Hooray for Grants!

I just found out today that Chris and I got grants from the government to pay for school next year! Hooooray!! We got more than enough; the extra can go towards books and stuff. I was afraid that we would get less this year because we have made more money this year, but I guess it helps that we will soon be poor parents. This is such a huge blessing! Thank you US government!

Still after two years...

So I have been home from my mission for over two years now. For the first little while after being home I occasionally had a hard time finding the right words in English. In my Communications class I had at SLCC my first semester back, I often got marked down for using French syntax in my writing that sounded just fine to me! Well, apparently, I still have that same problem. Last night as I was doing my visiting teaching, I wanted to add a little thought to my companion's lesson. "Could I make a quick...shoot! What's the word? Ajoutation?" I couldn't think of the word "comment"! It was pretty funny. I still dream in French probably once or twice a week. I guess that's what happens with being a French major.

Soon-to-be Madame Taylor

I found out last week that I have officially been accepted into the U's Secondary Education Teaching program for Fall '06/Spring '07! Next fall will be my final semester of real classes (starting at 7:30am everyday--I really hope our baby sleeps through the night!), and then in the spring I will be student teaching. Then after two more Praxis exams, I will be a full-fledged teacher(if I can find a job somewhere)and a college graduate!! I was pretty nervous that I wouldn't get in because it's pretty competitive, and I know that a lot of schools are eliminating French classes and just doing Spanish--how sad! Anyway, I just wanted to share my good news!

What Would I Do Without the Internet?!

So it's been about a week since our internet at home isn't up and running, and I'm going crazy without it! We decided to switch dial-up companies inorder to get more Delta Skymiles, but in the process of doing so, it kind of messed things up. Chris called the PeoplePC people, and they're sending us something that will hopefully make everything better. I guess I just didn't realize how much I use and need the internet every day of my life! Usually I'll just use the computers at school (that's where I am now), but this past week was Spring Break, so that didn't work. I didn't rely on the internet five years ago when I started college nearly as much as I do now. I'm taking one completely online class, and then four other classes of mine use WebCT. Teachers and fellow group members rely on me to email assignments and information all the time. I'm going crazy without my slow dial-up connection!!

Yea for bellies!

Today after my last class two girls came up to me and asked if I was pregnant. That's a pretty daring question to ask if you're not sure. Luckily I'm not gaining weight for nothing, and I was able to tell them that I really was. I'm just excited that people who don't know that I am pregnant can start to tell just by looking at me! I used to feel like I was just getting fatter, but now it's beginning to look like a little pregnant belly!

Just as a side note, one of the girls that asked is also pregnant, but I didn't know how far along. She's way huge, and as I found out, she is only four weeks ahead of me; however, this could be because it's not her first child. Who knows, maybe I'll suddenly become huge in the next four weeks (let's hope not).

And as another side note, I think I felt the baby move again today! This pregnancy thing is pretty fun!

The Amazing World of Crepes!

This morning I decided to make crepes for breakfast. Whoever invented crepes was a very smart person! You can literally put anything on them. This morning we used Nutella, sugar, and jelly (not all on one crepe obviously). On Wednesday we ate crepes filled with spinich, ricotta cheese and chicken at a restaurant in Utah county. You can use fresh fruit, applesauce, ham, cheese...pretty much you can use absoluetly anything and everything! So give it a try with your favorite toppings! Bon apetit!

My Boyfriend the Psychic

So pretty much I think Chris can read my mind. It's starting to freak me out! Saturday night while I was at work, I thought to myself how cool it would be if Chris surprised me with that amazing-looking pizza from Pizza Hut that I've been drooling over lately (we have the picture of it with coupons posted on our fridge...ummm, it looks sooo good!). Well, I came home, and no, he didn't order it (I've said that we're not allowed to eat out anymore because we've been doing it too much lately), but he did say, "you know, I thought about ordering that pizza for you to surprise you when you came home." Yikes!

That same night I came home from work feeling pretty sick (my body ached and I was extremely tired). In my mind I thought, "maybe I should eat some scrambled eggs." Litteraly seconds later, Chris asks, "Do you want me to make you some eggs?" This incident happened just one or two minutes after the first incident!

