Christmas in Missouri

After the cruise, we spent Christmas in Lee's Summit with my family. Below are a couple photos with my nieces, Aubri and Alayna. Baking with Alayna was one of the highlights. I think we ended up with more flour on the floor than on the counter for rolling the cookies, but nonetheless, we had a great time.

New Orleans

After our 12 day adventure, we just made it back to Denver and I haven't had a chance to upload cruise photos yet. Here are a few New Orleans teaser photos from our phones until I get all our photos uploaded! We had a WONDERFUL cruise vacation and also enjoyed our time in Missouri for Christmas. More to come!

Hopping a plane to New Orleans - I'm enjoying my new built in arm rest!

In celebration of Stuart's 50th birthday, Chris brought back the 'stash for the night before we left on the cruise, because after all, "Imitation is the highest form of flattery." Happy 50th birthday Stuart! (I'm happy to report he shaved before we left on the cruise. Maybe I'm a party pooper, but I didn't want cruise photos to include the mustache.)

Our ship ported in New Orleans so we were able to spend the Saturday after the cruise exploring the city. I visited NOLA with my family several years ago, but it was Chris' first time in the french city. There is so much to see and do in the city, we tried to see as much as we could in one day!

Started the morning by hopping on a trolley/street car, and made a trip to the French Quarter to visit Cafe Du Monde - famous for beignets and cafe au lait. Our favorite breakfast cafe in Denver is Lucielle's Creole Cafe, proudly serving Cafe Du Monde coffee and beignets. I had been introduced to this gem in New Orleans with my family, so Chris needed to experience it first hand!

We walked through the French Quarter and made a stop on Bourbon Street - famous for jazz and of course, Mardi Gras. After walking several blocks, this is the only street sign we could find, all the others had been stolen off the street posts!

In the afternoon, Chris and Julie went to the World War II museum and Katie, Kim and I went shopping. Julie is looking into donating WWII artifacts from Grandpa Powers to the museum, so they wanted to go and see the museum first hand. From what I heard, it was a great experience.

More photos to come! 

Christmas Time in Denver

The holidays are off to a wonderful start here in Denver. It is certainly our favorite time of year, for lots of reasons. One reason is that we love holiday parties - celebrating Christmastime together, catching up with friends and eating delicious homemade food. Everyone is so merry and cheerful, why wouldn't you love this time of year?!

Chris' christmas present from my parents were tickets to see White Christmas at the Buelle Theater. We made it a date night and really enjoyed the musical. We may have even teared up at the end, it was so neat seeing the movie come to life!

We celebrated Christmas with fellow sorority sisters and their spouses at our annual alumnae group holiday party. Below is a photo of the crown sugar cookies I made. (The 5 pointed crown was a symbol for our sorority.) There are a lot of things I know I am not good at - gardening, cleaning, doing dishes and really even cooking. But, there is one thing I love and really feel like I may have gotten lucky at being good at - and that is baking sugar cookies! I have a wonderful recipe and it is one of my favorite things to do each year around the holidays.

At the ZTA holiday party - 

One quick photo of Baby G - this is at 22 1/2 weeks!

Weeks 19 - 22

So much has happened in just 3 short weeks! At 19 weeks, we found out Baby G is a "she," and everything has continued to feel more real since that day!

The bump - I can tell Baby G is starting to grow bigger, faster because what once was my little mini baby bump, is now a definite "you are pregnant!" bump!!

The sickness - At 20 weeks, I woke up feeling like a completely different person. My all-day sickness is gone which means I don't have to wear my "stylish" rubber motion sickness/acupressure wrist bands anymore. After 20 weeks of wearing them 24/7, I had a rash on both my wrists, and I was SO tired of trying to disguise my wrist bands by covering them with long sleeves. I wore them though because they worked so well, and would recommend them to anyone!

The energy - I have much more energy these days, which is great! What's not great is that I am keeping Chris awake at night laying in bed talking about paint colors and crib bedding, rather than falling asleep on the couch at 8 pm.

The kicks - I first felt her kick on the airplane on the way back from Thanksgiving in Florida, right at the 20 week mark. Last night, at 22 weeks, Chris felt her kick for the first time! She's getting stronger and he is so excited to finally be able to feel her as well!

Here are the ultrasound photos from 19 weeks - I forgot to post them 3 weeks ago!

We love this one because you can see her legs bent, with her knee up near her face. I love her little profile and button nose!

And a quick pic of the bump at 22 weeks!

Happy Anniversary #4!

Wow, 4 years! We have had such full and wonderful 4 years of marriage, it's hard to think that life could get any better. We can't help but to think our lives will become even more fulfilling by adding a little one to the mix. The next year will be drastically different than the last 4, and we are so excited to see what year 5 has in store! We have been so blessed and fortunate to have had so many wonderful experiences together over the last year, and enjoyed celebrating!

We celebrated with our annual dinner at The Melting Pot with Chad and Michelle -

On our anniversary, we spent a night downtown Denver, and watched the Parade of Lights. It was perfect!

