Steel Days

Every summer American Fork has their city celebration called Steel Days. It gets its name from the Geneva Steel plant where most residents of American Fork worked back in the early days. It is tradition in our family to go to the breakfast provided by the American Fork Marching Band and then off to the parade. It was a warm morning, but we had a great spot in the shade!

Eliza, Sarah (Robert's girlfriend), and Shannon waiting for the parade to start.

The American Fork Marching Band

Rob the Drummer

Eliza and Mallory
Mallory was excited about the candy that was thrown by those in the parade.



Cosmo was Christian's favorite!


Cinderella was mine!

Shannon got to throw a pin to the clown who then juggled them.
I don't know how he can do all that on stilts!

There is a new restaurant coming to Utah Valley called Pirate Island Pizza. Austin and I saw one in St. George when we were there last month and Austin had a good time making fun of it with a very authentic pirate voice. Well, they had a float in the parade with a Jack Sparrow impersonator who was hilarious! He made for great entertainment during a lull in the parade.

Prenatal Class - Week 2

So we had our class again on Monday and I am now freaking out. We had to watch a birthing video that showed 4 different births. After watching the first birth and seeing EVERYTHING, I was panicking. I turned to Austin and said, "I don't want to do this anymore!" We have a couple in our class that is hearing impaired and have to have an interpreter. She was sitting up front by the screen and said to all of us, "You should see what all of you look like. Your eyes are all huge!" I'm sure we all had the deer in the headlights look. It was a little disturbing to watch being this close to having to go through it. We also learned about epidurals from the anesthesiologist and went on a tour of the Labor and Delivery floor as well as the Mother/Baby floor to see the different rooms. I am really nervous now, but I know that it is going to happen regardless.
I am excited for this little person to come into our home and be apart of our family. I often find myself wondering what she looks like and who she looks like. I wonder what traits she'll get from me and what she'll get from Austin. I hope she gets his dimple! I love dimples. Austin wants her to have my green eyes. I keep picturing her with dark hair when she is born. I had black hair at birth, but it fell out and came in very blonde. Austin had very blonde hair as a baby and then it went dark. My mom thinks she is going to be a toehead. But whatever she looks like, I'm sure she'll be beautiful!

Prenatal Class

We went to our first prenatal class last night. We go every Monday night for the next 4 weeks. Last night we learned some terminology we'll need to know before I deliver and while we're in the hospital. We also covered warning signs to look for during these last few weeks as well as the signs of true and false labor. Then we talked about the 3 Stages of Labor. Not the part I look forward to. The class lasted for 2 1/2 hours. By the time we got out I was feeling pretty good about what had been talked about and had a lot of my questions answered and apprehensions relieved. Austin felt the opposite. He became more nervous and apprehensive about the delivery and being in the delivery room. He has no desire to be anywhere but up by my head during the birth. I don't blame him. I really don't want to see anything either. I'm sure he'll be just fine though.
I'm now 30 weeks. 10 weeks left! So much to do between now and then, but I'm looking forward to not having a basketball on my front constantly. I can't believe I'm almost done! I know it'll be here before I know it! I'm excited and scared all at the same time. So much unknown ahead.

30 Week Belly

The Cabin

Our family has a cabin up American Fork Canyon near the Tibblefork Reservoir. Every summer for as long as I can remember we have spent time up there. It isn't extravagant by any means, but cozy and very homey. I love it! I haven't been sleeping well because of the pregnancy, so we opted out of staying at the cabin this summer. The beds aren't all that comfortable. Next summer for sure!
My mom, dad, and two youngest sisters were spending a week at the cabin, so Austin and I went up one night for dinner. Alyson and Claire also came up for the evening. I love being up there. The air is cool and fresh and it is a great place to relax! It is the place where I get to do whatever I want. I love doing my crocheting, cross-stitching, reading and movie marathon watching! It's the best!

