Happy Halloween!

This year we had our 3rd Annual Allen Halloween Bash. We stayed close to home and planned the party for a few weeks before Halloween (just in case) but it was still a blast. We never knew our friends were so crazy until they showed up in their costumes. By the end of the night we had over thirty people and I still had too much food. Some of the costume highlights included: The Wares as Dwight and Angela, the Reeses as TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), the Robinsons as a stunning medieval couple and the best surprise of all, the Mangelsons as . . . something really scary.







Mike and Cristy were coming from another event and didn't arrive until about half way through the party. The rest of us were having a good laugh over the newlywed game when we spotted a bearded man's head looming in the window- about twelve feet in the air! The girls screamed and Caryn ran across the room to her husband, we were all so scared. Luckily, it was just Mike and Cristy with some seriously fabulous costumes. Way to go guys!



As usual, the newlywed game was hilarious. I found out many things I never wanted to know about our friends. Also, a word of warning, be careful about who you let housesit when you are out of town and which friends you take on trips to New York with you!

Boating Bliss

Well this is a delayed post, but we just got some great photos back from our summer boating trip in Park City. For the 24th of July, we spent the long weekend hanging out with friends at a condo in Park City and boating at Jordanelle. It was a blast! The husbands all acted like high school boys out on the tubes and paid for it in aches and pains over the next few days. I even made it out on the water (with my doctor's ok) for some very mild wakeboarding.



L-R: Kristi (the best boat driver ever), Jeff Wood, Ann Marie Wood, Spencer Longshore, Ashley Longshore and Branden with a very cheesy grin.

Eric Villareal with the cutie Natalia. It took Natalia a little while to like the idea of being in the boat.

Dixie and Annie were the best flag girls ever.


Branden would like us all to believe that this was the beginning of a wicked back flip that he pulled off but unfortunately it was the beginning to a wicked crash.

Miraculously, Branden was able to hang on and flip the tube back over to make a full recovery after Chris was able to punch it out from under him.


This is my favorite picture because I remember thinking "Wow! I am huge!" with my belly sticking out of my life jacket. If only I had known then what I would look like now!



Many thanks to Dixie and McKay for all the footage. We are lame and never have our camera for the good stuff!

Desperation and Pregnancy

My doctor had the nerve to tell me today that I am dialated to a 1.1 and 40% effaced. Clearly this was an attempt to make me feel like I have made some progress since last week when I was a 1 and 30%. I do not feel better.

During the last few weeks of pregnancy, everyone begins to tell you all of the "tricks" for inducing labor yourself. The farther along I have gotten, the more ridiculous these suggestions have become. I think people get a big kick out of seeing just how far women will go to try to get the baby out. Unfortunately, I am desperate enough that I have tried many of these "tricks" with no luck. But in the future, if you see a poor pregnant woman walking along the street with one foot on the curb and one foot on the asphalt, try not to laugh too hard.

For other pregos out there, here are some things that you can try:

Curb walking (you will look ridiculous and probably hurt your back)
Sex (not necessarily effective, but more fun than curb walking)
Foot massage right below the ankle
Castor Oil (guaranteed to give you diarrea)
Trampoline jumping
Four wheeling
Crawling around on hands and knees as fast as you can (seriously, someone told me to do this- I must seem very desperate)
Eating spicy foods

If anyone else has heard of another crazy way to induce labor let me know. As far as I can tell the thing I really need to do is have my mom smuggle me some Pitocin. Not likely.

White Chicken Chili

Lots of people wanted this recipe from the Halloween party, so here it is. Coming soon... pictures of all the crazy costumes.

White Chicken Chili:
1 pound small white navy beans, rinsed and soaked over night (or 6 cans)
2 onion, chopped
1 can (48 oz.) chicken broth
4 cups chicken, cooked and diced
1 can (7 oz) diced green chilies
2 teaspoons oregano
4 teaspoons cumin
1 ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper
6-8 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup sour cream
3 cups Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

In a large pot combine beans, onions and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 2 hours or until beans are tender. Add chicken, chilies, oregano, cumin, cayenne and garlic and continue simmering until sauce is thickened, approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from heat, add sour cream and cheese and stir until cheese is melted. Serve with tomato garnish. Serves eight.

Tomato Garnish:
½ cup sugar
¼ cup cider vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon dried onion powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons celery seed
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Fresh tomatoes, chopped
Fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped

In a small saucepan, combine sugar and vinegar. Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Combine lemon juice, seasonings, vinegar mixture and oil in a jar. Shake to combine. Add just enough dressing to lightly coat tomatoes.

The Guessing Game

I am now officially "full term" but I still feel like the end is NOT in sight. Branden and I have started a game of guessing when the baby will come. My guesses are: October 25th, 26th or November 2nd. Branden's guesses are: October 23rd, 31st or November 3rd. Clearly these guesses were made before the doctor predicted that I would go past my due date. However, I now think that he was just saying that so that I wouldn't be too anxious. (This may be true or it may just be my own form of denial.)

Anyway, we wanted to get our friends and family in on this little game. You can enter by posting a comment and recording your guess of birth date and weight for our little girl. Whoever is closest will win a fabulous prize, which we are still deciding on. If two people have guessed the correct date, whoever is closest on the weight will win. Prize possibilities include: naming rights (jk!), godmother or godfather status, or probably just an old fashioned gift certificate. Good luck!


P.S. Anyone who guesses a date that is way passed my due date or an exceedingly high weight should know that I will not find that amusing AT ALL.

Blast!

Today was the much anticipated 36-1/2 week exam with my doctor. As most of you know, I have been hoping for an early delivery and I expected great news today. Unfortunately the doctor insisted that I am "thick and closed." To make matters even worse he predicted that I would not deliver until AFTER my due date. I wanted to either burst into tears or kick him in the face. This means I have at least another month of sleepless nights and exhausting days.

Luckily, I have supportive friends who responded with the following comments when I complained about my doctor and his diagnosis:

"He obviously doesn't realize you will be in labor on the 25th" (Annie)

"What in the world!? Things can change . . . more sex!" (Dixie)

"That is lame! We should toilet paper his house!" (Chelsea)

*Note: I do realize that this is not my doctor's fault, but I am an irrational pregnant woman and I like to have someone to blame.