A couple of weeks ago, we decided that we would take the girls away for a couple of nights to stay in Estes Park. Trendwest, Chris’ parents timeshare, now has a hotel there that they are renovating, but we were able to stay in one of the cabins that they have completed. It was a bit smaller than what we have come to expect from Trendwest, but the girls thought it was great fun. The cabin had one bedroom that Chris and I shared and the girls were so impressed that we got a tv in our bedroom, as well as having one in the living room where they were to sleep on a hide-a-bed.
We arrived Sunday afternoon after heading home from church, changing, eating and packing. Check-in wasn’t until after 4 pm so we weren’t really in any rush to get there. We brought left-over pizza from home for supper so that we wouldn’t have to go out on a Sunday evening. We pretty much stuck around the cabin for the evening, the girls watched a Star Wars movie we brought, and Chris and I watched the tv in our room.
The next morning dawned fairly early for Misha, as usual, and she in turn woke Amy up quite early. Probably hard not to wake her up, but she speeded up the process by loudly whispering, “Amy wake up.” For breakfast, Chris took the girls to get groceries - donuts and OJ- at Safeway. Any opportunity to have donuts and they’re all for it.
We drove around Estes Park and then up into Rocky Mountain National Park for the morning. The girls weren’t all that impressed, but Misha was the first one to spot an elk, rather a huge herd of elk somewhat camouflaged by the trees. In order to keep them interested during the ride, we promised the first one to spot any wildlife a treat. By about 11 am, the girls were fairly bored and asking for lunch. I was happy to stop myself since the driving seemed to enhance the morning sickness I still get.
We stopped to pick out Misha’s “prize” for spotting the elk-a chocolate covered pretzel (Amy got one too)-and then headed over to a combination KFC and Taco Bell. I don’t know what it is about eating, but Misha surely isn’t speedy about it. That day was no exception. We finally got her to finish her standard eat-out food, french fries and chicken, and then decided to head back to the cabin for naps. Misha and I rested on the hide-a-bed while Amy entertained Chris and colored in the bedroom. Just as we were waking up, she fell asleep. Never a good thing because it keeps her up when it is bedtime in the evening. We decided to pick out some videos from the check-in desk–a Strawberry Shortcake movie for the girls and a new movie “Napolean Dynamite” that everyone said was so funny. You might think it funny someday but both Chris and I thought it was fairly inane and stupid.
Before watching the movies though, we played UNO with the girls and then headed out in search of a place to eat. We ended up at a little pizza joint that we came upon last summer and had wanted to try.
We had originally intended to drive back home early Tuesday morning so that we could drop Amy off at school at 9:15 and so Chris could work, but since Amy’s preschool was cancelled for the rest of the school year, we left around 9 am. It was snowing lightly as we left Estes Park but didn’t continue for long as we came down out of the mountains. As we drove through Lyons the wind picked up mightily and continued that way at our house for the rest of the day.
I think the girls enjoyed themselves on our weekend getaway. We figured we wouldn’t have an opportunity for awhile after the baby came to do something like that. We also know that with the baby’s arrival, life will change and the focus will not always be on Amy and Misha. We wanted them to feel as though they were still an important part of our family.
As far as preschool goes, we were sitting in church when Jeff Garrigues, Miss Robyn’s husband, announced that she had gone in to the hospital because she thought she had strep or pneumonia and came away with an advanced stage of breast cancer in her right breast. She had surgery on the 15th where they removed lymph nodes and both breasts and she will begin chemotherapy soon. Amy was truly learning and loving her school, so it is hard to see it come to an end. We are waiting now to see what will happen in the fall since Misha was signed up to attend then, but hope that everything is ok with Robyn.
Chris and I attended the temple with Shawn Wycoff on Tuesday the 15th as well. He was baptized a year ago, his wife divorced him, and he just got married to a lady, Shelly, from Logan, Utah on Friday the 18th in the Logan Temple. Quite a year of changes for him. It was nice to attend the temple; I went knowing that it would be my last time for awhile. Chris drove out to Utah for the wedding, leaving late on Thursday and driving until 2:15 am. He went with a friend from the ward, Ralph. The wedding was Friday morning, a luncheon was scheduled for around noon, and then Ralph and Chris headed to Temple Square in Salt Lake City to spend the rest of the day. They both spent the night at Brad’s and left Saturday morning to come home.
My monthly Bunko activity was the Friday night that Chris was gone, so I had Tacy Burnham watch the girls. They actually ended up going with her family while they had pictures taken and then out to dinner at Chick-fil-A. Tacy’s mom, Maria, said that people sure did look at them funny with six kids in tow and her pregnant with her fifth. The girls had a good time though and even got to stop at Burnham’s for ice cream with chocolate sauce.
Misha said the prayer in Primary on Sunday. We had talked earlier about what she should and shouldn’t say and she ended up doing a great job on her own, however, people know that her mommy needs to sleep more.
With each passing day, I am feeling bigger and bigger. I suppose I look as though I have reached nine months of pregnancy because people, usually ladies from the ward, ask how soon I am due and look amazed when I tell them I still have another month to go. I have found that women ask the most insensitive questions about pregnancy and really should have the experience and memories to know better. So I am not looking forward to being in church the next couple of weeks and having to answer such questions anymore. With this cold, I might just be off the hook this week and the week following that is General Conference.
On Tuesday, Amy came into the office with Misha and said to me, “Since you and daddy got to name Misha and me, can we name this baby?” What a cute question. I didn’t tell her yes or no but instead asked her what she would name the baby. She thought for a minute and said, “Lisa or Shelly” and Misha piped in saying that Cinderella was a nice name. I think Chris and I have finally decided on a name that is agreeable to both of us. Of course, there is always the chance that it can change, but I think her name will be Julie Makenna. We haven’t told the girls for sure yet, since we don’t want it broadcast. When we mentioned to them a list of possibilities with Julie in the list, Misha said, “We already have a Julie”, meaning our friend Julie who was an IBM intern last summer and babysat them.
My next doctor’s appointment is next Tuesday, the 29th. I’ll be 36 weeks then. I plan to find out what the earliest possible date they will deliver me is and go for that. I am ready to be done. My friend Tasha (Amy’s friend Audrey’s mom) is due April 1st and is being induced this Friday March 25th. I am wishing that it were me. The day following my appointment, Chris and I are scheduled for a tour of the labor and delivery at the hospital and will have Tacy come babysit for us again.
Amy is getting excited about her baby sister and a little impatient as well. Kind of like waiting for Christmas to get here. She often asks what it will be like to have a baby at our house and if she will cry all the time. It should be fun.
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