moment fertilization occurred because that's when everything about it is determined. and maybe it does? no one can really know. but now i might have a little different thoughts about it. when sophie was born she just had big bright eyes most of the time and she didn't really cry. she would just lay there and look around the room. it seemed to me like she knew exactly where she just came from and was actually smarter and knew more than anyone would think a brand new baby would. i think she really had just come straight from heaven. i still sometimes think she is like an intelligent spirit and remembers where she just came from and what she's doing here. she just can't communicate it because she's a baby. do you get what i mean? anyway enough with the cheesy stuff. sophie is getting big so fast! almost out of the teeny newborn clothes now. we took her to a restaurant for the first time this week, which she didn't really like. we also took her to church yesterday. she liked that. she slept through the whole thing just like her daddy! (jk) i've had a few great experiences getting barfed on, not spit up, barf. also some nice poop blowouts. i wish i took pictures! being a mommy is crazy! but i love it. it's scary to think that life will never be the same sometimes! but i think it's changed for the better! we love our little sophie angel and i wish she would stay little forever!

sophie's first week

2009-09-16T16:18:00.000-07:00

i can't believe my little sophie is already a week old! i feel like she is getting so big already! we went to the doctor and she actually gained 10 oz. in week when usually they lose weight in the first week. she likes my milk i guess! the only thing wrong with her is that she has a little eye infection, but other than that we're doing great! she is so cute i love feeling her fuzzy little hair on my chin when i burp her. i also can't stop kissing the top of her head and he cheeks are so soft that when you touch them you almost can't feel them! i also love looking at her cute little eyes looking around when she's nursing, since that's about the only time she's awake. she also likes to peak out of one eye at us. also ashton is such a good daddy. she is already a daddy's girl. and i'm ok with that :) she loves it when ashton sings to her, she will just stare at him with huge eyes. i could not ask for a better daddy for my little girl, i love him so much :) everyone seems to think she looks like ashton. she managed to avoid the gigantic wittwer head, which i am greatful for, that would have not been fun to push out. but i PERSONALLY think she has my eyes and nose and ashton's mouth.

she's here!!!!!

2009-09-08T18:48:00.000-07:00

cute little sophie arrived at 5:51 tuesday morning! here is a short version of the story.... i went into labor on labor day woo hoo! we were at ashton's brother's house watching a movie when i thought it felt interesting down there so i went to the bathroom and my pants were a little bit wet, but i wasn't too worried about it. nothing hurt or anything. then we went home and water kept coming out, but just a little bit at a time. ashton said WE ARE GOING TO THE HOSPITAL TO GET CHECKED. so i wasn't in any hurry, i farted around a bit, packed a bag, and even tidied up the house! we got to the hospital at about 11 pm and sure enough my water had broke! wow! i wasn't even having strong contractions or anything! they had to start pitocin at midnight to induce me and by about three am i was ready for my epidural! ouch! they say labor hurts, but i wasn't expecting that! let me say if you don't get an epidural you are either really amazing or crazy. by three am i was dilated to six, but my epidural was not working. i thought i was going to die. the anexthesiologist wouldn't up my dosage because he said i was too little. so i just kept pushing the button for more on my own. my epidural did not fully kick in for two hours! about 4 am the nurse checked my cervix and i was dilated to a ten! she could not believe it. i went from 3 cm to ten in two hours! but (i am probably the only laboring girl that would say this) i was not happy to hear i was at a ten i wasn't ready to push yet! so they had me push for about an hour to try to get the head down low enough then they made me stop pushing until the doctor got there. when she got there it was only two pushes and she was out! let me tell you, feeling a baby slop out of your belly is THE WIERDEST sensation in the world. one second my belly was full and the next it was empty. i did not feel any pain though. after she was out i was so wrapped up in her that i failed to look down and notice the doctor had been giving me stitches for about 20 min. yup i ripped all the way through and i'm feeling it now! i guess the rate "rippage" on a scale from one to four and i was a three so it was pretty bad. anyways as you mothers know giving birth is a crazy amazing experience and it all still feels like a dream. i can't even believe this baby is mine. i have only slept for a total of about five hours since tuesday and i am so tired. but it's worth it!

even more maternity pictures!

2009-09-07T12:05:00.000-07:00

our friend nissa from hot shot images took some more maternity pictures for us in her studio. here they are! her website is www.hotshotimages.biz p.s. my induction date is scheduled for the 18 if sophie decides to be so stubborn. 11 more days at the most!

why am i still pregnant!!!?

