Bien Venido 2nd Trimester

I am loving being in the second trimester. If it wasn't for my growing tummy, I would barely know that I was pregnant. I have my energy back and I don't feel nauseated anymore. I also started working part time at Rick's recruiting office as a tutor to help people prepare for and pass the ASVAB exam.
My doctor had my get a flu shot a little while back. This was the first flu shot I've ever had. I usually don't get them because it always seems like everyone that gets the shot comes down with the worst flu! But, I figured I had better get it, just to be safe (even though I loathe needles). I also went in to get more blood drawn. I hated that as well.
Next week, on Friday, we are going in for our first ultrasound so that we can find out if it's a boy or a girl. We are really excited to find out! Rick is anxious to pick a name for the baby-to-be so that he can get a new tattoo with baby's name. ;)
I haven't really felt any definite kicking from baby yet, but I am hoping that will happen soon. I did throw up for the first time in my pregnancy a couple of weeks ago. I think the problem was that I took my prenatal pill in the morning, instead of at night as I usually do. About a half an hour later, I threw up five times. Since then I haven't had any problems with that.
The picture of me above was taken yesterday. I'm currently 18 weeks along.

Merry Christmas!

Rick and I stayed home, for once, this Christmas. Last Christmas we flew from Hawaii to New York for a few days and then to Washington state so that we could see both of our families. This year Rick wanted to just relax and stay home. He works a lot of hours every week (from 8 a.m. - 8:30 p.m.) and needed the rest. We were going to drive up to his Mom's house for the day on Christmas Eve, but it was snowing heavily where she lives and there was freezing rain here. We had a nice time with just the two of us on Christmas. We opened presents, watched movies, and played a lot of Srabble.
Our Christmas tree was supposed to be a REAL one, but we ended up getting a fake one. Rick wanted a fake one, and I was hoping for the real thing. Unfortunately, there wasn't a single Christmas tree stand to be found anywhere, so we had to opt for the fake tree this year.

A little heartbeat

On Monday Rick and I went to another one of my appointments. We got to hear our baby's heartbeat for the first time! It was so neat! It was proof that there's really a baby in there! lol. The heartbeat was at 160 and the doctor said that was normal, so we were happy about that. Now I can't wait for the ultrasound in a few more weeks. We are excited to find out if we're going to have a girl or a boy.
--Misty--

We're Expecting our First Baby!

About three weeks ago I started feeling really, really tired. I started taking a nap every day. I haven't had to take naps since I was a freshman in college - when I was still adjusting to such a busy schedule of school and running cross country. Anyway, about a week later I was reading my cousin Heather's blog and she had written that she had just found out she was pregnant. What had tipped her off was that she had been so tired as of late. So, that's when the thought first crossed my mind.
Later that night I was talking on the phone with my husband as he drove home from work. I was telling him how tired I had been feeling, and he said the same thing - that maybe I was pregnant. The next evening he picked me up a home pregnancy test to take. I had read on the box that the results are usually most accurate if the test is taken in the morning, but Rick wanted me to take it right then. I convinced him to wait until the next morning and took it right before he had to leave to work. I took the test and watched to see what the result was. It immediately, within seconds, came back positive! I was really surprised, but excited! When I opened up the door to tell Rick, I asked him what he thought it would be and he said he thought it was negative. I told him it was positive and he was very excited. We've only been married seven months now, but Rick has wanted a baby since the first day! :)
We wanted to make sure that our test wasn't a fluke, so Rick said he would buy another test after work that night. I wasn't going to tell anyone about the test until we took the second one, but I couldn't wait! I called my family a few hours later. That night I took the second test, and sure enough, it also came out positive. The next day I went into the doctor's office and had it confirmed with a blood test. Speaking of blood tests, I hate needles! This was the first time that I have ever had my blood drawn! I was so nervous and I didn't even look at the nurse from the moment I sat down on the chair.
Now I'm about nine weeks along and I'm still getting used to the notion that there is a baby inside my tummy. I keep looking at my tummy and asking Rick when it's going to get bigger so that I can tell it's in there! LOL. Rick likes to call the baby "Blueberry" because I read to him in week 7 or so that the baby was the size of a blueberry. I have been lucky in that I haven't gotten sick or thrown up yet. I can't say that I feel good though. Each day I feel like I do when I'm starting to get sick - like the day before it really sets in, but it just stays the same (just bleh)! I have also continued to be really, really tired, but it feels like this week might be a little better than the last as far as that is concerned.

Schlathaus Park 5K Race

On Saturday I ran in my first race since I moved to New York. It wasn't the same as my races in Hawaii because I didn't get to run with any of my friends - no Linda Lou or Joanna. And of course there is also this obvious difference - it was freezing cold. One aspect of the race I enjoyed was the later start time. The race began at 10 a.m., as opposed to the 6 or 7 a.m. start times in Hawaii. Rick was nice enough to get up and take me to the race, even though it was on a Saturday. (He has been working really late hours with his new recruiting job.) I plan on running some more races if I can find any that don't fall on Sundays. Unfortunately, that seems to be the day that most of the races are scheduled for.

SNL Tina Fey as Sarah Palin Sketch

I think this sketch was pretty funny. I like Sarah Palin and I think it would be great to have her as a vice president. I like her conservative values.

Megan tagged me!

Rules:

Each player answers the questions themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names. Then the player goes to their blogs, leaving a comment letting them know that they have been tagged and asking them to read their blog. Let the person that tagged you know when you have answered all of the questions on your blog.

THE FIVE:

10 years ago I:
~ Was 18 years old.
~ Living in Laie, Hawaii at BYUH in Hale 3.
~ Finding new friends.
~ Saying goodbye to everyone in Athena, Oregon.
~ Feeling excited about starting college.

5 movies I love:
~ Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
~ Wicker Park
~ The Notebook
~ Top Gun
~ Fight Club

5 of my favorite books:
~ Gone with The Wind (Margaret Mitchell)
~ Angels & Demons (Dan Brown)
~ Molokai (O.A. Bushnell)
~ Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
~ Book of Mormon

5 things on today's "to do list":
~ Call Rick
~ Work out
~ Complete my homework (I just started my master's program yesterday!)
~Unpack more boxes
~Do the laundry

5 snacks I enjoy:
~ Popcorn with lots of butter and salt
~ Fruit
~ String cheese
~ Chocolate
~ Chips with spinach & artichoke dip

5 things I would do if I were a millionaire:
~ Buy a house
~ Pay off my student loans
~ Invest
~ Share with my family & Rick's
~ Pay tithing

5 places I have lived:
~Athena, OR
~Walla Walla, WA
~Laie, HI
~Ewa Beach, HI
~Port Ewen, NY

I tag: Elika, Kami, Summer, Nita, & Kristen

Grandma Skousen's 90th Birthday

My Grandma Jewel Skousen just celebrated her 90th birthday! The family held a party in her honor at her church ward in SLC, Utah. It was wonderful to see my Grandma and all of my other relatives again. I had not seen most of them since my sister Angie's wedding eight years ago!

We moved to New York!

This summer Rick and I moved to a small town called Port Ewen in New York. We are about an hour and a half north of NYC. Rick was able to secure a position as a recruiter (Army) and so his new job took us here. He requested New York because he is from here and his family lives here. We moved into an apartment complex that sits right next to a little lake. I have been spending most of the summer by myself because Rick is away at recruiter school. I do have my work cut out for me though with all of the unpacking left to do!

Our Wedding at Waimea Falls Park - March 29, 2008

Wedding Photographs

Rick and I got married on a sunny Saturday morning, March 29, 2008, at Waimea Valley Park. Here are some of the photographs of our wedding and reception...