And once again just a few hours later (the next morning), we were laying in bed, and I thought to myself, "I wonder what ever happened to that annoying woodpecker that used to interrupt our sleeping all the time." Again, Chris read my mind, and said the same thing using the exact same words! It's really starting to freak me out because this happens all the time! These three examples happened within 10 hours of each other. It's really kind of funny how he is constantly vocalizing exactly what I'm thinking word for word. He knows me so well! It's a good thing I don't have anything to hide from him because apparently I'm as transparent as glass!

A Good Birthday Present

Yesterday Christopher turned old...24 years old to be exact. We are now both considered to be in our mid-twenties. As a birthday present, we got a free ultrasound. Okay, it wasn't free because it was his birthday; it was free because we're participating in study at LDS Hospital. It's a study testing if taking extra vitamin C and E will help lessen the chances of having high blood pressure during pregnancy (HELPS is the acronym). I have to go next week to get my blood taken, and then two more times throughout my pregnancy. Each time I get a Target gift card to compensate. Anyway, the other perk was that we got a free ultrasound. We got to see our baby for the first time ever and it was pretty amazing! Our baby had the hiccups the whole time we were watching. It was shy and wouldn't turn around, so we just saw its back. The lady said that it's about 7 cm long right now from head to bum and it's heart rate was around 180. Its little legs were so tiny and curled up. According to its size and everything right now, they said that my due date looked closer to July 30th than August 1st. To say the least, it was pretty amazing to see! There really is a little human being growing inside me! Probably the first week in March we'll have another ultrasound and we'll hopefully get to find out the sex if the baby cooperates. It'll be nice to not have to call the baby "it" anymore!

My Christmas Vacation

Well, I guess I should tell you all about our cruise to Mexico. Saturday morning (Dec. 31st) we drove down to Longbeach, California. It was a long drive, so we didn't do anything exciting for New Year's Eve; we all went to bed around 9pm. The next day we got on our boat, the Carnival Pride and the first thing we did practically was eat. The rest of the week wasn't much different. I'm trying to be a good pregnant lady and eat only good things in good portions (no, I'm not eating for two; I'm eating for me and a very small person inside my tummy), but it was hard because they had pizza and icecream available 24 hours a day!! That's my kind of heaven! For dinner we were scheduled to eat at 8:15--a little too late for my likings; I like to eat around 5:30 or 6pm. Our waiters gave us so much food--often food we didn't even ask for. Tons of food was wasted, and I felt bad for all the poor Mexicans we saw in their one-room huts who would have loved to eat our leftovers.

We stopped first in Puerto Vallarta where we went on a hike. The next day we went deep sea fishing in Mazatlan. I got so sea sick on that little boat that I have been scarred for life! It was a 6 1/2 hour fishing trip, and I started throwing up within the first half hour! It was awful! The cool part of that trip was that we caught a Marlin which was 8 ft. 3 in. and weighed 153 lbs. The next day we went to Cabo San Lucas where we spent the afternoon souvenir shopping. We got a really good deal (we think) on a hammock.

The rest of the time we just relaxed and hung out. We got off the boat last Sunday and spent the day driving back arriving in Bountiful around 12:45am. It was a nice break from work and school. It was hard going back to reality the next day as the semester started up again.

I Have the Sweetest Hubby!

Tuesday was my first real day of school (I have only one class on Monday nights). I have classes from 9:10am to 3:20pm. I took the bus home, stopped by Mom and Dad's house to eat some yummy scrambled eggs, and then went to work till 10pm. By the end of the day I was exhausted mostly because I haven't gotten into the groove of school yet. Chris also had a long day. He baked at Great Harvest from way too early in the am (I think he goes in at 4am) till 11 or 12. Then he had to go work at InstaCare a few hours later until 9pm. When I came home from work, a beautiful bouquet of flowers were waiting for me on the kitchen counter with a handwritten note that said, "I just want to say that I love you!" What a cute boyfriend I have!

Here we go again!

So somehow taking 21 credits last fall wasn't so bad. I got the best grades ever! My theory is that once you have a lot to think about, adding just a little bit more isn't such a big deal. For example, Chris only had one online class last semester. This class wasn't a priority on his list of things to do. By the week before the final exam, he still hadn't taken his midterm exam! I would think that managing one class would be easier than mananging seven, but no, or at least in my experience, it was not the case for me. So I'm going to try it again. I haven't decided yet exactly, but I will be taking somewhere around 20 credits. I hope this semester goes as smoothly as last semester!