2009-09-03T16:18:00.000-07:00

nobody thought i would go to my due date. including my doctor!!! she also was hoping that my baby would be between 6 and 7 pounds cuz i am so little. when i went in today she said my belly was measuring above average and now the baby is probably 7.5 lbs. and could be 8 by next week!!! ahhhhhhhh. that sounds so painful. but she is not worried or anything so i am not either. she scheduled my induction date for the 18 if i don't do it myself before then. kill me if i go that long!! my baby will be TEN pounds by then! haha anyways. i am just going to use all the old wive's tales to get it going myself! wish me luck.

oh and p.s. if you watch the movie post-grad that is the story of my life! makes me feel better that other people go through it too! :)

renter's rampage

2009-08-30T21:18:00.000-07:00

this is freakin ridiculous. when we moved into our apt we paid a $1,000 deposit. which is a huge price for a deposit anyway. we asked why it was so high and if we would get it all back and they said yes, the owner asked it to be high in case anything happened and you will get it all back except $200 to clean the carpets at the end. when we moved out me and my fat 8 month pregnant butt spent three days straight in there cleaning because that's the kind of people we are. we wanted to leave the house in better shape then when we got it. i was actually pretty proud because i thought they would be happy to see it cuz i doubt that any other renter has left the house that spick and span. we have been waiting for our deposit in the mail for month and finally it came! we opened it up and it said not only did they keep our whole thousand dollar deposit, but we also owe THEM $40 more and if we don't pay it within five days they will send it to collections. let me show you a list of all they charged us for.

cleaning and maintenance $300
-back of front door is dirty and was painted in areas a different color white.
YA SURE BUT THE PEOPLE BEFORE US ARE THE ONES THAT PAINTED IT
-the wall behind the door has a white spot
UMMM YA THAT WAS THERE BEFORE TOO
-kitchen floor is dirty and stains by the refrigerator.
-THE FRIDGE IS THE OWNERS AND SO THAT SHOULD BE THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO PAY FOR
-hall bathroom- the floor looks pink
YUP THAT WAS THERE WHEN WE MOVED IN TOO THE TILE IS JUST FADED. I DIDN'T FEEL THAT WAS NECESSARY TO NOTE WHEN WE MOVED IN. STUFF FADES, DUH
-the stopper is missing in the tub.
THE TUB DOESN'T REQUIRE A STOPPER YOU PULL UP THE METAL THING AND IT PLUGS. THERE NEVER WAS A STOPPER.
-there is an after market shower head.
ONCE AGAIN THERE WHEN WE MOVED IN, BUT I DIDN'T NOTE IT CUZ HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO KNOW IT'S AFTER MARKET.
-patch up job in master bath was not done properly
UHHHH THIS WE DID NOT DO EITHER I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT THERE WAS NO PATCHING IN THERE I EVER SAW.
-left tampons and towels under the sink
I WAS PARANOID ABOUT ACCIDENTALLY LEAVING SOMETHING THERE AND CHECKED EVERY CUPBOARD AND DRAWER TWICE. NONE OF OUR TOWELS ARE MISSING AND I HAVEN'T EVEN HAD TAMPONS IN THE HOUSE FOR NINE MONTHS DUH I'M PREGNANT

another cleaning fee $141
-used chemicals to clean all the soap scum from showers and toilets.
OK THAT I CAN UNDERSTAND BUT I DO THINK THE PRICE IS WAY HIGH FOR THAT. THAT ONE WE WILL NOT FIGHT.

another cleaning fee $149
this was to replace a dirty AC filter
THIS I UNDERSTAND, BUT AIR FILTER COST 9$
replace damaged toilet seats.
THE SEATS LOOK EXACTLY LIKE THEY DID WHEN WE MOVED IN AND WERE NOT DAMAGED IN ANY WAY. PLUS WHY SHOULD WE HAVE TO PAY FOR SOMEONE ELSES TOILET SEAT

landscaping fee $175
YA THE WEEDS IN OUR BACK YARD WERE THREE FEET HIGH, BUT THAT'S WHAT IS LOOKED LIKE WHEN WE MOVED IN. WE DIDN'T GET A FRESHLY WEEDED YARD WHEN WE MOVED IN SO WHY SHOULD WE PAY FOR THE NEXT PEOPLE TO. PLUS OUR BACK YARD IS ABOUT 5 TOTAL SQUARE FEET.....

vendor fee $60
THAT'S ALL IT SAYS I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT'S FOR

NEEDLESS TO SAY WE ARE DEMANDING THIS MONEY BACK, MINUS THE LITTLE DAMAGE THAT WE REALLY DID CAUSE. LIKE CARPET CLEANING, NAIL HOLES IN THE WALL, ETC. ANYWAYS. JUST DON'T RENT FROM PREFERRED PROPERTY MANAGENT. THEY TOLD US WHEN WE MOVED OUT THEY ARE STRUGGLING TO FILL ALL OF THEIR RENTALS AND DON'T THINK THEY SHOULD BE ABLE TO SCREW US OUT OF OUR MONEY CUZ THEY ARE HURTING. I AM NOT USUALLY A MEAN OR REVENGEFUL PERSON, BUT I HAVE NEVER BEEN SCREWED LIKE THIS AND I HAVE NEVER BEEN THIS MAD IN ALL MY LIFE. ***** END OF RAMPAGE

