The Verdict will be in on...

December 11th, less than two weeks!!!! So hopefully we have a baby with no shame that opens their legs wide letting us see the gender. After that we'll teach them modesty :o) Feel free to vote on what YOU think the gender will be. ----> What do I think? Honestly I have no clue. I am getting no gender vibes and honestly I really don't care. I am a LOT more nervous to have a boy, but I want it to happen at some point so why not now. But I really am on the fence. This pregnancy has been so different than the first. With Adelle I knew she was a girl, knew it from the moment I was 12, that my first would be a girl. If the technician had told me it was a boy I wouldn't have believed them and would have waited for them to see their mistake. With this one I am so up in the air I am actually more excited because I feel like either way it's going to be a total surprise. And its just around the corner! OK...so vote!

Giving Thanks

I know I've had three posts in the last three days. But tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I really wanted to be true to this season by sharing my gratitude with those I love. The reality of my life is that I have too much to be thankful for. It scares me sometimes. When I go to bed and say my prayers I feel like any minute Heavenly Fathers going to look down on me and go "Oh crud-I forgot about Ariane." and ZAP----a new trial.

Every day that I end and give thanks, I am able to look back and see that no major trial has reared it's ugly head. I was blessed to marry my best friend Ryan, in the Temple. We are stuck together forever, and I wouldn't have it any other way. After all the years and trials we've been through I can honestly say I love him more than ever. And I am so grateful for this. We were blessed with wonderful family that lives near. We were blessed with a home that has: heat, running water, a roof overhead and a garage along with many other things. We were also blessed with fertility, and with that came the most precious little girl a couple could have asked for. Little Adelle has been my pride and joy, and I can honestly say barely even a trial. Taking care of her is so easy it should be illegal. Now we have another little one coming into our family, and I have been blessed with yet another easy pregnancy.

We have pets, food, Ryan is employed, good health. We know why were on this earth. We are surrounded by wonderful and inspiring people. We live in this great state of Alaska, in a great country.

When I look at the little things that get me down, I have to just laugh at myself and be grateful I have yet to suffer the death of a child or the loss of a major limb. How blessed am I?

Please Heavenly Father, keep forgetting about me. I am loving my life right now.

Loving Yourself is Grand...

Today is Adelle's 10 month birthday, and she started her morning by kissing herself happy birthday! This is her new trick, giving kisses. But this is her first kiss to the birthday girl. It was very cute. Now were working on giving hugs on command. This little girl WILL love us dang it!

It appears she's even got the pucker. Stay away you little boys!

I can see my Mama loves me!

Whats Happinin at the Marley's

A LOT of things have been going on here at the Marley home. It's been so hectic I can barely enjoy the good parts. But here are some happy highlights.

One very exciting event was decorating for Christmas before Ryan left. Adelle was our support team.

For Ryan's birthday I was able to find the perfect deal on a husky puppy. Something we've both wanted, but him more than me. ( I am the one who's pregnant and home ALL the time cleaning up the dog discharge. He's conveniently on the slope a lot :o))

It has been very stressful trying to potty train a puppy and take care of Adelle. Plus all the other daily stuff that goes on. One obstacle is how to get anything done with Nelly attacking Adelle. Nothing a little rope can't handle.
Here is Nelly howling in agony to get off the cord and play with Adelle and I. Sometimes Adelle needs some "not get jumped by the puppy" time. Sometimes we all do.

It looks like Nelly is biting Adelle but really she's gently mouthing her. She has actually tried to really hard to control her little doggy self around her. She knows I am very protective so she is hesitant when trying to play with Adelle. And Adelle loves her! They also share toys very nicely! (Good job kiddos. Make Mama proud!)

The bad things this dog does. These WERE my chicken wings. Along with poop and pee, I get to clean up red chicken wing sauce from the carpet. Fun.

One thing thats cute but also annoying is she likes to follow me around and lay at my feet. It becomes a challenge for her because when I am in the kitchen (where she's tied up at times) I am busy busy busy. Walking from here to there she ends up standing and laying every 30 seconds, only to have to get up and follow me again. This picture was taken after sleeping at my feet, and then being so out of it she wasn't awake to follow me. Pretty cute I think. (but annoying when your constantly tripping over the cord)

Today was Issiac, Darion and Marks birthday. To celebrate the twins birthday Melissa, Aidan, Adelle and I and Vanessa the twins went to H2Oasis water park. Adelle first time swimming!
Love this Aidan look. "What did I do?"

Birthday Boys. They're 5 now. Wow!

Adelle was as happy as a clam watching her cousins splash and swim. She was grinning from ear to ear the whole hour. Had a LOT to say to them too as they swam by.

We ended our day by teaching Adelle to play on her haunches. She had a lot of fun grabbing all the balls and just switching the toys back and forth. One more manipulative step by Mom to get her to crawl.