When we arrived at the cabin I noticed a nest in the eaves by the front door. When I looked a little closer I saw a little mama bird. I don't know if she is sitting on eggs, or little babies. My family, who had been up at the cabin for a day already hadn't noticed it. My sisters and Austin went out onto the porch to look at it and the bird flew out of her nest and dive bombed at Austin. He jumped pretty far. It was funny. Well, it was funny until the same thing happened to me a little while later. :)

Eliza chillin' in the hammock!

One of the things my sisters, mom and I did at the cabin while the men read their books, was make bracelets and earrings. It was a lot of fun to pool our ideas and create fun and pretty jewelry. My sister Alyson and I are in the beginnings of making and selling the jewelry we make on Alyson's website. Her business is called Aly's Creations. She also makes and sells baby hair bows and pacifier clips. I don't know if her website is up and running yet, but when it is I'll put a link to it on my blog so you can check it out!

Happy 4th of July!

It has been a family tradition of ours to go to the 4th of July Parade in Provo as part of the Freedom Festival. We have done this ever since I was a little girl. We may not have made it every year, but we went when we could. Ever since my siblings have been members of the American Fork Marching Band we haven't missed a year. This year my younger brother Robert is on the drum line. It's always fun to see him in action. My brother Patrick and his wife Tawna stake out a place for us every year in front of their apartment right on the parade route. Thanks guys! We always have a great time being together and enjoying the parade!

Baby Claire enjoying the parade (and Grandma's water bottle) :)

Me and Mom - Eliza - Shannon

Christian and Channing chillin during the parade

Anxiously anticipating the arrival of the AF Marching Band

The American Fork Marching Band



Robert is the first drummer in the first row of drummers.

Later that day we gathered at my grandparents in Orem for dinner. We had yummy food and a good time relaxing in the shade! Thanks G&G Hyde for letting us come and spend the evening!

The little cousins wanted to feed some carrots to the horses that live on the other side of my grandparents fence. Grandma Hyde got the carrots and was able to coax the horse over. The horse turned out to be a little skiddish, so the little ones only watched as my sister Shannon fed the horse the carrots. He would only take them from her.

Austin enjoyed the afternoon sitting in the shade and reading his book.

I am truly grateful to live in a country that has so many wonderful freedoms. We are extremely blessed to be able to live and worship as we please. It is a comfort to know that God set this land aside for the purpose of having these freedoms so the Gospel could come forth. I feel greatly indebted to those men who were foreordained to come and set up this great nation.

Lovin' Summer

I can't believe it is July already! The summer is flying by so quickly. I hate to think about having to start school again in a month and a half. There is so much to be done between now and then, at school and at home. We are still trying to get our little girl's room set up and figured out. I feel so much better about it and can see an end in sight. I think everything will work out the way I want it. And Austin has agreed, not without a lot of persuasion, to let me do it my way. I hate to think that I have 3 more months to be pregnant, but I am definitely not ready for her to come now. I am excited and look forward with much anticipation to her arrival!

We went to St. George this last weekend for our one and only vacation for the summer. We don't have the funds to be doing anything grandiose and I'm not fun because I'm pregnant, so Austin says. It was fun to be able to see Austin's parents and spend some time with them. We saw Sheri, Terry, and the girls and I enjoyed a cool outing to the Washington County Rec Center to go swimming. Of course we would pick the one weekend that the temperature was to be the highest of the summer to go. One of the days it got up to 108! Needless to say I did my best not to complain. My hands and feet did swell and we had to sleep with the fan in our room at full speed, but it was nice to have sunshine. We were able to see our friends Bob and Shayla Wells and their two adorable kids as well as, Nick and Summer Lang and their three kids. Nothing better than a BBQ with good food and good friends. I don't think we'll get down there again before the baby's born. That's ok though, I don't mind staying out of that heat!

This is actually a picture from our vacation last year to St. George, but I didn't take any pics this time around. I do love the red rock against all the green!