Birthday Suprise!

So it's that special time of year. Yes, the time of Christmas and gift giving, time of cold weather and drinking yummy hot coco, and a time to spend quality time with the ones you love, and YES, Nathan's birthday too! Nathan is so blessed to have his birthday three days after Christmas. So he is used to the low-key birthday celebration after the much waited Christmas. He is so easy to be pleased, doesn't expect a lot and grateful for any gifts or gestures. His parents were kind enough to give him his own power drill set, and saw set too. He was super excited. Well, I too had well planned gift of a cute outfit I picked out from J. Crew and a book. However, I had another surprise.... even to my surprise. I found out that morning, before Nathan awoke that I was very indeed.....

I won't lie, I did not know quite what I thought when I read that I was pregnant. We had decided to start trying a few months ago, and at first I was scared, then excited to get pregnant. Then when I realized it wasn't just an easy one-time shot, your pregnant, that the experts say to give yourself at least a year. It kind of got discouraging, trying for a three months, after five pregnancy tests, it could be a let down and worrisome, me being the hypochondriac that I am was fearful I might have some infertility problems, which is very common I feel these days. So at this point, I decided not to worry about it and plan to not get pregnant for a year, and really start getting in shape with the new year, as well as plan a fun foreign trip in the summer :)

So when I read the verdict, I was excited but felt overwhelmed, due to knowing that no going back to the way things were, ready to take on this venture and preparing to becoming a parent. Also, I already had gained weight since my wedding, so I was bummed this wasn't the ideal time to diet and that I was just going to get bigger. However it is funny too, because we prayed and fasted the first Sunday in December to be accepting of when the time would be right to have a baby. And actually the timing worked out perfect, I will be about 6 months by time school and work is out, so for the last trimester, when I am the biggest, I could take it easy and be ready to have a baby in September.  So it's amazing when we just put our trust in the lord and allow him to take the reigns.

Okay so enough about me, remember it was Nathan's birthday. Needless to say it was a fun surprise. Nathan was so excited, he wanted to start getting pregnant before I did, he can't wait to be a dad, he really does love kids. So it started out as a great birthday and it was only 8AM EST. We were too excited, and were debating how to tell the family, so I went downstairs and Loni noticed me sporting the pregnancy test in my back pocket (there was a fancy lid, I know that sounds gross). So she asked what it was, and read it and I think was more excited for us than we were, kind of like me getting married all over again. Since we were in Ohio, Loni was sweet enough to adapt her family birthday celebration by making him his favorite breakfast. So she made blueberry pancakes with her yummy buttermilk syrup.

We also honored Nathan on his special day by doing what he wanted to do, so him, Loni and I took the day to go into the city of Cleveland and do a little shopping, we found a killer dollar store in the downtown mall, and bought a couple of much needed household items. We then drove around Lake Erie, on their Lake View Drive road or something like that and looked at all the cute and quaint homes. We then went to a bike shop, that obviously Loni and Nathan were excited about, got a few supplies, exciting... then went home to say hi to the children for a second, then went to dinner for sushi at Crocker Park.

 
This is where we dropped our bomb of an announcement to my dad and Todd, LeNae and Lana. We gave my a dad a little baby bib. He was still quite quiet (surprised, surprised) after he opened it, it was like data overload, still trying to process it, and sweet Todd was a lot more expressive in his enthusiasm and exclaimed with joy, like "What?" "Really" "That is so cool" and Loni so poignantly says, "Dad, I think they were looking for more of that reaction" He defended himself nicely saying he felt that same way, if not more enthusiasm, but just never has been good to show it.

So there you have it, a fun filled birthday!

Happy Birthday Nathan.

My sweet husband is turning 23 today. He has been such a joy to be married to and to be a big part of my life. I feel so lucky to be blessed to share my life with such a wonderful, gentle and kind man.

Nathan is so endearing in the fact that he doesn't really make a big deal about birthdays, and expects very little and so grateful for what gifts he is given. However, on the ironic side, he loves to give gifts to others and really look out for them on their special day. That explains Nathan a lot. He such a giver, loves to offer and give things to people as often as he can, sometimes, when he doesn't have it for himself. His parents always tell me the was the giver in the family, so they always try to generously give back in little ways. When Nathan and I were first engaged, Nathan's mom came over to see my house, and she said that the same couch that I had just purchased at RC Willey. She had looked at with Nathan and said she really liked and thought about buying it, but hesitated in need of saving her money, she said Nathan so sincerely and seriously offered to just buy it for her right then and there.

  He is also very service oriented. He loves to serve and help others. He is also so sweet to get me a glass of ice water before we go to bed, and helps so much with the household chores, more than me, sorry to say.

 He also loves to work hard and be physical. He loves to create and invent things and even do a touch of decor, part of the beginning of our relationship was in putting our house together, that is still one thing he really likes to do. He loves to sketch plans for the landscaping and different ideas of how to do the curtains, he is deteremined for us not to buy a roman shades for the kitchen door, and insist he will make it. He is very frugal, and doesn't get caught up in the things that have no value or worth. He is picky about his things, and wants the best quality and research it out before buying it. 

 He also loves to be social, especially when he feels comfortable, usually in a smaller crowd and will reach out to quieter folks, especially at church, I love his heart of compassion.

