IN-N-OUT Libaray style

The libaray is having a fun reading program going on this month, read 5 books get a coupon for a FREE IN-N-OUT burger! It doesn't matter what books you read, they just need to be at the appropriate age level (so whatever I read to Jordan) Parker is really working hard on his "Sight Word" books and was really excited to write down his books and earn a burger. Today we turned in our card with our first 5 books, and got our first COUPONS!

The boys showing off their COUPONS, they were so proud!

The boys were so excited, to order and "Pay" for their very own cheeseburger (tomato only,extra toast). The guy at the counter was so cute with them, and really made it a great experience. It was a beautiful day to sit outside and have lunch. I'm lucky, because (surprisingly) their burgers are the only meat that I have been able to eat. I guess this program was inspired for me ;)
YUMMY !!!What a great day for an outdoor lunch!

The first thing out of their mouths when we got home..."lets go read some books"!

Happy Birthday, Ryan!

*** WARNING...THIS POST MAY CONTAIN SAPPY FEELINGS AND MEMORIES, READ AT YOUR OWN RISK***


Ryan celebrated birthday number 34 on Sunday! I wish I could say that I had planned a wonderful surprise party, or something equal, but the only surprise I had was that I cooked lunch ;) I had a brownie mix out to make for him, but after becoming overwhelmed by sickness, I had to lay down. I woke up to Ryan and the boys making his OWN Birthday Brownies (although I did add nuts and Reese's Peanut Butter chips to them), I felt so bad...but Ryan with his kind nature just said "it's okay I knew that you meant to make them" (you got to love this guy!) He had lots of family on both sides call and wish him a Happy Birthday, with several renditions of Happy Birthday sung to him (thanks guys for picking up the slack!) I guess next year we will have to do something FAN-TAB-U-LOUS together!

I was thinking about the great birthdays we have celebrated together, Ryan is lucky enough to have his birthday fall over spring break most years. We have traveled a lot on his birthday, to Washington DC and three trips to Disneyland. I then thought about the first birthday we spent together....

Turing 29 in Washington D.C. It was Freezing!
Turing 31 at the Happiest Place on Earth. What a cute family!

This week is also a special week, the week that we met at a FHE and the week of our first date! I can still feel the restlessness I had with the things in my life...I was ready to "put my boots on and start walking" right on out of St. George. I loved all my friends, my job and felt "comfortable", but I knew there was more and that I was NOT going to marry (or even date for that matter) any of the guys that I hung out with. Anyway, I went to my FHE activity that Monday Night ready to meet new people. I was always on the look out for the tall ones (I really liked to wear my heels and not be the tallest in the crowd), then I looked across the room and saw a TALL, Dark Handsome guy (HUMMM just my type). My friends Tammy and Betsy introduced us, WHY HADN'T I MET THIS GUY BEFORE!!!! We instantly hit it off and spent quite awhile talking and getting to know one another. He had just told me about the crazy year he had had ( his father passing away, and other things) and I said "OH, I just want to hug you!" (in more of a phrase of words, than an offer) and he got this sheepish grin on his face, shrugged and said "OKAY!" Later, he asked me for my number and when I started "6-3-2", he very enthusiastically said "OH your IN" (think Verizon 2004) Yep that was one smooth operator I had met ;) Anyway I was intrigued and had thought about him on my business trip the next day. Later that night, as I was sitting in my hotel room (Marriott Tuscon) my phone rang. It was Ryan, and he said the words that sealed the deal for me. "Hey, I know how lonely it is on the road and I just wanted to liven things up for you"...this guy got it, he knew that traveling alone on business WAS NOT glamorous or that is was not fun to eat alone and sit in the hotel room by yourself. We talked for hours (literally) about everything you could imagine. I think that my job that kept me traveling and us having long phone conversations, really helped us get to know each other better than the regular dinner and a movie dates. It was a great way to build a relationship! Anyway later that week, when I got home I called him to hang out with me and some of our friends. He said "I don't want to hang out with a group, lets go somewhere just us" (again SMOOTH) We ended up going to a local pool hall, although Ryan seemed distracted and neither one of us did very well. (I have since learned that he spent most of the night checking out my butt in my PORN STAR jeans as he called them...oh to have THAT body back!) Anyway, we spent the rest of the evening sitting on a couch in his garage (another first for me) and talking...although he did teach me "21" and I was killing him. He kept saying "okay if I win, you have to give me a kiss/hug", but too bad for him his plan backfired...he had to wait until the NEXT week for that, but that is another story.

Our first trip to Farmington to meet my family on Mother's Day

Lake Powell...what a great trip!

So this week is special for me because it is the week that my Ryan was born, and the week that my Prince Charming came into my life and my love for him was born. And look at where we are now!!!!

LOVE YOU,HONEY! Thanks for everything!!!!

Miracle on FRANKLIN CIRCLE.....

Need I say more?! Yep it's true, a new little Schudde is on their way (insert any celebration noise you want)! This has been an amazing journey, and we have finally been blessed with a new little one on their way to our family. If this is enough news for you then you can stop reading, if you want all the details (I will try to keep it PG) then read on...WARNING there may be to much TMI for some of you, read at your own risk :)



So after two years of trying to get pregnant, two miscarriages and 12 months of the HORRIBLE drug Clomid, we finally went to the UofU to see the infertility specialist in Jan. Dr. Amad Hammoud was so great and really made us feel comfortable and that there was hope.