waiting

2009-08-28T08:07:00.000-07:00

i had another doc appointment yesterday and still no change :( looks like i might go clear to my due date! hah it's not that bad. a few things i wanna write about my pregnancy for my own journaling purposes.
- i get up to pee at 1, 3:30, 5, 6, and 7 EVERY night. yes, that's five times.
-the other day i had contractions lasting for 45 sec exactly every five minutes for two hours. yes i thought it was "it" but then i fell asleep and by the time i woke up i wasn't having anymore.
-my mom has to paint my toe nails for me. i had her do them for me yesterday so i could have something cute to look at while i am pushing. haha ya right..
-i AM getting an epidural. why would you not?
-i have nightmares all the time that my baby is born as a cat, which wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the fact that it has sharp fangs and keeps trying to nurse. ouchie
-i also have dreams that my baby is born and she is like three years old and is talking to me and stuff. and telling me all the things i am doing wrong.
-i crave strawberries, melon, basically any fruit, root beer and orange soda, sugar cookies, chocolate, milkshakes, smoothies, and icecream..... pretty much SUGAR in general! yuuum
-i have never felt the baby kick my ribs.
-her rolling around in there hurts way more than any contraction i have had so far. i can see her move around and i seriously worry that she is going to poke so hard that it rips my belly!
-if i go from sitting to standing i have to waddle for a while until everything settles.
-BUT i still think she has been the nicest baby ever to me and i hope she stays nice outside the belly!

mind purge

2009-08-24T19:27:00.000-07:00

hi, today i am going to purge all these thoughts i am having out of my mind. because for some reason it makes me feel better to say them "out loud" on my blog! so i know this is the last thing i should be worried about lately with a baby coming any day, but it has been on my mind a ton lately, and that is going to physician assistant school. i have the degree i need and i have taken all the prerequisite classes to apply, i just need to build up some health care experience hours. so here is a list of pros and cons i have made of going to PA school....
PROS
-make a lot of money!
-have a job i love
-get to help people
-will be able to afford a house someday!
-can work part time to be with my kids while they are little
-can help provide a better future for my family
-i have wanted to go into the medical field since high school
-i am already 5/7 of the way there. why stop now???
-never have to work a job i hate for minimum wage
-never EVER have to consider working at village inn again!
-i can make use of the degree i spent five years getting
-takes only one year longer to be a pa than a teacher (which i am also considering) but for 5 times the money!

CONS
-have a lot of student loans to pay off
-have to move away from family for 2 years
-won't have a lot of time for my baby while i study all the time and am in class all day
-i am a commitment phobe and once you start something like that you are in it for the long haul... would i ever be sure i was making the right choice???
-school will be hard! a challenge for once!

looks like i have got lots to think about! but for now i am just trying to focus on getting my precious little baby here! and i just want to do whatever is best for her and me and ashton! (the best husband in the world by the way) i just need to figure out what that best thing is! thanks for listening :)

37 wks

2009-08-20T09:28:00.000-07:00

i had another doctor's appointment today, the doctor was busy so i had to see the PA. no change in dilation or effacement :( dangit! oh well i am still three weeks from the due date. she will come when she's good and ready. on the plus side i got some really good info from the PA on the PA school down in vegas. i am definitely considering it. it would be hard work, but worth it in the long run. she works two days a week so she can stay home with her baby and makes more than both ashton and i would make combined both working full time! and for only working 2 days a week doing something she loves! def something to think about...

2+

2009-08-17T13:21:00.000-07:00

another update. for anyone who's listening haha. i had another appointment today and my blood pressure is just fine, so no inducing for me! also i am dilated to a 2+. i am assuming that's more than 2, but not quite 3. so hey that's pretty good progress in 3 days i think. i am also "REALLY thinned out" that's pretty vague but that's what she said, she didn't mention a percentage or anything, but sounds good to me! anyways i am feeling... i guess the word is interesting.... hopefully she comes soon!

update

2009-08-13T14:56:00.000-07:00

so i am officially a blogging fool. sorry about all the many posts lately. i've got nothing to do but sit here and wait for this baby. especially now. i just had a doc appointment. i gained three pounds in 6 days (oops) and had high blood pressure. it was 150/100! oh no, she got me scared and kinda made it sound like if it didn't go down i'd have to go over to labor and delivery! ahh! not ready quite yet. but it went down by the time i left so now i have to "take it easy" all weekend and go get checked again on monday. that will be hard for me i will not sit around all day, but i'll do my best. on the bright side, i am now dilated to 2 cm and 60% effaced so things are moving along pretty quickly. hopefully it will stay that way and i can hold my smooshy little baby soon, but not TOO soon!

Recap

2009-08-12T12:09:00.001-07:00

Lots of Stuff

2009-08-10T09:15:00.000-07:00

first of all, i have been telling ashton i wanted to get some maternity pics, but too cheap to pay to get them done and i wanted him to take them for me! we are amateurs and had to work through a few lighting issues, but most of them turned out good! i mostly like the ones where you can't see my face! hah! but here are a few of my favorites, good job ashton!

next is my family baby shower. so fun! we had cake, salad, rolls, fruit, and yummy punch! we also played a couple games, which is always fun! we had the shower at my cute sister-in-law lauren's house. shout out to her and my mom for planning the shower, it was great! i don't have any pictures of myself from the shower that i liked, so i just posted all of the goodies that sophie got. look at all the cute clothes and fun stuff! this unborn child is already a fashionista. thanks everyone!

i might also add that i am 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced! i know what this means anatomically, but as far as an indicator of when baby is coming i have no idea. BRING IT ON!

