kemry's first czech days {and a quick baby update}...

...Well, sort of.

We only hit the parade. 

But that totally counts, right?

Every year, a little town in South Dakota {just a few miles away from where I used to call home} throws a huge festival honoring their founders who came from Czechoslovakia a bazilion years ago.

People dress up in Czech attire, eat lots of food, and drinks lots lots lots of beer.Since my dad always drives the car for his work's float, and also since Kemry and I were in town for a quick trip, we loaded up the car and headed to watch the parade.It was the first parade Kemry has ever seen, and she adored it.She got to dance to music, wave to people, and collect candy.Every two-year-old's dream come true.

{We still don't know what this face is about?? Boredom? Fatigue?}

We made-camp next to the sweetest old couple.

Kemry took a liking to them right away, calling him "Grandpa", placing her hand on his leg, and trying to give them all of her candy.

Typical South Dakota. You don't need to go to a parade to see this everyday.

Kem also decided that she didn't want to eat any of the candy {score for the pregnant lady!}, but this flag hasn't left her side since someone handed it to her on Friday.

As much fun as it was, we were hot, sweaty, and ready for some air conditioning, so we grabbed some kolaches {cream cheese filled, thank you very much} and headed home.And thus concludes Kemry's first {and probably last} experience with Czech Days.Can I get an amen?--------------------------------------------------Also, will you look at my parents garden?Jealous. I wish I inherited the green thumb in the family... 

-------------------------------------And for all you who have been keeping track of our pregnancy, here is the latest on the little boy growing in my belly:  -He grew from the 15th percentile to the 49th, so that was terrific news! No early induction for us {yet}!{It must have been all of those ice cream sandwiches, right?}  -We have gotten perfect scores {10s} on his biophysical profiles and non-stress tests. {They give you 2 points for each thing they find working correctly in regards to movement, heart rate, "practice" breathing movements in his diaphragm, bending/straightening limbs, and the amniotic fluid levels. If we get an 8 or 10, all is good. A 6 brings us back the next day, and a 4, 2, or 0 sends us to labor and delivery.}  -The kidneys seem to be working perfectly. His bladder was full and the amniotic fluid was perfect, so his body is doing something right.  -We got word that when the hospital's specialists had their weekly chat about the "special" pregnancies they were monitoring, they decided that we don't need a neonatologist present when I go into labor, which means they don't think he will need any special care immediately after birth.
-The genetic counselor sees no family history that would link to baby's problems, so hopefully it won't happen again. If they find that things are serious with him  when they do scans right after he is born {in regards to the kidneys and the heart},we have a game-plan set to get the rest of us checked out to make sure we don't have any hidden heart conditions/kidney problems {since this stuff is apparently highly genetic}.
-And the heart thing might not be as bad as they initially thought?All the wording we see and hear now is "a possible bicuspid aoritc valve", which we will take anyday.  In summary, things look good.And we are starting to get a little excited :)

a day of giving thanks...and wearing fat pants

I have been slacking when it comes to taking care of this poor blog.
I have been too busy enjoying family and a teething almost-2-year-old to even eat breakfast.
I am back, however, and will continue sharing the boring parts of our lives that you guys thankfully enjoy for some reason!

We were blessed enough to hop down to South Dakota for a quick Thanksgiving with my parents.

Guys.

This was the first Thanksgiving I have had at my  house since my freshman year of college.

That was a long time ago.

The same thing goes for this Christmas.

Needless to say, it was overdue.

We had the loveliest of lovely times.

I think Kemry enjoyed it the most, though.

She got Grandpa, Grandma, AND Belle.

Plus endless fruit snacks and cheese sticks.

Heaven.

some exciting news

 

We're moving!

Well, duh.

I guess everyone knew that.

{And if you didn't, see here}.

We're moving...early!

Like 2 months early.

Like... We-are-moving-in-2-weeks early.

Tyrel scored a pretty awesome job in St. Paul.

Well, actually a few awesome jobs.

He had put in some applications, just for the fun of it, but had our available date toward the end of July/August.

The day after, he got two phone calls, and about a week later, two job offers.

It wasn't really as smooth as that, but nothing ever is.

I will spare you the details, maybe because my heart just recovered from the stress and anxiety of the whole ordeal {mainly putting in my two-weeks at work when we had "pending" job offers...}.

My amazing parents are coming out over Memorial Day weekend and loading up their trailer with all of our junk.

Then we make the trek back to good old South Dakota {I have missed thee!}, where I will stay with my family while Tyrel goes through 4 weeks of training in Nebraska {or maybe Minnesota...details aren't 100% final...there goes my heart attack again}.

 After training is finished, we will move up to St. Paul and start another little chapter as a family.

We are terribly excited {although my parents might be more-so than we are, since not-so-baby Kemry will only be 4 hours away instead of 18}.

