I Actually Did It!

This is proof that I actually cut my hair.  I have to say it feels so much more healthy and easy.  Sorry for the up close and personal shot...

Looks like I went with B...

And this is kind of fun...A lady that Steven had a meeting with a few days ago knows John McCain and his wife personally.  So today, much to Steven's surprise, he received a book signed by John McCain to Steven all personalized and everything.  It is pretty ligit!  Now...John McCain wasn't my choice for the Republican nominee but still kind of cool.  Steven was pretty excited. 

Another funny story...so Steven and I decide last night to list 20 things that we are grateful for and then we will read our lists to each other.  After about 20 minutes, Steven reads his first.  His title of the 20 most gratefuls is : The ABC's of BMP (that's me).  So he goes on to list all the things he is grateful for about me starting with A, B, C, and so on.  I think this is so sweet and then I get to thinking...I didn't do that.  I just listed 20 things I am grateful for... Did we have a misunderstanding??  He wrote all these 20 things he is grateful for about me and I listed to live in a free country, and fiber bars, and water and luckily...he thought it was pretty funny.  I re did a list with all my Steven gratefuls.  It was very easy to come up with.  I will post it in my Thanksgiving post. Isn't that funny though??  Steven did...thank goodness.

Happy Thanksgiving to all and to all...happy eating. 

Adventures With Steven

Steven and I went to the fair last Saturday. I haven’t been in years and I forgot how white trash it is. JK. No but we really did have a lot of fun and we even went and saw Kelly Clarkson in concert.

Check out this cow's tongue...weird...but we had to take a picture.

Here she is folks...

And then that following Monday, Steven took the day off work and we drove up to Payson.  We ate at this real nasty restaurant and went bowling.  I know we could have done those two things here but it was nice to get away and it was an excuse to spend more time together.  And he had this whole day planned for me and it was so adorable.

When I said nasty...I wasn't kidding.  Take a look at the meat...HELLO

This is a funny story.  So we go up to get our shoes and the lady asks us what size so I say, "I am a 9" and the Steven says..."Same".  I about died.  SAME!!   I HAVE THE SAME SIZE FEET AS MY BOYFRIEND?  This can't be right.  So as I was putting them on much to my relief, they were 2 sizes to big.  All of the shoes ran in mens so I had to get a 7 instead.  It may only be 2 sizes smaller, but I will take it!

But when we got back to Mesa, we went and at at Rubios and then watched a movie.  It was the perfect day!

This past weekend we drove to New Mexico to see the BYU vs. New Mexico game in Albuquerque and then drove to the Farmington, Aztec area so I could see where Steven grew up.  The game almost gave Steven a heart attack but we pulled it out (barely) and the seats were super sweet.  It was kind of cold but we stayed plenty warm.  And I have to say that the New Mexico stadium is really cool.

We left really early Saturday morning so we had to take turns driving and resting...

And we bought a horrible set of speakers at Walmart to watch a movie on my laptop. 

And here I am sleeping again...But the trip was so fun and we were able to stay with his sister's family.  Well Lindsey wasn't there since she was in Utah but we stayed with Kyle and their 4 kids.  It was quite the circus and a lot of fun.  It was nice to meet so many people that basically helped raise Steven and just to be where he grew up.  And all the old ladies in the ward would say, "Now you hold on to this one...don't let this one go..."  Yes...I know!

And this one has nothing to do with our trip but I just think he is so cute!

It's Time

A

B

I have been thinking about cutting my hair for a really long time. It did take me 3 years to get it back to my normal length after I lossed it, so you would think I would have this huge attachment to my long hair. Well…I don’t and I am tired of doing it all the time and then I get lazy and pull it back in a bun and I just feel like I need a change of pace. Now which one do you like better? The layered look or no…The only problem is I usually part my hair down the middle but Hilary is so good at what she does that we can figure it out. So take a vote….A or B…

Happy Birthday Mom!!

Now I understand this post is almost a week late since my lovely Mother’s birthday was the 11^th but better late then never…right!

Anyahoo, it was my Mom’s birthday last Wednesday and it was a great day. We helped Rachel with the kiddos and then we all went and saw “This is It” and I have to say it was really good. I have never been a huge Michael Jackson fan but after seeing this movie, I would have paid good money to see him in concert. He really was a musical genius and just seemed really down to earth and humble. Moving on…we then went to Red Lobster for dinner and had cake and ice cream back at the house.

I love my Mom for so many reasons. And I am who I am today because of her. But here are a few of the reasons I love my Mother:

1. She loves the Gospel and has a strong testimony. She has always been the rock in our home and always fulfills her church callings to the best of her ability.

