ON THIS DATE IN HISTORY: The Best Friend of my Youth was BORN!

I have said before that I had a pretty excellent adolescence (at least socially), and most of my excellent adventures took place with my pal, Susan. We were pretty much inseparable through high school and had a lot of fun. Susan is 6 days my junior and turns 34 today, so HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SU! Here's to happy memories of coca cola, tabasco sauce, stake dances, the Opal, the shed, Gene Travis Shanks and his crazy made up songs and socks full of change for us to take to the mall, Sally-Lee's patience and love of Elvis and chauffeuring us around town before we could drive, good and bad boyfriends, MTV all-nighters, taping videos and Young Ones episodes for me, becoming Monkees fans in 1986, growing up and going our separate ways and staying friends.

Jamie & Susan, 1991

BATHING CUTIES

Last night Richard and I went to Billings to go to the temple, which is at least a 6-hour round trip. We missed the girls, so we bought them little rubber duckies at Cost Plus World Market and gave them to them this morning. Grandma Rosalie told me the girls had baths last night, so I wouldn't let them try out their new ducks in the tub. Instead, I pulled up a chair to the sink and gave them some water in which to float the ducks. A few minutes later, I came back to the kitchen and they were IN the sink--the little stinkers! Here are the pix their daddy took at about 8am. I guess they're squeaky clean now!

Prego Amnesia

It is so crazy how you totally forget certain things about being pregnant, and then when you are again, you're like, "OH, YEAH--THIS!!" Like how I am a total SLUG the first trimester and can't remember ANYTHING. I fall asleep if I ever sit still (driving is a challenge), and now I have this stuffy nose that I had with both other pregnancies. So I have to keep tissues by the bed, but I still sleep with my mouth open, which also means I need water and lip balm by the bed, which then means I have to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, which means I have to climb the stairs because the downstairs Bath isn't done yet. And by the way, WHY do I have to pee every half hour when the baby is the size of a pinhead? What's the deal with that? Anyway, I kinda didn't believe the pregnancy test, but now that we're almost to week 6, I'm feelin' it. Hence, lame blogging.

Last Week's Apple Family Night

On Monday, Sept. 19th, we went and picked apples off our gazillion trees at the ranch, and the Carter family came, too!
Cousin Danny, Addie, & Heidi pick apples up off the ground.
Heidi's job is to make sure the apples are delicious.

Heidi, Addie, & Danny collect apples while the grown ups shake the tree.
Addie got LOTS of apples!
Addie & Danny played hunter in the field

(where there are usually deer, antelope, & bears)

OOPS! That's Colton Carter sideways in a tree!
Aunt Angie & Heidi
Nicole & Terry Carter with Apple boxes

Moriah Carter and Mom Melin picking up apples off the ground.
Awww...tired Heidi & Rich
Happy Heidi & Sleepy Addie

That's me...1972.

THIRTY FOUR

Well, it's over. The party's been had, the gifts opened, the news spread...I'm settling into 34. I took this close up to examine my face at 34, to look at wrinkles and scars. Interesting. My face is all slopey and I can still see the very first wrinkle I noticed on my 26th birthday--it's the laugh line on my left, your right. Hmm. All I can tell is everything is sagging, but it's all good. I have my health and a bun in the oven, so no complaints! Big thanks to my in-laws for such a nice evening (Cuban Barbecue)!

My sis asked about the girls' reactions to the baby news. Well, Heidi doesn't get it of course, but she is absolutely MAD about babies. Addie--well, the conversation went like this: We were sorting through my stationery, and we found a little boy's bday card with a train on it and she said, "Oh, we can save this for my baby brother!" (she has been talking about her baby brother for 10 months). I smiled and said, "Know what? There's a baby in my tummy! Maybe it will be brother!" In her cute little dramatic way she leaned over and hugged me and said, "Oh, mommy! I am so happy for the baby in your tummy! I love it! I love my baby brother!" And she keeps hugging my belly and saying, "I love my baby!" It's pretty fun. They are just the BEST kids--I am so loving them right now (maybe because they are SLEEPING ALL NIGHT IN THEIR OWN BEDS!!! Another good bday thing!)

My Very Best Present

No. 3 ETA: May 27, 2006