It's Halloween!

A few pictures from our Halloween festivities.

Fisher and Lou carving our pumpkin.

The finished product.

Curly as Ariel and Lou as a Ladybug. Lou even won a prize in the costume parade - I think she won on account of cuteness (the costume was nothing special) but she sure is!

And there is the pumpkin baby belly - my friend joked that I should have given the Jack-O-Lantern a growling face to show how unhappy we are that the baby is not here yet.

For the Trunk or Treat we decorated our car as a shark. Fisher did a great job!

Happy Halloween!

Guess what...

We are counting down the days until this baby arrives and hoping it is in the next week. As tradition in our families, now is the time to make your best guess and we will award the winner with a sweet prize :)
In the comments or via email - Guess the gender, birth date, name, and weight.

From my head to my toes...

I am definitely pregnant. Be evening I have "cankles" and fat sausage toes but this post is not about my swelling feet... it is about the strange phenomenon I call "baby brain". That decrease in brain function thing that happens when you are expecting. I like to think that it's because the growing baby is sucking extra blood from my brain. Here is one recent manifestation of my baby brain.

I had a meeting at work this week. I loaded Lou into the car (my boss is very nice and let her come) and drove to the hospital about 10 miles away. I had my meeting, we got back into the car and headed towards home, dropping Lou off at preschool on the way. From preschool I was planning to run some errands and realized I didn't have my cell phone... I thought this was weird because I am sure I heard it vibrating on my way to work. I decided a quick stop at home was worth the trip (you always need your cell phone when you think you won't). After searching the house, I used the home phone to call my cell phone and heard it ringing... in the garage? After searching the garage I found it... on top of my car!

It rode 20 miles to work and back through at least 12 traffic lights and 20 turns and never fell off! I had missed a call about the time I thought I heard it vibrate (apparently on top of the car). It was a miracle. The sad thing is - I don't remember putting it on top of the car and if I hadn't found it there, I never would have known what happened to it. I will be glad when regular blood flow returns!

Fast Forward

Just when we thought life was going to start slowing down and we would be able to catch up on the mile long "to do" list, someone pushed the fast forward button and time seems to zooming past. Weddings happen, funerals happen and suddenly we are three weeks away from the arrival of baby three and there is still a lot to do!

But let's rewind for a minute to what has been happening. My grandpa George Lovell passed away a week and a half ago. His family breathed a sigh of relief that he was free from a crippled body that had not allowed him to speak for almost 10 years and more recently has prohibited him from moving freely.

I am grateful that I was still able to travel and could fly home for the funeral. I am also grateful the Fisher encouraged me to go, while he stayed home and for friends who very graciously watched the girls while I was gone and Fisher was working. All of my siblings were able to be there and it was a unique and fun experience to drive from the Salt Lake airport to Idaho in a car with my siblings from Provo, Boston, and New Jersey. I don't remember the last time we were all in a car together (especially without kids to distract us). The visit was short but very sweet, with most of the time revolving around the viewing, funeral and the preparations for them. Funerals often are family reunions and I saw many cousins, aunts, and uncles that I haven't seen for several years. The cousins sang the closing song of the funeral... there are 48 of us in all, and at least 35 were there. It was a touching experience for me and I could imagine my Grandpa and Grandma sitting on the front row, holding hands, and smiling as they listened to their posterity sing.

My dad and uncle. My dad is sporting the wig he wore years ago after losing his hair to chemo. His brother still has all his hair. Neither has lost their sense of humor.

My mom, sisters, and I

The beautiful funeral spray. The wheat shafts very fitting for my grandpa who has worked hard as a farmer all of his life. I also learned that his name, George, means "Farmer" or "Of the land"

Rewind two weeks ago to my cousin's wedding in Henderson, NV. We met up with my parents there and enjoyed seeing them and my cousin's family. It was a new experience for Curly and Lou to attend a reception with a dance. And I have to admit that it was the most "hoppin" reception dance I have ever been to. Curly couldn't get enough! She kept joining the dance circle and taking her turn showing off her moves. Lou thought dancing was fun, until the group formed a circle around her and started cheering, then she folded her arms across her chest and stomped off the dance floor with her nose in the air. I wish I had caught it on camera.

The happy couple. The bride and her mother made the wedding cake together!

My dad dancing with Curly

Curly and Lou warmed up the dance floor, before it got crowded.

My parents, myself, and Fisher

Grandpa Lovell ~1919-2010~

George Lloyd Lovell, 91, of Ririe, died at his home Thursday, Sept. 30, 2010.
Born Aug. 16, 1919, the second child of George Hyrum and Harriett Borrowman Lovell, he was raised on a farm in Ririe, where duties began at an early age. By age 8, he had mastered harnessing the horse team for digging potatoes using a block and tackle to hoist them into place. George became "man of the house" at the age of 15 when his father was disabled by a heart attack.
George enjoyed giving trumpet performances and was valedictorian of his class. His father's death necessitated forgoing his dream of education and dropping out of college to manage the farm and provide the opportunity for his siblings. He determined to provide that for his children also.
During his days at Ricks College, George courted and married Amber Grover of Ririe in 1942 in the Salt Lake Temple. They returned to the farm to raise their eight children.
George enjoyed being an early adopter of newer farming methods, and prided himself in maximizing productivity. He enjoyed farming with brother Rendon and family, and many wonderful employees. He took great pride beautifying his farmyard with lawns and flowers, and teaching his family the blessings of working together. They expanded to provide support and entertainment for their growing family. The "Triple L Ranch" became a site of numerous reunions, church, and community gatherings. He was named to the East Idaho Agricultural Hall of Fame and as an Outstanding Alumnus of Ricks College.
George served the LDS community for 30 years as a bishop, East Rigby Stake president and in the Idaho Pocatello Mission presidency. He and Amber spent their only years out of the Ririe area presiding over the Texas Dallas mission from 1973 to 1976. He treasured friendships created during those years of service. He became an accomplished speaker and was honored to speak at numerous memorials and church events.
George is survived by his daughters, Deon (Winston) Larsen of Rexburg, LaRae (Clyde) Cook of Ririe; sons Robert (Brenda) Lovell of Riverton, Utah, Gary (Carolee) Lovell of Rexburg, J. Kreed (Carolyn) Lovell of Henderson, Nev., Lynn (Blynne) Lovell of Higley, Ariz., Ron (Tammy) Lovell of Ririe and Theron (Kim) Lovell of Queen Creek, Ariz.; sisters Lois (Jack) Parry of Idaho Falls and Myrna (Kenneth) Hamilton of Idaho Falls, 48 grandchildren and 94 great-grandchildren.
George is preceded in death by his wife, Amber; daughter Alice; great-grandchild Issac Timothy Lovell; brothers Ray and Rendon Lovell; and one sister, Leah Cleverly.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, Oct. 4, 2010, at 11 a.m. at the Ririe Stake Center with President Mark Lovell conducting. The family will visit with friends on Sunday from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and prior to the service from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m., both at the stake center. Burial will be in the Ririe-Shelton Cemetery under the direction of Eckersell Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent to the family online at www.eckersellfuneralhome.com.