8 months

2009-08-06T14:59:00.000-07:00

well here i am. i have reached the last and final month of my pregnancy! i cannot believe it. it has gone by so fast and sooo slow all at the same time! all i am doing at this point is being fat a lazy and working on little baby projects.... which is fun, but it gets old i am just ready to hold my baby! i get amazed everytime i feel her move and i can't believe that i grew a little baby inside me and that there really is a baby in there! sleep at this point is pretty much nonexistant. i mostly feel bad for ashton because he gets up early and works so hard all day and he has to sleep with my flopping around in bed all night trying to get comfy with my huge body pillow, but he better get used to it cuz i'm sure it doesn't get any better with a baby! the main complaint i have now it that i can't even remember what it's like to be comfy. even just sitting or laying is uncomfortable, it's almost better to just get up and walk! also my eyes feel permanently tired.. i feel like they are half closed all the time. and last of all, i feel like i look cute when i look in the mirror, but when i see pictures of myself i want to cry i don't even recognize myself! my face looks so fat! but it's all worth it! i am going to post some pics from my baby shower and you will notice that i probably won't have any with me in it cuz that's how bad i looked! haha i am so excited, only 5 weeks left! (maybe less???)

my house

2009-07-25T10:03:00.000-07:00

family room

my cute old kitchen

dining area

extra bathroom

computer/guest room

extra bed

our bedroom

our bed...

i am so so sad today because i am packing up my house. this little old townhouse has so many memories to me and am very sad to be leaving it. we have lived here for almost two years since we have been married. when we were looking for places to rent i walked in and knew this was the one i wanted and we went straight over to put down our deposit. it has been the best first "home" ever. well, i am sad to say that i am moving in with the in-laws. something i said i would never do, but i don't have much of a choice at this point. i am trying to look on the bright side of things because it will allow me to stay home with baby for a litte bit because i won't have to work. and we are going to save up for a down payment on our own house. also, this house has been absolutely perfect the whole time we have lived here until we gave our month notice. then everything started to break and go wrong. our carpet got flooded because the neighbors left a leak when they moved and the property management wouldn't get anyone to come fix it, so a month later the carpet is still wet, growing mold, and is super stinky. next we got a random fruit fly infestation and everyday in our masterbath there are about 15 little fruit flies. we have no clue where they come from, but it bugs. then this morning the balast went out in the kitchen lights. and this neighborhood used to be all old people that were quiet and kept to themselves, but lately the townhomes are getting rented by some.... shall i say..... ghetto individuals haha. these are all rather annoying, but i am greatful they are happening. i think it's the lord's way of letting me know it's ok to leave and i won't be so sad.

i am very greatful that i have a free place to live for a little while. we have the whole basement to ourselves with a huge family room, 2 bedrooms, and one bathroom. and it's very nice. nothing against my in-laws, they are great, but seriously i don't think anyone ever WANTS to live with their in-laws. oh well. these are pictures of my house. i took them about a year ago, but it pretty much still looks the same. i will miss this place so so SO much! :(

23

2009-07-22T07:35:00.000-07:00

I just had to add this... isn't he hideous?!?! and I have to LIVE with this mutant!!! I have a feeling we will not be close friends (he's actually a sweet kitty, I just don't really like him yet)

I just realized this is the only picture I have of myself on my birthday! This is breakfast at the Wagon Wheel

Yesterday was my 23rd bday, and it was a great day! It started out with breakfast at my favorite place ever in Leeds called the Wagon Wheel. 2 eggs, hash browns, and biscuts and gravy all for $2.99. You can't beat that! Sorry Village Inn (not really). Anyway, after that we went to a matinee and saw a very funny movie. Then we had a bbq with my family and had a great time. I love just hanging out with my family, they are great. The most exciting part, I got a video recorder for my birthday. Thanks mom and dad! I can't wait to fill the DVDs with video of my cute little baby! My dad has filmed me and my brothers since we were little, and I'm so glad, watching those videos is the funniest thing ever! I also had a bbq on Monday night with Ashton's family, and that was great as well! Also, today I am having a girls' lunch with all the girls in my family. A tradition that I love!

COOL THINGS I ACCOMPLISHED IN MY 23 YEARS....

-survived high school

-learned tons about life- one of them being that money doesn't make you happy!

-found the coolest guy ever and got married to him in the temple

-survived the first year of marraige, and LOVED it!

-got a college degree

-created life!

-i guess i'll stop there. hopefully more cool things to come!

sophie

2009-07-15T14:43:00.001-07:00

i made this to hang above sophie's (i guess that's her name now and i can't change my mind cuz i already made this!) crib. i quite like it. let's hope it matches.