(The real question is where's Nelly during the 5 seconds it took me to take this picture?)

Happy Birthday!

Crawl Baby Crawl!

Adelle is 9 1/2 months, and still not crawling. She will play on her tummy and roll around, but won't get into crawling stance. So Ryan and I have figured out a trick. If we get her into position, she will STAY in position if she is being bribed with sweets. Not the healthiest bribe I know, but it works. Here we are feeding her a chocolate cheesecake (and who wouldn't do anything for that), and she's staying in good form :o). Another time we used chocolate chip cookies. It worked.

Just one more obstacle we parents must hurdle. I think "what would motivate me to do something I don't want to do? CHOCOLATE!"

I Must be Getting Old...

So I went to Forever 21 the other day, because the first time I went there I found a really cute shirt that I wanted. I was hoping they still had it, and of course they didn't. I was very disappointed to find the very strong 80's trend has come back FULL FORCE! I knew it had reared it's ugly head to some degree but I had no clue it was this bad. I walked through that story laughing and mocking the clothes that were being sold. And then I came upon THIS. This mannequin, hideous as ever and yet honestly believing she is the ultimate trend setter in fashion. Is this really hip now? It looks like some Halloween joke!

I walked out of that store shaking my head, realizing that my sense of style is now "old". I feel like one of those "old" people that are completely out of style but also so old they just don't get it. You feel sorry for them. The lady who's sense of smell has died and who truly believes the 2 cups of perfume she bathed in smell great. The guy who thinks the comb-over makes him look young and hip.

I looked at my clothes and wondered if it was time to conform. If I needed to get with this new acquired taste and get with the groove. After walking the mall and seeing all the little young-ins in their cross dressing/funktified clothes, I decided against it.

I may be un-hip to the world but I am the COOLEST Mama in my house!

And I like it that way.

Reader Discression Advised...

This is a story for people who know and love me and KNOW my sick potty humor. It gets sick, so this story is intended for mature audiences only. (Or immature audiences..)

My Pee Pee Story

So I had my first Pregnancy/going to explode/I have to pee so bad experience today that I have to just laugh at myself for. I love to hear other peoples stories like this so I thought I might share mine.

It goes like this.

I went out to lunch with a friend and had a nice big cup of herbal tea. Like 16 oz. Then the tea made me REALLY hot and I was wanting something cool to drink. So for $1 I found satisfaction in a 32 oz cup of ice water. Drank it all. It was gooood. I knew it would run through me, but I thought I had some time. (NEVER think this when your pregnant)

After walking around the mall for awhile with my friend I left her to go pick up Ryan from the airport. I felt fine in the car, so I wasn't worried. After picking up Ryan we decided where we were going to go eat (I swear I don't spend all day eating), and we headed to the restaurant. Then it started to hit, and then it hit hard. I became really grumpy really fast, and my sweet husband, who was so happy to see me and wanting to pepper me with kisses was a little bummed that I kept pushing him away. I was getting grumpy. Then the place HE recommended that I swore would have a long wait DID have a long wait. I told you so!

We changed plans and headed further down the road. At this point I was leering at each gas station we passed, each fast food restaurant that I knew I could sneak in and pee. I was even looking for empty fields to empty my "field" in. "No" I kept telling myself, I am a strong and prideful woman and I can wait 5 minutes till I get out OUR restaurant.

I was ready to kill my husband for every kiss and mention of his boring job, and finally I gave in. Literally 4 blocks from our restaurant I pulled into McDonald's parking lot. The first thing I saw when I walked in the door was the ladies restroom beckoning. The angels sang. I pee'd. I sang. It was sadly the most satisfying experience I've had since....I don't remember when.

When I got back out to the car, my dear Ryan was the most handsome and sweet husband a girl could have ever asked for. I kissed him, and smiled at him. I welcomed him home. I was going to be OK.

So, the moral of the story is there's NO happy drug like an empty bladder. Remember this when life gets hard, and you can't think clearly. Fighting with your spouse? Go to the bathroom! Life is always better on the other side of the stall.

Our Halloween Partay!

My family LOVES Halloween! Can you tell? The Campbell's, and the Olsens and Dad and Devin showed up for the Halloween party. The moment I walked in the house it was full on laughter at the costumes everyone had come up with.

This is my beautiful niece Cora.

The cousins, we have in order: The Phantom, a Mummy, Corps Bride, Elephant, a Vampire, a Pirate, Snow White and Batman.

Nathan...the Mr. Clown

Vanessa. Mrs. Clown

The adults. It was a FUN night, just watching people talk was so humerus, it's so fun to dress up and get dirty!

The great thing is I already have next years costume planned out. Ryan and I both. It will be SO great!