I'm Going to Be a Mommy!

So yesterday I went to my first doctors appointment at the Avenues Women's Center. I did all the usual stuff: pee in a cup, get weighed, and change into a lovely paper gown. I guess Cyndi didn't realize I was her next patient because when she opened the door and saw us she said to another lady in the hall, "Oh my gosh, it's the babysitter's daughter!" At first I thought it might be weird to have her looking at me in such a personal way, but I just tried to ignore that and listen to her blab (she sure does like to talk!). It was also wonderful that she knew our family's medical history so well.

I was told that I'm actually nine weeks along--one week further that I had thought. The due date they gave me was August 1st: Switzerland's national holiday. The coolest part of the visit was that we were able to listen to our baby's heart beat. Up until now it really hasn't felt like I'm really pregnant; I just feel like my tummy is getting fat and occasionally I feel like I need to throw up. After hearing its heart beat, it's beginning to feel more real. What a crazy thing that a little human being is growing inside my tummy!

Hmm...a certain person should call me...

So tonight I tried to call Rachael, but she didn't even have the decency to answer her phone! If she wants to hear some exciting news, she needs to call me back sometime between now and August! Happy birthday Joseph Smith!

Christopher is back!

After a long absence from the blogging world, Chris is back! However, he had to create a new blog because he couldn't remember his user-name and password. His new blogs can be found at www.topherbillyboy.blogspot.com. Enjoy!

Mission Calls

As many of you know, I am the head cheerleader for sending out missionaries. I feel sorry for those who never get the chance to experience so many things that others will never completely understand unless they become missionaries themsleves. I have been home almost two years and I still think about the people and lessons I learned on a daily basis. It was such an amazing gift to be able to go serve the Lord all day every day for 18 months. Besides the wonderful joy of helping others come unto Christ, a mission prepares you to work hard in school, to start a career, to become a good spouse and parent, etc.

Just last week I found out that one of my ex-coworkers has decided to not go on a mission. It broke my heart because I know that he is a good kid, but at the same time, if you don't go into it full-hearted, then it's best that he not go at all. I just feel sad for him because of all the wonderufl experiences he's going to miss out on. Who knows, maybe he'll pull a Derek: he will be turning 24 next week and he just left on his mission this year.

Last week I was invited to go see Gregalo (Greg Sanderson--Mary's ex-boyfriend and my ex-coworker) open his mission call. I was touched that he invited Chris and I. He has become like what I imagine a little brother would be like: likable, but really obnoxious at the same time as he knows all the right ways to push my buttons! Anyway, Chris, Mary, and I went over to his house as did another 30 of his friends to watch him open his mission call. He is going to the Riverside California mission (I guessed California, so I won $4!). A mission will be great for him, and I think he'll do a great job.

My sister-in-law Lara is planning on a mission too. When she announced that she wanted to go, I was extatic! She will make a wonderful missionary. She has already been doing a great job here at home; one of her good friends Zeb, who is pretty much part of the family already, will be baptized this Saturday morning! Last night she opened her mission call. She will be going to the Canada Alberta mission. How exciting! I just hope all the elders don't fall in love with her. She is absolutely gorgeous and super friendly.

Sometimes I get a little passionate about this sort of thing, but seriously, if any of you are thinking about it, just do it! You won't regret it!

The Spiders Go Marching Two By Two...

So it's finally starting to really feel like fall. The leaves have all fallen from our trees and I get to wear sweaters everday! I love sweater weather!! The one thing I don't like is the fact that all the bugs are trying to find refuge from the cold and come inside our house! We've already had a mouse problem. We set out tons of traps and poison, but our mice are so smart and moved the poison blocks around and ate all the peanut butter off the traps withouth setting them off. We're finally seeing fewer of those annoying devil bugs, aka boxelder bugs. I am scared to walk around the house barefoot because their dead bodies are all over, and live ones are still flying around. But the absolute worst thing in the world are the spiders! Last Saturday we cleaned up our house (we've been so busy that cleaning is the last thing we want to do), and the next day I found an enormous spider on my wall! Luckily I have a wonderful husband who doesn't mind killing spiders for me, so he got rid of it. The next day, there was another nasty one in our big bathtub! When I found it, Chris was at work, and we're out of bug spray that kills them from a distance (that's my favorite way to kill them!), so I just left him there. While I was at school later that afternoon I called Chris to have him kill it, but it had disapeared! Luckily when we got home that night he was back in the tub where I had seen him the first time (or was it just another spider and the original is on the loose somewhere in my closet?!) so Chris killed it. Then this morning I got up and found another big spider in the bathtub and a second one on the wall! Don't they know that they are in our house and they don't belong?! I'm really getting tired of all these creatures moving in! Grrrr.... I know all dogs go to heaven, but I hope that spiders go elsewhere!