Changing Table

2009-07-13T14:37:00.000-07:00

before....

oops just threw a pic of the crib in... kinda out of order

changing table after

I got this changing table from Ashton's brother. Oh I love free stuff! I decided I wanted to jazz it up a little, so I (or maybe I should say Ashton) spray painted it green. As I was sitting there bored one day I decided to add a little bit of pink accents to it.... This took way more time than I thought it would. Once I was about halfway done I decided it looked ugly and wanted to stop, but had already put too much time into it so I spent another five hours finishing it. Now that it's done I love it! Good thing I have all the time in the world to waste by doing stuff like this! ;)

Seventh Month

2009-07-08T14:56:00.000-07:00

Well here we are again, another month has gone by! Only two months left! I am getting so big. Literally, I woke up one morning and just had this huge belly. It happened over night. Still every day I wake up it is noticably bigger! I can't imagine how this is going to feel in 2 months. I laugh now when I look back of my 3 4 and 5 month pictures of my "belly". Here's what's been going on the past month....

*So far I've gained almost 30 pounds! Of this I am quite proud.

*I wake up every morning feeling like I just hiked 10 miles. Isn't sleep supposed to be refreshing???

*I would give anything to be able to sleep on my back or stomach. Anywhere but my stinkin side!!

*It's almost time to remove the wedding ring, before it becomes permanantly embedded on my fat finger. I just want people to know that I am married and not just some 14 year old pregnant girl.

*My feet and hands get puffy if I stand for too long.

*I have a WHOLE dresser full of cute baby girl clothes that I can't wait to put on her! I might have a little baby clothes shopping addiction :S

*My brain wants to eat a lot, but my stomach won't fit it all. I found this out after almost keeping up with Ashton at a buffet in Vegas.

*I can no longer bend over to shave my legs in the shower or put on my shoes.

*Baby wakes me up kicking all the time and I can feel her flop around all day... and i LOVE it!

*I only have three outfits that I still fit in to, but I am too cheap to buy any more. Buying adult clothes is no longer fun to me! I'd rather buy baby stuff!

*I bought my first maternity item. I had to buy a pair of pants. I am pretty proud that I went up until the 8th month in all my regular clothes!

Ok I could go on for hours and if it sounds like I am complaining I am not! I am still so thankful that this has seriously been the easiest pregnancy ever! I am so happy that I get to be this little girl's mommy and even though she wasn't "planned" I wouldn't change it for anything! I feel so blessed to be pregnant right now and can't wait to meet her!

Camping With The Family

2009-06-29T07:15:00.001-07:00

everyone but dad grandpa doonie and ashton

the crate the cat spent the majority of her time in

ya embarrassing i know. but i had to take the cat out to pee

Ashton playing

is this hike over yet?!?!

me dad and grandma

getting ready to start the hike

hangin at the camp

ashton on cat duty. and not being very happy about it. what a good sport though :)

poor kitty

my favorite picture i took all weekend. grandpa and seth

the belly! 29 weeks

This weekend was so so fun. We went camping with my family at Tropic Reservior. It turned out to be an interesting trip for a couple reasons. One, I think I might be getting too fat to drag my belly so far out into the hills. This makes me sad it's hard for me to slow down and not be able to do everything I am used to! And second we had a stowaway join us on the camping trip. Pooshkie my cat!! We have a tent trailer and it was all folded down and ready to go, but they left the little side door open to throw a few more things in and I guess the cat must have jumped in there while they weren't looking. They shut the door and four hours later when we arrived at the campsight and opened the door she hopped out! I don't know how she surived the drive there is no ventilation in there and it's really hot! It was so funny at first we laughed for about ten minutes until we realized.... what the heck are we going to do with this stupid cat for the next two days???? If we set her down she would run away, but we didn't have anything to tie her up with and didn't want to leave her in the trailer because she would pee in there. We did manage to rig a few things up for her, but she spent the majority of her time in a one foot by one foot crate. Sad, :( but there wasn't anything else we could do! stupid cat!

What A CrAzY Day!!!

2009-06-21T08:34:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was such a fun day! All of my friends were here from out of town so a couple weeks ago we all planned to get together and have breakfast. Or so I thought. We always try to do something when we are all in town so I didn't think anything of it, but when I arrived at Cori's house for our "breakfast" SURPRISE it was a baby shower for me! I was so tired that morning I was almost considering showing up in my pjs with no makeup and wet hair. Yikes that would have been bad! I was so confused and feel a little dumb that I never figured it out haha. Ashton and my friends are good secret keepers :) It was tons of fun and I got tons of good stuff that little Sophie will love! Thanks so much to my friends for planning this for me and thanks to everyone that came! I can't wait until my friends get pregnant so we can have more baby showers ;) They are just that fun.

Also it was my high school five year reunion. It sounded like a good idea at the time when I said that I would go to it, but when it really came down to that night I did not want to go! Call me antisocial. But I did end up going because I did not want to regret it later. It was fun and the food was good. I didn't really talk to anyone except my friends I already talk to anyway, but it was cool to see everyone! Anyway, it was just a crazy day knowing that my baby is coming soon and that high school was so long ago. We are all growing up! Here are some pictures of my baby shower.

28 wks

2009-06-18T11:25:00.001-07:00

i signed up to get these emails every week. it's fun to see how baby is growing and what she's doing this week!

