Seeing Blue

I am 21 weeks pregnant now and we are having some exciting things happen. I still get sick quite frequently, but can sometimes manage it with Zofran, but I get a headache when I take Zofran, so I have to decide if I want to be nauseated or have a headache. I am more than half done with this pregnancy. I feel the baby move a lot now, which to me is pretty exciting. I went to my 20 week sonogram yesterday and it is always fun and reassuring to see the baby.  Below are some pictures of the ultrasound.

On The Left You Can See Two Little Feet

                                          This is the baby's profile.

We are going to have some exciting changes in our family because this time we are having a BOY!!! This is a picture of the two legs and confirmation that we have "boy parts." Click on a link to listen to the baby's theme song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLBZLjLBMKs

We decided that we are going to name this little brother Carson Kent Ralphs. Darin brought the name up a month or so ago and I started thinking about it and thought that it would be a perfect tribute to my two favorite men. My dad's name is Carl Harrison, so we take the first three letters of his first name and the last three letters of his middle name and make Carson. Kent is Darin's middle name and we decided 8 years ago when I was pregnant with Abigail that if we ever had a boy his middle name would be Kent. So, it is decided and I feel pretty good about the name. I have another sonogram scheduled in a few weeks because Mr. Carson was not cooperating with the sonogram tech and she was unable to get some of the measurements that she needed. He kept moving and showing his bum off and was not interested in letting her measure anything else.

Garage Band

Darin cleaned his garage out and as soon as the girls found out that it was clean they decided to set up a garage band. Elizabeth played the guitar, Emily was on the laundry-basket drum-set and Abigail was the singer of the band. I could totally see these girls 10 years down the road jamming out with real instruments in the garage.

Let's Play Music Recital

The twins had their end of the year Let's Play Music Recital. Elizabeth is in a red shirt on the front row with her fingers in her mouth and Emily is right behind her. Let's Play music is an excellent program for children ages 4-7 to teach them music theory, singing, and ear training in preparation for playing the piano. The twins had alot of fun and I am very impressed with the program. If you want to give your little one a great foundation in learning music Let's Play Music is the program to check out www.letsplaymusicsite.com .

Busy-ness & Family Visit

The last 3 1/2 weeks have been a whirlwind of of events in our family. My mom, Heather, and I went to the BYU Women's Conference and it was a weekend of fun and spiritual growth. We got to eat breakfast with my cousins Kristin and Ben and their families. I haven't seen them for a few years so that was nice. Unfortunately, when I start getting busy and having fun I forget to take pictures, so that is how much of the last 3 1/2 weeks have been for me.

The weekend after women's conference my dad and Aunt Susanne flew in for Heather's pinning. Heather gratuated from ISU's nursing program in December and has been working at the hospital, but they only have one pinning each year, so she was pinned with all of her friends. We are proud of Heather's accomplishments and will miss her when she moves to Bountiful, UT this summer. At least she is only moving 2 hours away. Shane got a job as a high school shop teacher and track coach and Heather is looking for employment in the Bountiful area.

 The girls loved having Papa & Grand Nan and Aunt Susie to play with.

 One of our favorite activities was going on a nature walk/hike near Mink Creek. It just melts my heart to see my little Elizabeth hiking the trail with papa.

 There was a troll guarding the bridge that the girls had to cross.

 My parents and Aunt Susanne stayed because I had a big concert in Helena, Montana. I performed Mahler's Symphony No. 8 with about 400 other singers and 100 plus instruments. It was a wonderful experience for me. I don't think I will have many opportunities in this life to perform that piece of music, so I was definately up for the challenge. It was the hardest piece of music I have ever learned. While there, a family that sponsored the symphony let me stay in their guest house. It was very cute and I loved the property. Helena, MT is beautiful and Scott and Heidi Kinner's 11 acre property was georgous.

 One of my favorite places in Helena was the Helena Cathedral. It was so beautiful and the acoustics were amazing.

 Idaho meets Helena.

 I think one of the reasons why I liked Helena so much besides the obvious support for the arts was that they preserved their history so well. We went on a walking tour of Last Chance Gulch and Reeder's Alley and learned about how Helena came to be in the 1800's.

It was a fun trip and I am so lucky to have the support of family members that love me. While my parents were here they helped out with the kids alot and helped me with a few projects around the house. We painted and decorated my kitchen. My dad and twins worked on my flower beds. My mom did a sewing project and cleaned and organized like crazy and they also helped Heather pack up her house for her move to Bountiful. We also enjoyed talking to Harrison on Mother's Day. I think his spirit is up and he is excited about doing missionary work. It was very good to hear his voice.

Free Photo Shoot

So about two months ago I entered a contest to win a free photo shoot with one of my childhood friends who happens to be a fabulous photographer. I didn't think I had a chance cause I seriously have never won anything in my life, but to my surprise I was the winner!! I live in Idaho and my friend Heather lives in Utah, but it was totally worth the drive. I can't believe how old Abigail has gotten and how absolutely beautiful she is. She has a pretty fun personality too. Heather Ferguson, the photographer is moving soon, but if you wnat to get pics before she moves in July, you should totally do it. Check out her website at http://heatherannette.com

 This picture takes my breath away.

 I love this picture of Abigail cause it totally shows off her bubbly personality.

I really wanted pictures of Abigail in her baptism dress and these pictures could not have turned out better. Abigail looks so reverent and thoughtful. I can't believe my oldest baby is almost eight. She will be baptized on August 4th and we couldn't be prouder.

 I love this picture. I hope to put it up in Abigail's room as a reminder of what she believes and who she is. I also love it because of Abigail's fingers, her fingernails are a little dirty and chewed just the way an almost eight-year-old's fingers should be.