32 Weeks and a Baby Shower

I'm back in California! With lots of baby swag.
Over the weekend I had a dreamy baby shower with my family and friends.
My mom and I had been planning it for quite some time
and after some weather scares and baking flops, we pulled it off!

I decided to go with a fall theme, since its my favorite time of year...
We made mini peach pies, pumpkin bars, and chocolate cake!
The peach lemonade was my favorite, made with lemonade, peach nectar, and basil.

Thank you to everyone who came to support our new little family!
It's surreal to be this close to the end of my pregnancy...
I'm 32 weeks today and the fact that I could possibly be having this baby next month
is so crazy! We still have lots of preparing to do.

Baby is so big now, I can feel his little feet and head poking out both sides of my belly.
I'm rocking the belly support band like nobody's business. It's super sexy.
Sleeping has become extremely difficult, I usually lay awake aching for over an hour.
I know, I know, it's preparing me to be a mother. But is the heartburn necessary?

** I'm currently accepting any advice for these final weeks of pregnancy! Let me know if there are some products I NEED to have or any hospital or baby tips. Dish ladies.

Utah Baby Shower

Hooray for baby showers!
Seriously, I have the best family in the world.
The Kearns girls really spoiled me, and I'm so grateful for everyone that came to the party.
I can't believe this whole baby thing is really happening to me... it's surreal.

**If you ever need the perfect party salad, make Amy's salad! So good. And wasn't the watermelon baby carriage adorable? My mother in law is crazy creative.

they did the monster mash

We had our first ever Halloween party Saturday night.

I spent the entire day preparing because I am a procrastinator and 

have no concept of time management. 

It's a miracle I graduated from college. 

It's probably because I'm terrified of failure. 

ANYWAY... we had a fantastic time and some great costumes. 

Halloween is quickly becoming my favorite holiday. 

Happy Halloween!

Twenty-four

So I like to plan parties.

Even my own birthday party.

and I think it turned out really well! 

I am truly blessed to have such great friends.

And a great husband who puts up with me :) 

I was reading this blog earlier, and I think she took the words right out of my soul.

"I am a deeply blessed woman. As I begin my (twenty-fourth) year I am feeling much more reflective and quiet. I feel life speeding up and the risk of missing it crouching at my door. I long to be an authentic woman who shares her heart freely and simply and above all I want to trust God. I am so weary of simply trying to please Him - I want to live into the freedom that is trusting Him."

Twenty-three was a tough year for me! 

Probably the toughest thus far. 

Moving away from home was very difficult

and having a husband in pilot training? Even more so...

But it made me stronger, more experienced,

 and I fully intend to use the insight I gained

to build a brighter and more accomplished Courtney.

I'm sick of thinking about my dreams.

I'm ready to live them.

it's a wonder at all

The weekend started off with "The Great Clothing Exchange" 

Some of us girls from the ward brought some old clothes that

we didn't want and exchanged them, it was so much fun. 

I got some fantastic shorts for summer and lots of striped tops. For FREEEEEE!

Hailey made some great snacks and I made sopapilla cheescakes.

Sooo good! I only used two rolls of cresents, one original, one reduced fat. 

I halved the cream cheese filling and used 1/3 fat cream cheese.

I'm telling you, it was amazing. I want to make it again today.

So get your friends together and have a clothing exchange. It's a beautiful thing. 

Boom, boom, boom...

 We had a lovely birthday party for this crazy lady...

 who almost caught her hair on fire with our lovely sparkler candles

 it included Emry, what a doll.

 and Ally, who is STILL pregnant.

 Kendall, a big crowd enthusiast.

 And Jacob, who likes to growl and bark.

 Our surprise guest Lauren was there

 and a couple celebs names Ali and Christina.

 There was squishing...

 and blooming...

and lots of love spread about... Happy Birthday Momma!