How your baby's growing:By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

6 months

2009-06-10T15:44:00.000-07:00

SOMEONE'S GETTING FAT!!!

i am so excited that i am at the end of the sixth month. do you know what this means?!?!? i am in the third and final trimester! yay! i can't wait to meet this little baby and 3 months seems so far away and also so little time when it's the end of my life as i know it! we are thinking sophie lyn dodge for her name, but no guarantees until it's written on the birth certificate cuz we all know how i like to change my mind. i like it because sophie means wisdom and i hope she'll have a lot of that! we are having tons of fun buying and painting stuff for the nursery, and most fun of all buying little girl clothes. this girl will be spoiled! here is my 27 week pic.

blondish

2009-06-03T08:51:00.000-07:00

so i have never felt so stupid in my life. long story, but i got a scholarship and financial aid from the government for the 2008-2009 school year, but i graduated in december with my bachelors so i was done with school. i had signed up for classes the next semester just because i hadn't found a job yet and school would have been free, but about a week after classes started i got a job so i dropped the classes. i few days later i got a scholarship refund check in the mail that i just well.... tossed in the trash because they always say you don't get your extra money of you don't take classes. i also threw away my dixie one credit card because i'm done with school i didn't think i needed any of that stuff anymore! so a few days ago (which is 6 months after i got the check i threw away) i get this email that says our records show you never cashed your refund check of $730. so now i get to go around the college talking to everyone trying to figure how the heck i can get my money now and i have to feel like an idiot everytime when i tell them i threw the check away and then they proceed to tell me how dumb i am. but i don't care. just give me my freakin $730 and leave me alone. $730 is like $7.3 million when you are in my position. moral of story. never throw a check away.

the last one

2009-05-29T13:05:00.001-07:00

here is my 24 week belly- it has taken off on a growth spurt at last

this is the last post about baby bedding i promise! but living up to true nikell style i chose one that wasn't even in my final three. so here it is. it's ordered and on it's way! thanks for all the advice!
http://www.target.com/Bananafish-Crib-Set-Garden-Party/dp/B001MEZN8C/qid=1243627623/ref=br_1_14/185-3027803-1968827?ie=UTF8&node=13882251&frombrowse=1&pricerange=&index=tgt-mf-mv&field-browse=13882251&rank=pmrank&rh=&page=4

help an indecisive girl out!

2009-05-26T17:06:00.000-07:00

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/images/B001NCELEA/sr=1-200/qid=1243383288/ref=dp_image_text_z_0?ie=UTF8&n=165796011&s=baby-products&qid=1243383288&sr=1-200

those of you that know me know that i will never make a permanent decision. i take forever to decide on things and then usually just change my mind anyways. it's annoying. well back to the crib set thing. i love the pink and green one pictured on the last post, but i saw some reviews that other crib sets from that company were not of very good quality. so here's the spill

the pink and green set on the last post- 9 pieces for 149$, but may not be very good quality

the yellow and melon set (pictured above)- 6 pieces for 146$, reviews say it's great quality(but i still might like the pink and green one better)

and the pink black and yellow one is my favorite (the link at the top)- 4 pieces for 120$, but the crib i have is brown and i don't know if the black would go with it!

i need to order this crib set soon so i can start putting things together. help me decide :)

baby stuff

2009-05-17T19:55:00.000-07:00

so i think this is the baby bedding i want. i love hot pink and lime green!!!! i can't wait to put the nursery together!!!!

5 months

2009-05-07T15:12:00.000-07:00

here is my 22 week belly. and yes i'm feeling fat. it's only gonna get worse. but i'm loving it

Ashton's Birthday and Supercross

2009-05-03T20:23:00.001-07:00

happy birthday ashton! this year for ashton's birthday we went to las vegas for the supercross. eric and andy came with us. it was really fun. we spent the night at a hotel, then came home on sunday and had a birthday bbq for ashton. it was a really fun weekend and i'm sad it's over. thanks to all who came to the bbq!

pictures

2009-04-30T18:46:00.000-07:00

hand waving to mommy and daddy

face

spine

4D profile

nose and lips

her little bum. it's a girl!

here are some pictures of my cute girl. does anyone else find that ultrasound pictures look somewhat creepy???

big news

2009-04-27T18:07:00.000-07:00

It's a GIRL!!!!!!!! i seriously could not be more shocked. I just "knew" it was a boy! that's how i pictured it the entire time!!! don't get me wrong i'm not disappointed in any way, i just have to change how i pictured everything. i saw her today on the ultrasound she is so cute. i think she will look just like her mommy. this will be the first grandaughter out of 6 on the dodge side, and girls are scarce on the wittwer side too so this is very exciting. i am so excited to go buy cute girl clothes and make flower bows for her. SO SO SO HAPPY is how i feel. the end

HALFWAY

2009-04-23T15:25:00.000-07:00

yay i am halfway done! i officially reached 20 weeks today. now i can be on the downhill! although the "uphill" has seemed to take forever! and ps this belly literally appeared overnight!

this is getting REALLY old!

