Yes it's true! Mark and I took a real vacation! We (okay maybe more "I" than "we") decided to stick close to home (read: shorter plane ride, less ankle swelling and low back discomfort) that we could get away for 4 nights. So we visited "Fabulous Las Vegas". We stayed at a non-gaming spa hotel to avoid smoke and noise....but we were attached to the Bellagio in case we needed our smoke and noise fix for the day. We had a few fabulous meals overlooking the fountains, lights and city chatter, and we saw two Cirque De Soleil shows which were feats of acrobatic and engineering ingenuity.

Since I am my father's daughter, it could not be a purposeful vacation without a little history thrown in, hence Mark and I drove to Hoover Dam. We took the tour into the tunnels and power generator center and admired the feats of men who worked 24/7 for about 5 years to complete the structure. It was truly amazing.

For Mark and me, it is not a real vacation if you are not outside doing some hiking of some sort. So we drove to Zion National Park, and despite our unpreparedness, in other words we stopped at WalMart to buy clearance clothing for the wet-cold weather, we had a great time seeing the natural wonders of this corner of Utah. We definitely want to bring little BUD back in the spring time when your socks aren't iced over after a hike.

I am now 30 weeks pregnant, and this little active guy has not appeared to run out of room yet. He still flops around like a fish trying to jump out of water...or a kid trying to come out of my belly button. We are having our house painted this week, including the baby's room, so hopefully I'll have some domestic pictures for you all next week. Praise God for a healthy little guy, a healthy mom, and a wonderful and patient dad! I love my sweet husband and am so grateful for the time we had together to rest and rejuvenate for the final quarter! We are now really looking forward to our trip to Houston in one month. I fear I may be in a full waddling state by then, but none-the-less we're coming!

Happy late Valentine's day to all family and friends. This past weekend my dear friend, Sara, came to visit from Houston, and we made Indian food for four. We went so far as to make cheese and naan. Soooooo tasty! And now that my stomach is finally in synch with my tastebuds, I can eat spicy foods and not suffer all night long. Praise God for Prilosec and modern medicine.

Above is Sara rolling out the naan with a wine bottle. We do lots of reusing and recycling around here, and well, I don't own a rolling pin. Isn't she lovely in the "covered with flour look" ? Below is a picture in front of the Loretta Church in Santa Fe where we went for the afternoon with Mark. There is snow all over the ground up there, but we only see snow on the peaks of the Sandias from our house's windows. I had a fabulous time chatting, cooking, meandering, and relaxing with Sara. If only I could get everyone I know to visit for a weekend! We love our guests!
I'm now at 29 weeks pregnant, so about 7 months. And just so you are not fooled, pregnancy is a 10 month process (not 9, they lied). Two more months and it'd be like an elephant's gestation, thankfully I'm not birthing an elephant. Just an averaged sized boy (7lb 6 oz) is what I'm praying for....but God in all His wisdom knows what I can handle. My midwife says things are looking great, and we've hired a doula (a birthing guide) for the labor and delivery process as well. We are grateful for the support these women will provide when the time comes to hold this little one in our arms. And everyone keeps asking about names, so if you must know, we have a running list of options, but I think we will wait until we actually see him to give him the right one. If you have any new options for us, just post them! We love new ideas!