*INSERT* the week before we had asked our family to fast with us, that we would-together with the Dr's- know how to proceed and that everything would go well. Also Ryan and I had a Father's Blessing from my Dad - he blessed us with a feeling of calmness and peace and that we would know that Heavenly Father is with us through our experiences. *

So the Dr. did a Sonohystrogram(not pleasant, but survivable) in his office that day, he said my uterus and C-section scar looked great and that there was no scar tissue blockage causing problems, but he didn't see any fluid leaking through the tubes so he wanted me to go for a HSG. I didn't want to do that procedure at my work,so I opted to stay another night in SLC and do the procedure the next day. The HSG was pretty much the worst thing EVER, right there with labor! Anyway, they found that both of my fallopian tubes were blocked (probably from endometriosis), but they were able to get them all cleared out (insert passing out and throwing up...that will give you an idea). I was so excited, we finally had a plan and knew a cause for our problems. After consulting with Dr. Hammoud, we decided that we would try Insemination in Feb. and if that didn't work we would do Invitro in March. (That gave us 2 months to gather $15 thousand) So Ryan and I took the month of Jan off from "trying", no daily temp, no ovulation tests, no pressure...just us! The end of the month I started to not feel well, I was super anxious to start my period so that we could get started. I had learned from 18 months of negative tests, that the day after I took a pregnancy test I would start my period. So one morning before work, I took a test that I had laying around from a previous month. It was an almost instant -PREGNANT- I could NOT believe it!!! I could barely call Ryan into the room, between my tears of pure joy and my shaking with excitement. He just stared at me and said, "Really, how did this happen?" (well that detail I will not share with you!) So I called Dr. Hammoud office (still in total disbelieve and awe) and they wanted me to have a blood test to be sure - being that I wasn't suppose to start my period for a few more days. They called to say-yep your pregnant, start taking your Prometrium ( a drug that helps to keep a pregnancy) and have another test in two days. That test showed a 4times higher number of HCG (it is suppose to double in 48 hours) so they said we may have multiples. That was a little stressful, but we would totally take them! The next week we had an appointment with Dr. Hammoud, he did an ultrasound - no twins but a definite pregnancy. (I guess I am one the lucky one that has a rapid increase in HCG-which causes morning sickness early and makes it worse) The baby was to small to see the heartbeat so they had us go in for another ultrasound the next week. What a stressful week, I was so afraid for this pregnancy.

This is what we saw that appointment, we meet our new little one and got to hear her/his heartbeat! It's funny how you instantly fall in love with you little bean, isn't it? We also saw a subchorionic bleed (which can be concerning) and a huge cyst on my right ovary. So we had to see Dr. Lunt (the best OB in St George!),so he can monitor these things. Yesterday, I had a good check up (BP normal , and kidneys doing great!) and saw our little one again. She/He is growing and we even saw them move a little...it is so amazing! Like all my pregnancies, the "ALL DAY" sickness is horrible and my family and I are doing our best to survive, but with the help of Grandma's and a wonderful husband we will make it. Although my husband has started to complain that I don't make him (real) food, and he is sick of eating out. AGHHHH we must all sacrifice! The boys are super excited, and love looking at the picture of THEIR baby. They say" I'm going to check on the baby" and run to the picture, and come back saying "yep baby is okay!"

I can't believe that we are telling everyone so early, but first we are TOOOOOO excited to keep it a secret any longer and second we need all the prayers we can have that this pregnancy go well. Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and prayers, we could not ask for a better support system of family and friends! Can't wait until OCTOBER!!!

Feb. in review

Yes, I know it has been awhile ( I will explain later) and blogging had fallen into the want to do it...but just don't have the time or energy category. We did have an amazing month though and I wanted to share a few of the highlights.

First, we went to San Diego for a quick trip. We always love to party with Shamu and really enjoyed the weather. We also were there for the annual celebration of the Mormon Battalion arriving in San Diego, there was a big party and the kids got to do lots of crafts (we made a rope, a little pioneer boy doll and played pioneer games) we also learned about the pioneer way of life(we made biscuits over the campfire and made butter to go on it, got to make a brick, we got to wash cloths in the bucket and pan for GOLD) and Parker's favorite...march in a parade with a gun and pretend they were the battalion. That is the last time I want to see my boy run off, gun in hand excited to "march to war". It was like the old school Civil War movies (or The Patriot). Not what a mother wants to see.

Laura and her boys came to visit, it was soooooo good to see our boys cousins! The boys really had a ball, and enjoyed every pirate,superhero,army-man game they could think up!

Jordan and Spider Man "shootin-Webs"

We had a great Valentines Day weekend. Ryan and I were able to go to a fun neighborhood party on Sat. It was great to get to know more couples in the neighborhood and to strengthen our friendships. Our "basket" dinner that we made to share in the dinner trade. Grilled Chicken, baked potato and homemade rolls!

The boys and I made and delivered 76 valentines cards (including those at school)... I think they turned out pretty cute.

Jordan's school Valentines Party.

Our quick "road" trip (yes we drove) and stopped in Cove Fort. The boys had a blast!

My sister Jessica and her husband came for the long President's day weekend, we had so much fun. It started off with a dinner at Samurai 21, the kids even got to come. They loved eating with the chopsticks and loved the place...right up until the "FIRE". Both boys dove under the table and were very clear that they did not want to come back to the FIRE restaurant. :)

Dr. Seuss CRAZY birthday week. I guess most of the days fell in March, but who's keeping track :) The boys loved dressing crazy everyday, with crazy hair day...

Crazy hat day...

and Crazy sock day...WOW that is a lot of craziness for one week.

Also I have been covering a lot of shifts at the hospital (one of the girls is on maternity leave), so you could say life is even more busy than ever! I am so grateful to Grandma's that help us with the kids...and an amazing husband that always helps pick up the slack when I get a little scattered! He is truly a blessing in my life!