2009-04-14T21:14:00.000-07:00

ok. so as a lot of you know, i apparantly look like i'm 15. i'm almost 23. LITERALLY at least once a day i have someone ask how old i am and when i tell them they laugh and say i thought you were about 15! do people not realize that that is rude? that would be like me telling someone they are fat. sometimes there are things you just don't say. what's even worse is when people just innocently assume that you are 15. like today at the dentist (i had to get a pyogenic granuloma/pregnancy tumor lazered and cauterized from my gums which SUCKED) the receptionist hands ashton a parental guardian form to sign for me. ummm no this is my husband not my dad and i'm 22 i can sign it myself thanks. also trying to play any "games" in vegas is out of the question. i once had a guy look and my ID and then take it to his manager to make sure it wasn't fake. in the end he wouldn't even let me play the game. i am not sure what i can do to fix this. i have tried a darker hair color, shorter hair, and more makeup. nothing works. my next move is to get rid of all my teenage hollister and aeropostal shirts and wear only "grown up clothes" so i guess what this blog is all about it any advice on what to do to make myself look older. and please don't say i should be greatful to look young or someday i will appreciate it :) i have heard those all before. wow this blog looks like the rantings of a grouchy pregnant lady! right on

4 months...

2009-03-29T11:06:00.000-07:00

i can't believe i'm about to enter the fifth month! this pregnancy is going by so slow and so fast at the same time. i still feel AWESOME. i keep waiting to get sick or something, but so far so good. probably the most exciting thing that happened during the fourth month is that i can feel my baby in there poking me now. i love it! the first time i felt it i was laying in bed about to go to sleep and i was pretty grouchy for a number of reasons and then i thought i felt a little poke, but thought it just might be gas, but then i kept feeling it in the same spot over and over and it instantly cheered me up. now i can feel it every night, but only if i lay on my back :) now we can find out what it is next month and i can't wait to find out!

Ashton's Skills

2009-03-17T15:08:00.000-07:00

After knowing Ashton for over five years you would think I would know everything about him! But I found out something new! He can ride a BMX bike. He always told me he could, but I've never seen him in action. Now all we need is a little kid to come out and ride bikes and play with us. We love to play!

end of the first trimester!

2009-03-04T17:13:00.000-08:00

this is me being pregnant!

it actually appeared

month three

woo hoo i have officially made it through the first trimester! i'm not going to lie, if the start of every pregnancy is this easy i'll have twelve kids! but i doubt i could be that lucky. no seriously though i don't think i got lucky i think i really am blessed that it's been so easy on me. i think that somebody up there knows that i wouldn't be able to handle it :) i haven't been sick at all. i just get a lot of headaches, i always have a stuffy nose- even when i don't have a cold, and i can get grouchy, just ask ashton! but other than that it has been amazing so far! i am also starting to feel really fat! i get self consious around all the little kids i work with because i am not sure if they will understand that i am pregnant, not just eating too much! anyways here are my three month pics. enjoy

ANNOUNCEMENT TIME

2009-02-23T13:26:00.000-08:00

oh ashton's gonna be a daddy

and 1.... and 2.... and 3

two months- still no belly yet

1 month- no belly :)

finding out if there really is a baby in there or not

yup! meet baby dodge! nine weeks (at the time of this pic) and an inch long

now i truly believe in love at first site :) isn't it precious?

I figure now that I am officially 3 months along (12 weeks) it's safe to announce that Ashton and I are going to have a baby!! We weren't trying and it was a huge shocker but we are super SUPER excited. I had to take three pregnancy tests before I'd actually believe it. Our little bambino is due on September 10, 2009, but we are gonna shoot for the day before because I think 09/09/09 would be an awesome birthday :) so here are some belly and baby pictures. I am ninety five percent sure it's a boy because Dodges and Wittwers only produce boys. But everyone else seems to think it's a girl! time will tell and I'll be happy either way!

It Finally Arrived

2009-02-17T17:04:00.000-08:00

I got my diploma in the mail today. I was pretty excited. And lo and behold here is what five years of hard work and dedication got me. Now I just need to make some money with it. Somehow :)

Twilight

2009-02-11T19:16:00.000-08:00

This is me playing Bella's Lullaby that Edward plays in Twilight. I can't play it perfect, but it's still a pretty song!

Questions

2009-02-06T10:40:00.000-08:00

WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? nope i think i'm the only one with my first and last name in the entire world. really.
WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? yesterday
DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? yeah i actually miss writing. it seems like with a computer you never have to actually write now.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? turkey
DO YOU HAVE KIDS? Not yet!
IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? i don't know i am not sure how other people percieve me. but i like me!
DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? nope!
DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? yeah i was supposed to get them out a year ago cuz i get a sore throat once a month. actually i currently have a sore throat. i just don't really want to get them out :(
WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? that's a big fat NO
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? cinnamon toast crunch
DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? no
DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? no i wish i was i'm so wimpy
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? mint chocolate chip
WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? probably teeth
RED OR PINK?both!
WHAT IS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? the fact that i'm 22 and still look 12. literally i get at least two comments about it a day. shut up already obviously i already know!!!!!!
WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? my high school girls and bio people!
DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? sure!
WHAT COLOR SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? pink and brown
WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? cookie dough from ashton's mom!
WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? country
IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? white so everyone would leave me alone and i could just chill in my box all day and not get used!! :)
FAVORITE SMELLS? new houses and fresh paint. and the linen closet at village inn i would just go back there and open it just to smell it and stand in there for a while. i can't even explain the amazingness of the smell.
WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? ashton
DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? yes lauren i love you!!
FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? only tennnis cuz it's the only one i really know all the rules to
HAIR COLOR? blonde
EYE COLOR? green and half green half brown.
DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? no i was blessed with amazing vision!
FAVORITE FOOD? cream cheese chicken crossaints with chicken gravy
SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS defintely happy ending
LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? the last one i stayed awake for was mall cop
WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? brown
SUMMER OR WINTER? ~ Summer! oh my goodness summer. i cannot wait for it to be HOT again
HUGS OR KISSES? kisses. i wish ashton felt the same! ;)
FAVORITE DESSERT? a never on sunday from pf
WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? why beautiful people have more daughters. i know it sounds wierd but it's an evolutionary biology book that actually is really interesting about why we act the way we act.
WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? don't have a mousepad.
WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? HOUSE BABY!
FAVORITE SOUNDS? crickets through an open window on a summer night and coyotes howling at bear valley
ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? neither
WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? puerto vallarta mexico or hawaii. not sure which is closer.
DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? i can play the piano and i wish i could play it better. i also like to think i'm a great learner. i hardly studied through college.
WHERE WERE YOU BORN? santa clara born and raised!