2. She has the most amazing work ethic. If you want something done…you call Carol Parker.

3. She loves and supports us kids and would do anything for us.

4. She believes in us and wants the best for us. She has always been pro-education and was my #1 fan through school. One time I called her when I was up at school crying and telling her that I was dropping out and coming home and she said, “No you are not. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.” And well…I did graduate from college.

5. She is a great listener.

6. She has a great sense of humor.

7. She can pretty much do anything. It is pretty amazing actually.

8. Nothing like Mom’s cooking

9. She is so good about birthdays and holidays and making things just really special for us kids.

10. She has sacrificed her whole life for us.

Sure love you Mom!! Happy Birthday!!

Nixon Banks Shumway

Baby Nixon Banks Shumway was born yesterday at 5pm weighing 8lbs and 7 ounces. He is the most perfect human being in the world. I just love him and can’t get enough of him. I use to think that newborns can sometimes be kind of strange looking, but not this baby. He is perfect.

Crazy enough, Dr. Guzman let Alan deliver Nixon. I am not even kidding. Dr. Guzman has delivered all of Rachel’s babies and Rachel just loves Dr. Guzman and he has become a really good friend to her and Alan. So anyways, Alan was right there doing everything he was told as the doctor was just leaning over him directing him in what to do. I did attend the delivery and it was the most amazing thing I have ever seen. When I started to see his head, I didn’t quite know it was the head and then all of a sudden, his head just popped out and then his shoulders and this tiny human. It was so amazing. At first it was a little strange seeing my sister this way (I am not going to lie) but then I thought…well that is going to be me someday so oh well.

He is trying to be very modest in showing that he is indeed a little boy…

This is Dr. Guzman. I didn’t picture him to be so young looking. He was telling us that he delivers about 45 babies a month and has been practicing for almost 8 years. You do the math…

Bonding time with his favorite aunt…

I have to say this was one of my favorite parts of my whole experience. Baby Nixon is having his ABR hearing test. It is his Auditory Brainstem Response which basically measures responses from the hearing nerves and the brain. I have seen this on video in some of my classes so it was fun for me to watch in person.

It was fun to see Kaden and Jack’s response when they saw the baby. And here is the cutest video of Kaden with Nixon.

Book/ Movie Review

I finished reading this about a month ago and I didn't like it nearly as much as "A Thousand Splendid Suns" (as Melissa agrees with as well) but I thought it was a good read.  Quite disturbing at some parts, that I wasn't quite prepared for, but I kept reading because of the factual information it provided and I had to know how it ended.  Obviously it is fiction but it gives a great background of what it really is like in Afghanistan.  I wanted to reach through the pages a few times and strangle the main character for his stupidity but it was still good.  

This is probably the best book I have read in a really long time. It is so easy to read and follow and it really opened my eyes to how women are treated in the middle east. I really enjoyed Miriam and Laila and the character development.  They were so strong and I loved Laila's independent spirit.  I felt for both women through the entire book and just wanted justice for them and the horrible Rasheed they had to put up with.  What an idiot!  I love the love story between Tariq and Laila and I won't say anymore but you must read it.  It doesn't happen very often that I want a book made into a movie but I will make a definite exception for this one.  

Steven and I went and saw "Amelia" on Friday night.  I was really excited to see it and Steven was just being a good boyfriend, but I may have got my hopes up a little too much.  I think Hilary Swank is an incredible actress but it was soooo slow and it seemed like it just dragged.  But what was I really expecting??  And I had no idea that Amelia Earhart was such a legend and so famous.  She was the most famous women in the country for a really long time.  You can see through the movie that she was a very assertive and a "no nonsense, get out of my way" type of women.  But I guess you would have to be if you want to be the first woman to fly around the world.  And I had no idea that the U.S. Government conducted the largest search in history when she and her navigator vanished somewhere over the Pacific Ocean.  Don't let me discourage you...but I would wait until the dollar theater or DVD.

And I just had to post this cute picture of our firefighter and Harley Davidson biker.  Baby Shumway still has not made an entrance but Rachel is going into the hospital tomorrow night at 9pm to be induced if he doesn't come on his own before then. So I will have pictures up very soon of the new baby.  

I take the GRE on Saturday...I am so over it...

Steven and I didn't dress up for Halloween but I told him if we get married, next year we have to be Anderson Cooper and a news anchor because I think Steven kind of resembles Anderson Cooper.  Why didn't' I think of that before Saturday night at like 9pm??  Duh...Oh well.  It would have been so funny.