A little hike and now some pain...

http://www.kellytools.com/lakepointe/lake.htm

I/We have been kind of bad about going to the gym lately. I know I need to be going more, and I know how much it will help me when it comes time to delivering this baby, but even cleaning the house is so exhausting these days. I like to bake and take naps, and while those things keep me happy, I am not going to pretend that eating cookies and laying around the house are helping me any. So, when I casually suggested to Nick that we head out to Eagle Mountain Park and take a little hike, he jumped at the opportunity. It has turned into a rare thing for me to suggest a walk/hike or a trip to the gym, so I think he was excited. We actually only hiked about a mile and a half, but that mile and a half completely kicked my tush! I already feel sore, and I can't believe how hard our outing was on my body! The biggest surprise with being pregnant is how hard all the things I have always been able to do so easily have become. Vacuuming requires a thirty minute rest. Cleaning the bathroom takes twice as long. Emptying the dishwasher has me winded. It is unbelieveable! In fact, I can't believe that I am up right now. I am tired from today. Very tired. So, on that note, I wish everyone sweet dreams!  

New Furniture and Other News...

When we moved into this house we Nick and I made the best of the furniture and other decorations we had (and didn't have) between the two of us. Earlier this year, we traded our squeaky queen bed for a gorgeous platform King size bed. Now, as we prepare for the new person to join us in a few months, we decided it was time to trade in our couch and chairs for something nicer and cleaner and more modern. So, a few weeks ago, we did just that! We now have a real house with real furniture in it! This is just another check mark on the long list of ways I have grown up in the last year and a half since getting married and moving to this place. Here are some pictures for your enjoyment!

 Here is our new couch. It is sitting against the picture wall, and our only issue right now is getting Joey to stay off of it when we aren't around. She loves it, and she misses the chair we used to let her sit on. I think Nick is going to go crazy trying to get her to stay off of the couch. I don't know who I feel more sorry for, Nick or Joey!

This is the cocktail table that we chose. The table that actually went with this set was a glass table, but we had to swap it out! I can't imagine having a glass table with little fingers around. Besides, I really love this table.

This is our new lamp, and I love it too. It gives off great light, and I love the shape!

This might be my favorite thing we have. This chair is SO comfy, and I cannot wait to snuggle a little on this chair. Nick calls it his "Dad Chair" but he is nice enough to share with me.

This is the love seat which sits right across from the couch. Our ottoman fits in front of it nicely, and it is nice to curl up on and watch a movie together.

This is the end table that went with the set. I love this table, and the cocktail table was similar to this. I can handle the end table being glass, and I am glad we kept it.

The only thing not in the living room yet is this TV console. We went to a furniture store that offered a deal--buy the living room set and get a new TV! So, we should get the new TV sometime this week, and then we will make the big switch. I will post pictures then too.

In other news...we are taking a trip to Colorado in ten days! Just a quick weekend one, but I am so excited to go to Denver and see everyone! I can hardly wait! So, to all my Denver peeps, SEE YOU SOON!

Book #26



Picture from http://www.hungergamestrilogy.net/2010/09/mockingjay-quiz/





Mockingjay

By: Suzanne Collins

I promise that this contains no spoilers. I am not even going to discuss the plot. I actually just need to write out my feelings about this book.

I finished it less than two days after it was released in August, but it has taken me this long to write about it for a reason. For those of you who have read The Hunger Games and Catching Fire and have fallen in love with the characters in these stories like I have, just beware! Please understand that this trilogy is brilliant. The plot will snag you and keep you on your toes. The characters are very real and very believable. The story cannot end well for anyone involved. The reader, the author, Katniss, Peeta, Prim, Finnick...no one. The world that Collins created is too corrupt. It is too evil to be able to completely wipe out evil, and it makes me sad. Probably because it is too much like the world we live in. We can get rid of those who revel in the power they crave, but there will always be someone else to take their place and introduce another kind of evil. I will never say NOT to read this book. I loved the others too much, and you MUST finish this story. I will say, proceed with caution. I couldn't talk about this book for days after reading it, and I still feel pangs of depression and regret as I think about all the things that happened.