Oh What Fun...

2009-01-22T09:26:00.000-08:00

right now i am really really missing summer. so to make myself feel better about the winter i thought i'd do a post about one of my favorite parts of winter. sledding! everyone that knows me knows that i am a sissy and don't usually like to participate in activities that could result in injury. but not when it comes to sledding! the faster and longer the hill the better! bring it on. here are some pictures of us sledding in enterprise and parowan. and, as always, the hills are WAY steeper than they appear

One Year Ago...

2009-01-08T11:37:00.000-08:00

I know it's a little past my anniversary, but I just wanted to share the pictures of the best day of my life, one year ago!

Anniversary/New Year

2009-01-02T08:46:00.000-08:00

great way to start a new year!!

happy 2009!!!!

new year's eve!

i made these pipes sing!

me playing the organ at the tabernacle

in logan. too cold!

our anniversary dinner!

This year for our anniversary we didn't really have the big bucks to do some big amazing trip. So we just ended up going to Salt Lake and playing around. It was so cold. I'm thinking next anniversary maybe somewhere warmer? Mexico? Anyway, it was a great anniversary and I still love Ashton SO SO much :) We spent New Year's in Logan because Eric had a concert up there. It was pretty fun! 2008 was a great year for me. First of all, I got to spend the whole year married to Ashton! and second I finally got my degree! Hopefully 2009 can be just as productive.

Christmas

2008-12-26T13:55:00.000-08:00

Hi, we hope all of you had a Merry Christmas! Ours was great, but interesting. It was our first year trying to figure out how to fit in both families! But it turned out great and we were able to spend time with both sides of the family. We spent Christmas Eve with the Wittwers. That is probably my favorite event of the whole year I love it! Then we woke up at six am to go open our presents from each other. Then we needed to be to my mom and dad's at seven. We got all of our presents loaded into Ashton's truck and were all buckled in ready to go when we noticed that the truck was a little.... crooked. We got out to see what was wrong and the tire was completely flat! Merry Christmas to us. We joked that Ashton must have been really bad this year so Santa slashed his tire :) After opening presents at my parent's we went over to Ashton's parents to see them and open presents. After that we went home because Ashton wasn't feeling well and he was so sick he had to stay in bed ALL day. I had to leave him for a few hours to go eat dinner with my mom's side of the family. That was fun too. I felt so bad for Ashton. He is still really sick and I've never seen him this bad so I hope he gets feeling better! Altogether it was still a good Christmas!

DONE!!

2008-12-19T12:27:00.000-08:00

This is what very excited geeky biology dixie state graduate looks like!

HOORAY

THE WORLD... as I see it

my baby is going to be 2!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy Easter from my favorite person everrrr!!!!!

worry wart

a new post!

Happy Halloween!

My baby is 1!!!

11 months

10 months

hiking

colors

9 months

Ashton - 30 years

8 months

The Children's Place

Done

**SIIGHHH** that's my big sigh of relief

7 months

:) Happy Happy :)

Equinox

Pictures

my musical baby

Decisions... decisions...

6 months

Crafts

Weekend Adventures

i love sophie lots

food

5 Months

thank you note

dumb, but TRUE song

babies

st george

Intro To Solids

education vs. experience

4 months

yay

2 great years

christmas

photography blog

one crazy year

vote for sophie!!

vegas

sweet dreams

you know you're a mom when....

private

Dodge Family Pics

thankfulness

unfortunately, fortunately

changin

sophie's blessing day

halloween

frustrated

tutu

dad/grandpa's birthday party!

my baby is one month old today!

my little sophie angel :)

sophie's first week

she's here!!!!!

even more maternity pictures!

why am i still pregnant!!!?

renter's rampage

waiting

mind purge

37 wks

2+

update

Recap

Lots of Stuff

8 months

my house

23

sophie

Changing Table

Seventh Month

Camping With The Family

What A CrAzY Day!!!

28 wks

6 months

blondish

SIIGHHH that's my big sigh of relief