Grandma Clean

In my house growing up we had a lot of funny sayings. We would "meow" each other when someone was mad or the parents would threaten to get out "Uncle Richard" the wooden spoon and spank us if we were bad or my dad would "give us a gift" by making us do chores or homework. These things are so special to me now and bring back such fond memories but at the time were like a death sentence. One of the worst things was when my dad would say it was time to clean the house "Grandma clean". If we were given the chance, we would have all run away crying as soon as those words were out. But my parents were too dang quick. Anyway, the saying came around because every time my Grandma Joyce (dad's mom) would come and visit us, we would spend about half of the time cleaning our house with her. She is an amazing woman and loves to work and so on our precious Saturdays, when Grandma was with us, we would clean our rooms, the bathrooms, kitchen, closets, carpets, windows...you name it, we cleaned it. And it wasn't just a "lets pick up this room and vacuum clean" it was a "get on your hands and knees and scrub this floor with a toothbrush clean". Looking back I am so glad for being taught how to clean and clean well but as a kid growing up it was the worst form of punishment.
So the point of this is that Grandma cleaning has struck again only at my very own apartment. Yesterday was the first day I had had off in a very long time. Our house was a disaster and I was full of determination. I spent all day cleaning and scrubbing and dusting and vacuuming and shining and folding and now my house is absolutely BEAUTIFUL. I cannot explain how much better it makes things when there are not piles and piles of laundry to be done and dishes from here to Sunday in the kitchen. As a girl, I swore to myself I would never use the words "Grandma clean" in my house but alas, it cannot be helped. I have turned into my parents. Every day I find myself doing something else that my parents did that I promised myself I would never do. Dang it.
I just think it's funny how much I find myself growing up and doing exactly what my parents did. I am so glad I had such good ones to turn into. And even my new parents are rubbing off on me now. I'm just so lucky to have such good examples to look up to and be like when raising my children.


AND...lucky for my husband, a clean house and kitchen always brings out the baker in me. This morning it was delicious lemon poppy seed muffins topped with slivered almonds and a sweet glaze. Oh so yummy.

Its a Boy!!

So the whole world knows now, but we are proudly growing a little baby boy in this tummy! We couldn't be more excited. Our thoughts and purchases are consumed with celery greens, pale yellow and baby blue. Time is just FLYING by. Every time we go to the store I start to have small panic attacks thinking about all we still need to get and how little time we have to get it. My life has become taken over by this thing they call education. (Who said that was a good idea anyway?) And so time to plan and prepare the nursery is limited. But never fear, things are coming along. We have curtains and an oh so cute little rug and I have my eye on a crib...I just have to force myself to actually buy it. Maybe sometime I will post pictures of the baby room progress.

I am officially 24 weeks but I feel like I look more like 36 weeks. It seems that everyone else that is pregnant around my week barely has a bump and here I am waddling around campus eating everything in sight. Oh well. I am a woman born with hips to bear children so those skinny girls can just be jealous when my baby slides right on out when the time comes. Speaking of child bearing hips...have I told you about the miracle of pregnancy pants? They are absolutely amazing. My fantastic husband dragged me into a maternity store (I HATE spending money by the way) and made me buy some jeans that I can breathe in. (I think he was getting embarrassed by me walking around everywhere with my pants unbuttoned or in nasty sweat pants. Either that or he was tired of my morning tantrums when nothing would fit) But it is seriously the best thing I have ever done. Supportive, comfortable, cute, breathable, stretchy...bliss. Who could ask for anything more?

As far as names for this little tater-tot we are keeping it a secret. We are struggling with agreeing on one and so have made a deal to not tell anyone what we are thinking of until we have the official name. Mostly we just don't want everyone's opinions on what we come up with. This way when we announce the name, people won't be able to make a comment but will have to say it is fantastic because that is what it will be. We'll see how well that works out.

Other than baby all I have time for lately is school and school and more school. The mountain of homework never seems to get smaller and I becoming increasingly stressed out thinking about how I graduate in less than a year and have to actually be ready to be a nurse by the time I'm done. I feel a little behind and like I should be so much more prepared than I actually am at this point. I am in no way ready to be a nurse on my own yet and time is running out. Ever since this semester started these thoughts have been weighing on my mind and majorly cramping my style. Today was particularly bad and I was on the verge of a total meltdown but thankfully, Sky and I had decided to go to the temple. While in there I was able to think and put my life in perspective. There are things that matter in this life and things that really don't (like grades). I am so happy to know that the Lord provides for the little things as long as I take care of the ones that really matter in the long run. I don't need to worry about the things I can't control (like how much homework I have). As long as I do my best to prepare, the Lord will step in and make me able to do the things I need to (like being a good mom, nurse, wife etc). Why do I keep forgetting that? He has come into my life countless times and filled in when I couldn't and I am still getting stressed out about things that don't matter. I am so dumb but thankfully, the Lord still loves me and overlooks that. So moral of the story is I am now at peace with my crazy life. I will do my best and everything will work out no matter what. *relief*

As for Skyler he is working so hard to get ready to apply for the Marine officers program. It is his lifelong dream and he can't be distracted from his goals. He inspires me. Not to mention he is working out like crazy to get in shape and is becoming quite the hunk of burnin' love. He is so good to me too. He takes care of almost all the house chores while I am in our room freaking out about homework or how my pants don't fit. He loves to feel baby kick around and loves even more that my boobs have become small mountains. I am a lucky lady.

So life in the Barger house is good. Can't wait for our little man to be here too.