Update on Bill D

This year has been especially rough year for dad - remember, the 66 year old young chap that built an addition on our house last year? He is a proud survivor of prostate cancer, which he battled in August/September this year. The last week he has been fighting an internal infection in the hospital. Please keep him in your prayers as he stays strong and recovers from this minor hiccup in the road! We're ready for him to be back in action, working on a new project! Until then, Alayna will be keeping him company, watching cartoons at the hospital.

This year more than ever, we are thankful for family, and the value of sticking together as family regardless of where we call "home." Family means so much to Chris and I, and sometimes it's hard living away from everyone we have spent the majority of our life with, and that we care so much about. It's especially tough to be apart when family is facing a difficult time. We're so thankful and care so much for the families we have, and we are fortunate that we can rely on one another, supporting one another though the ups and downs in this journey of life together. And we're blessed that though we may not live in the same city or state, that we'll always be there for each other, with love and prayers, just a phone call away.

I also wanted to share this photo with you, it's a necklace Alayna made at school. She said it is very breakable. She is so precious!  :)

Thanksgiving in Florida with The Trossens

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving visiting The Trossen Family in Florida last week. Andy is a Marine and they have been stationed in Okinawa, Japan for the last 3 years, so we were thrilled to welcome them back to the states with Thanksgiving dinner and the Macy's Day Parade! It was wonderful to catch up with Andy, Crystalin and see their kiddos Madelin and Maddox, who have grown up so much since the last time we saw them. Plus, the perks of being in Florida, it was sunny and warm!

Brothers from different mothers, reunited! Chris and Andy grew up together in Indiana.

Watching a Christmas tree lighting at the Ritz Carlton at Amelia Island. Christmas lights, beach, hot cocoa and fireworks, does it get any better than this?

While we were in the area, we got to see Jay Ziegler, a longtime friend of the Duvall family! It was great to see him and catch up!

Is "Baby G" a He or a She? What's it Gonna Bee?

We had our 20 week ultra sound last week and were able to find out the gender of "Baby G!" Since we couldn't be with our families to share the big news, we ordered cupcakes and sent a note: "Is Baby G a He or She? What's it gonna bee? Take a bite to see!"

Cupcakes with family in Richland - PINK on the inside! Baby G's Great Great Grandma Powers, Great Granny Gray, Great Aunt Kay Powers, Aunts Kim and Katie Gilstrap, and Grandparents Gigi and Poppi Gilstrap

Cupcakes with Baby G's Grandparents Nana and Papa Duvall, Cousins Aubri and Alayna and Aunts Christine and Mollie in Lee's Summit - PINK on the inside!

Watch the video:

Cupcakes with Baby G's Great Grandpa Bob and Great Grandma Sherry Gilstrap in Lee's Summit - PINK on the inside!

Our favorite video line: "If I can add a pun, these two just take the cake!" - Grandma Sherry

Watch the video:

We're so excited to meet our little girl in April!

19 Weeks!

19 Week Baby Bump!

My parents came to Denver for a week to visit, and to be here the day we found out the gender of Baby G. Apparently, we didn't take any photos while the were here, but I did take a couple 19 week baby bump photos!

The Bump

A quick pic of the 1 to 4 month baby bump evolution!

A Good Laugh

For a good laugh, check out these photos! I discovered that in the morning, when I still have a full bladder, my "baby bump" is lop sided (see first photo). After I empty my bladder, the bump is back to normal (see second photo). Oh the adventures of pregnancy! 

Baby Bump: 16 Weeks

Today marked 16 weeks pregnant and a baby bump appeared sometime between 14 weeks and today! Fewer clothes still fit (comfortably) and my tummy is finally looking at a bump rather than just a little extra fat around my mid-section. We've read that the baby is the size of a turnip this week, that ears and eyes are formed (so it could see light if we shined a flashlight at my belly, and hear us when we talk), and anytime now I should start feeling the little movements of arms and legs. I'm still feeling sick, but I feel like we're better at managing the sickness now so it's not as bad as the first trimester. I've done a little maternity clothes shopping for things like a pair of jeans and a few shirts, but I'm going to have to get very creative with my wardrobe if I want to put off maternity clothes shopping much longer. We have a 17 week appointment next week and then will find out gender on December 3rd at our 21 week appointment, and we are very excited!

Weeks 12 - 16

A few miscellaneous photos from weeks 12 - 16...

Announcing to Aubri and Alayna that they are going to have a new cousin! Get ready for a troublemaking trio - big cousin Aubri, middle cousin Alyana, and little cousin Baby G.

When I announced to Alayna that I was having a baby, she offered to share her books with the baby. Later that day, I came back to find she had packed all of her books in my suitcase, ready to take back to Denver with me! What a sweetheart, she is so cute.

We made our first baby room purchase - a changing table off Craigslist! I promised Chris I wouldn't start purchasing things yet, but I just couldn't pass up this steal. It was such a great deal (read: cheap!) and matches our chifferrobe (the dresser/wardrobe already in the room). 

Baby G - with a HUGE noggin (on the right), a body and little arms.