Book #25

      Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

By: J.K. Rowling

I know! You are shocked that I am writing about this book, right? Well, let me clear things up for you. This is not my first read of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. This is actually only the second time I have read it, but I wanted to read it again before the first part of the movie comes out in November. Once again, I am in awe of the story that Rowling has so brilliantly told. There is nothing disappointing about this story. Don't get me wrong, there are things which shock the senses and send ones mind reeling! Just when you think you know a character, it turns out, you don't! I cannot help but smile and sigh and even cry at all the same parts. This is a story--a series--which will neve get old! Harry, Ron, Hermione, Dumbledore and everyone, EVERYONE, else will remain as real to me as my own family. Too much? Okay, I do understand that this is a book--a story, a made-up thing--but I can't help it! When the characters are so wonderful, so believable despite being completely fictional, I just can't help myself. I still wish that Hogwarts was a real place, and that somehow I was overlooked as a powerful and clever witch. Believe or not believe, think it is evil (but ONLY if you have read the books), but I promise you that there is good and hope in all of these books. I will never tire of these stories, and I will read them to my children! 

Back to the Hustle...and a little sad

www.desicomments.com/sad/sad-little-girl/

I haven't posted about this yet, but I don't know why! I have time on my hands again because my long term sub job ended early...very early! I was booked to work through Thanksgiving, but when we landed in Colorado the Thursday before Labor Day, I received a phone call from the teacher I was subbing for to let me know that she would be back on the following Tuesday. Great for her! I am glad her recovery is going so well. Not so great for me. Now I am back to hustling jobs on a day to day basis. This is NOT my favorite, and the jobs have been well...nothing. I haven't worked since we got home--not for lack of trying. I do have some jobs scheduled, but they are few and far between. Just frustrated, but trying not to question it too much.

Powderhorn 2010

For those of you who don't know, the Mahan Family has a tradition that takes place over the Labor Day Weekend. For many, many years we have left the world behind us and headed to Powderhorn (located on the Grand Mesa) to just enjoy one another's company. It is probably the best weekend of the entire year! It is better than Christmas! We relax, we eat, we play games, we hike. This year was no exception. Everyone was able to make it, even the Nashville folk which now includes my niece, Miki Jo! What better way to share the weekend than with pictures!

Here is our darling niece sitting in her Uncle Nick's arms. I loved watching him play with her. He is very smitten with this little girl, and it makes me so very excited to watch him with our's. He is going to be a truly amazing daddy...no matter what he seems to think!

Uncle Adam and Aunt Kara met Michaela for the first time, and I think they were pretty smitten with her baby charm as well. Kara got some hands-on training. Stef let her change diapers and everything.  

Lisa brought her boyfriend, Alejandro, with her. We were excited to meet him finally, and Nick was excited to not be the new guy anymore! In all seriousness though, we really liked him, and were glad that he was able to join us for this weekend. I know we are an intimidating group, but I think he managed quite well.

We went shooting. We played at the lake. We laughed a lot. We took a ton of pictures. We let Eric turn everything we did into a competition. :-) He's good at that.

We made the usual trip up to the top of the Mesa, and FROZE in the frigid wind. If you stuck your head over the barrier wall, the wind would blow your hair straight up. Holly and Eric are seen here modeling that look for us, but we all had to do it.

On Monday we were able to go have lunch at Carino's in Grand Junction with Christopher! He was in town for his sister's reception, and it was so great to see him! We are all so glad that he loves New York so much, but we do miss him terribly!

Finally, Mom purchased this for us. We were able to announce to the family over our weekend that we are going to have a girl! I'm still in shock, and it doesn't feel quite real, but she is coming. In fact, she will be here in about 20 weeks. Yikes! We are about half-way through this pregnancy, and I can hardly believe it!

I am working...

No, that is not a fluke title. I really am working right now. I have a long-term sub job that will (hopefully) keep me working and busy until Thanksgiving. That is what I have been hired for, anyway. The teacher for whom I am covering is recovering from a very severe accident she had over Spring Break last year. She is itching to get back and gain more control over her life. So, updates have been few and far between, but I am still here. Still ticking, and now working! Yea! It is exhausting, but I am happy to be here.