We are terribly nervous as well.

There is so much to miss {especially all of the amazing family and wonderful friends we have enjoyed here in Idaho (6 years for me, 25 years for Tyrel)} but also so much to look forward to!

To our Rexburg-ian/Idaho Falls-ian/{even Utah-ian} friends:

We will miss you terribly!  Make sure to catch us before we leave!

And come visit.

Mall-of-America.

Done.

To our SoDak-ian friends:

We're coming! We're coming! 

Play with us for a month!

Seriously. we are way more fun now that we religiously use sidewalk chalk and professionally sing this song to Kemry {actions and all}!!!

To our Minnesotan friends:

Please be nice to us and pretend you like us.

We might just win you over!

{But really, we have no social life. Let's change that?}

Here's hoping we have lots of fun and exciting things to tell you in the near future!

"all children, except one, grow up."

And sometimes I wish I were that child.

And other times, I wish my daughter were that child.

Oh well.

C'est la vie.

Alas. Our trip is over.

Done.

And we are wicked bummed out.

We had a great time, but I guess it is time to get back to the daily grind.

While we were at home, Belle {once again} thought that the baby was hers to protect.

You seriously couldn't go anywhere with Kemry without that little dog following you, all up in your business.

 Tyrel, however, can't go anywhere without his blanket.

Yes. That is right.

Precious, huh?

It was a little worn-down, though.
And I was beyond the point of being able to sew up the holes.

It needed a little surgery, so my mom and I took a little time on his birthday to revamp his cuddlebuddy.

And Kemry demanded some more time in her favorite chair.

What a slave-driver.

Now that he had a {new} blanket, she had her cozy-bum time, and I had my new teeth {yessss} we packed up.

And drove to Omaha.

After catching a {delicious} bite to eat with one of my besties, Emily {and her boyfriend}, we crashed at our hotel so we could snooze a little before our flight in the morning.

Kemry slept the whole trip.
What a little trooper!

Once we got back into IF, we stopped to see Ty's family {for his dad's birthday, of course!} and eventually made it home.

Tyrel is back at work, and I am spending my time snuggling up with the Kem-monster, dreading May 1st, when I have to return to work.

Awwww yeah. Rocking the legrolls.

a little bit of tuesdayness in yankton

south dakota? does that place even exist?

Seriously.

That is the question we asked when my mom took her job here 12 years ago.

This lovely place graced us with snow storms filled with lightning and tornado warnings within the first month of moving here.

And with towns with names like Gayville, you wonder what in the world kind of place this is.

But, seriously, we are absolutely loving our "vacation" in South Dakota.

It has been almost a year since we had been here, so it is good to be back.

We have spent lots of time just hanging out at home with my mom and dad.

Kemry is loving all the attention :)

I was so nervous about how she would do while flying.

Terribly nervous.

But she wasn't too bad.

Minus a blowout within the first 5 minutes of our first flight {from Salt Lake to Denver}.

All over her onesie.

And brand new jeans.

Awesome.

We got to stretch our legs for a little while during our Denver layover.

{Mmmmm. Look at that hottie. Best travel buddie/hubs ever.}

Kemster fell asleep right before we boarded our flight in Denver and slept the whole way to Omaha.

Whew.

 Mom and dad picked us up at the airport, and we got our Lobsterfest on in Council Bluffs.

At the end of our loooong 3 hour drive back to Yankton, Kemry dediced she was beyond done with traveling.
I have never heard her scream like that.

Luckily, we endured the wailing all the way to our driveway.

The next day, Tyrel got his first experience with Charlie's Pizza.

Once again. Kemry decided that she needed to eat just as we were.

On Thursday, we ventured to Sioux Falls for my doctor's appointment.

Four hours and lots of pain later, we were finally able to go and eat something.

Unfortunately, one of my casts was ruined so we have to make the trip again early Monday morning.

And then again on Friday {to hopefully get the real bridge put in!}.

Friday was my mom's birthday {and my little brother's. Holla, Bryan!}.

We spent the time playing with the baby, running errands, and making cheesecake.

Wait. I made cheesecake.

For the first time.

Ever.

And it was pretty awesome, I tell you.

Today we were blessed with General Conference.

And this year, we got to watch it from the comfort of my parent's house {thanks to their new set-up with Dish}.

I love this time of year.

Sometimes you need a little booster to keep you going, and that is exactly what the today and tomorrow are for!

Aaaaaaand, here is some cuteness.

You know, to make your weekend better :)

Kemry fell asleep like this on the floor while she listened to Ty playing the piano.

And she is about as graceful when she wakes up as her mother.

 

Kemry's neck is {and has always been} insanely strong for her age.

She is obsessed with rolling over from her stomach to her back, too.