Too much on my plate?

Ok, so I'm sitting here at the U's Marriott Library thinking about maybe starting my midterm paper I have to write that's due at midnight, but I just don't want to do it. I feel like my entire life is homework, and as soon as I finish one project or paper, I have a whole stack more waiting to get done. I'm taking 21 credits, working 10ish hours a week, and somehow I'm still alive! We're more than half way done with the semester; in fact, we only have about five more weeks to go! If I can make it through to the end, my reward is a nice relaxing cruise to Mexico in January. We're going with Chris' family as a last Taylor family fling before Lara goes on her mission. Anyway, I think I'll survive. Actually, my classes aren't incredibly difficult. Come to think of it, my last terribly difficult class I had was my first semester in Virginia: Biology at 8:00am. I guess I'm doing alright now because I'm into my major and enjoy all my classes.

Next semester will be another heavy load: 19 credits. However, I will be taking two telecourses and one online course, two of my other courses are only once a week, and then I just have two others twice a week. That means that I only have to go to campus Tuesday, Wednesday evening, and Thursday. It sounds like a fabulous schedule to me! My plan is to finish all my classes by the end of next fall semester, and then in the spring I will be doing my student teaching (that is if I get into the teaching program). So that's the plan! Just call me Wonder Woman!

An Unexpected Meeting

So today I was coming out of the Marriott Library after leaving my last class of the day, and as I got to the doors, I saw a girl I thought I recognized sitting on a chair talking on her cell phone. I didn't want to stare, but I wanted to know if it was her. She looked up, stared at me for a second, and then smiled. It was my old friend Andrea Campbell from Mueller Park Jr. High--you know, the one with the huge smile. I haven't seen her since I randomly ran into her when Ditka played at that one place quite awhile ago. The weird part of it was that just two nights ago I had a dream about her. I told her that today, and she said that she was just thinking about me yesterday. How weird is that! Kinda spooky! We couldn't talk long because she was on the phone and I had to go catch my bus, but it was cool to run into her.

I'm the Worst Blogger in the World!

So, that last post was written by Mary, just so you know. I thought that I should probably blog since I haven't done it in forever! I would do it more often, but I just don't think about it. I don't even write in my journal as much as I should either. So here's my excuse: I'm taking 21 credits at the U and my life consists of homework and sleep. Only 2 1/2 more months and then it'll be all over!

I guess I could blog about all the crazies I meet on the bus. The other day there was a guy who claimed to have met this random girl in a vision he had, and during his vision he recited a poem to her. He asked if she remembered it and then continued to recite it all over again; I was pretty impressed to see a guy so high on something recite a super long poem! Anyway, it was pretty funny! Another time a homeless looking man sat next to me on the 55. Apparently he has died and come back to life 27 times thanks to Jesus! Another time a drunk couple stood up at the front of the bus and yelled out to everyone, "We're gettin' out of this place! We're going to Arizona! We've had enough of those crazy mean Mormons!" I kind of feel bad for these kind of people, but at the same time, it makes for an entertaining bus ride!

In other news, my French-Teaching major that I declared last winter apparently doesn't exist anymore as I found out from a guy in some of my classes. I thought it was weird that nobody from the school bothered to tell me. I went and talked with my advisor, and it's actually better that I am now just a plain French major...this way, I only have three more classes to finish my major! But I won't be graduating till Spring of '07 because I'll have to go through the teaching program. Anyway, the end is in sight and I'm happy!

Well, I guess that's all for now. I'll try to be a better blogger. At least I'm not as bad as my boyfriend; he's only blogged once!

my idol

hi my name is Camilla Taylor and my favorite sister is Mary Elizabeth Cleverly. She is with out a doubt the prettiest girl I have ever met or even seen (Anna Jo is a close second) and she is pretty funny and awesome. I wish I could be more like her.