He also loves to try new things and has a very adventurous spirit. If you are familiar with the color code, is like purely yellow. Just a hoot and always a busy body (as you can tell from these pictures). He has been a wonderful husband, that has handled sometimes my demanding ways and high expectations very well. He also shows his love openly with affectionate and service. He is so cute, he always likes to dance, so he'll grab me and a dance with me in the kitchen and sing to a romantic song, like Moon River or something. He is a gem, what can I say, He's a catch!

I love you. Hope you had a wonderful birthday, and look forward to many more to come together.

White Christmas

 Freezing in Ohio

 "Fun Farm?"

 Onieliey Clan

 Kissing cowboy style

 Looks like a Christmas Card Picture, huh?

 Boys working hard in the Toy Shop

 Spending quality time with my dear sister

 The favorite aunt Nae, I think Roger wanted her to be his new girlfriend, he was obsessed with her.

 "Dad is great, he takes us to Target!"

 The boys.

 The Nativity Stars

 Hanging with James and Stephanie Woolf

 How can you not love them?

Looks like it's time to actually get ready for the day.

When living on the east coast. I was able to enjoy a little bit more of the White Christmas's I was deprived as a child. However on Christmas day, I always made my way back to the desert to celebrate Christmas with my family. This year, Loni and Todd were so nice to invite us out for Christmas and paid for one of our tickets. Making it more affordable, and Nathan and getting time off, it just worked out for us to come out. Nathan's family on his mom's side had their traditional Jones Pajamas Christmas Party on December 20th, we had a fun festive breakfast at night, and a very active white elephant exchange with cousins battling out for some army men. We then headed out for Cleveland the following night for our Christmas venture with my sister. We arrived and while waiting at the airport, Loni called and said that on their drive to pick me up the boys asked if I would have kids with me. And she said" Well no" and then cute little 3 year old William said, "I hope she at least has a baby" and then she said, "Just so you know my kids have expectation with your visit" We laughed and I love how kids don't miss a beat, I think on my wedding day, my 5 year old niece if I was then going to have a baby. These kids are well trained! So we arrived and just settled in playing with her four boys, they really loved Nathan, full of energy and loves interacting with them. We just helped with going grocery shopping and prepared for my dad and two younger sisters to come in two days. We also got the privedledge of going to Farmland, a little kids seasonal outside recreational center to see animals, Santa and build a toy in Santa's work shop. It was sooooo cold outside! So glad we live in Vegas. We had fun helping the kids and participating. It worked out great with us tagging along, it was now mano y mano. Nathan and I were to get away one night to go and see a local production of "Joseph the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat" one of my favorite broadway shows. Then the rest of my family came. My dad spoiled the boys by going to target and letting them pick out a bunch of toys for Christmas. We then had a very nice Christmas Eve night, read the arrowhead story, dressed up for the Nativity, sad to say I was not Mary. However after the program, I was so tired, that we just simply went to bed and didn't stay up with the family tradition of watching "Support Your Local Sheriff." Then we work up bright and early, like 8 AM. The boys were up and it was fun to see them open up their presents. We got some great presents from Loni, and my dad, and from each other. We then lounged and headed over to Kirtland to see the Nativity. Where one of the sister missionaries, Nathan knew from High School she was good friends with his cousin Travis. Nathan and I then parted ways and went and visited my good friend Stephanie Rice Woolf, and her husband James. We hadn't seen each other in like 3 years, it was natural in catching up, we had a good time and we ate some of her yummy mexican food :) We then returned to Loni to eat some yummy fondue. We were there for a total of a week, so the rest of our time we spent one morning going sledding with the boys, and we had soooo much fun. I can't remember the last time I had done that. We also went to Crocker Park, the fun outdoor shopping mall to eat at the yummy Brio. It was a great way to celebrate the festive season, with snow and family.

Little Robert's Baptism

 Little Robert and everyone's favorite Aunt Nae

 Nathan and Emma rockin out on the piano, she is quite fond of her cute uncle Nathan

Ho, Ho, Ho, Merry Christmas, with Santa and his Mrs., this could be a blackmail picture....

Darling Family colored coordinated

 Fun Family full of characters

Happy 33rd Birthday Old Man.

My older brother Robert Walter Lichfield's, oldest son, Robert Lawerence Lichfield was going to finally be baptized. Due to a small battle of if and possibly where, it took place in my hometown of LaVerkin, and the Toquerville 2nd ward. It was on Dec. 18, 2011. The day after school/work was out for Christmas break, whew! And a time to celebrate Christmas with my family, since we were heading to Ohio. So my younger brother Reagan performed the baptism. And it was a rather large family crowd because his parents are divorced and both remarried, so he now has two moms and two dads.  Then both of his parents parents are divorce so he had double of grandparents, it was quite interesting. The cool part was after the baptism, we had a little shin dig at my mom's and everyone got along very congenial. It was really cool to see how exes just make it work :) We then had fun with a little family Christmas Party where we had white elephant gifts we bought at the local dollar store, and celebrated Roger's 33 birthday. Wow, we are getting old.

Marie Belen Gubler

Nathan's oldest brother Johnny and his wife Megan, just gave birth to a beautiful little girl. Marie Belen Gubler. She is there first and the first grandchild in the Jon and Lisa Gubler family. Needless to say we are quite excited.  She is beautiful, especially with her thick red hair. Nathan as you can see was so thrilled to be a first time uncle :)