so long provo.

This morning we went down to Provo to help my dear cousin Jessica and her husband Colin pack up their home as they prepare to start a new chapter in Texas this summer. 

Aren't they they cutest couple EVER?

It's such a bitter sweet feeling to be packing up someone you love knowing they will be going so far away and it may be months, even YEARS before you see them again. 

Especially when that someone is a person you love so dearly, and is like your own sister.

I have been very fortunate to grow up close with most of my cousins. On both sides of the family I have very fond memories with each of my cousins. 

On the Goold side however, the cousins are much closer in age to mine and my siblings ages and a lot of us grew up in the Sacramento area. 

I am a little sad that Jessica will be SO far away when I start a new adventure with this baby come summer, but I could not be happier for all the exciting new adventures that await Colin and her in Texas (hopefully she BLOGS more from there so I don't miss anything).

 I am gonna miss having my G-G around. We have had some pretty amazing times together, and they have only gotten better over the years!

Memory Lane Flashback Moment

 

 

 

 

 

 

Luckily, Jess and Colin are temporarily in Ogden staying with family until July so hopefully we can spend some time together before they leave.

The rest of the day Kev and I ran around town getting done all of the little chores we needed to wrap up for the weekend. New make-up for me, baby clothes for our little (thanks to sweet Bishop Hayden) and then a nice home cooked teriyaki chicken dinner.

Anything exciting happening for you this weekend readers? We love hearing whats going on in your world too! 

Peace.and.Love

The baby's heartbeat....

is the best sound in the WHOLE wide world.

I went to my doctors appointment today and got to hear the baby's heartbeat again. I've said before that it's definitely not as exciting as seeing him on the screen, but hearing that little rapid beating sound melts my heart.

Baby and mommy are both doing very well at this point. 

I passed the diabetes test (thank heaven) and only gained two pounds in the last four weeks which was much more acceptable then my DEVASTATING twelve pound gain at my last appointment (see here) 

I also had my blood drawn today to make sure my body has not started building up anti-bodies towards the baby (if he is a different blood type since I am A-). I go back tomorrow to the hospital to get my shot and wouldn't you know, the shot is injected into my buttocks. Super NOT excited about that, however Kev and I will get to take a tour of Labor and Delivery while we are at Timpanogas Hospital tomorrow and I am VERY excited about that. 

One more appointment in May and then I start going every two weeks for 3 appointments, and then every week for the last two weeks, assuming he hasn't already made his grand entrance.

I still cannot believe that I am 2/3's done with growing a HUMAN inside of me!

It's insane to think that before we know it our little family of two will be a 

little bit bigger family of THREE. 

Exciting and kind of terrifying all at the same time.

I was thinking today how I have NOT kept a very good journal (besides my blog posts) of everything I have been feeling and experiencing during this pregnancy. I haven't kept close recordings of my food cravings or aversions or trips to the bathroom or the fact that my scalp is as dry as sandpaper, and I am kind of disappointed in myself for not keeping a better record. I have heard how women LOVE to look back on all those moments they experienced during that LONG nine months; especially with their first.

I have started writing down what I can remember from the past six months and hope I will be better at recording those memories for the remaining twelve weeks.

Memory of this week: Terrible, TERRIBLE heartburn and discomfort. Blah.

What were some of your favorite memories or recordings of your pregnancies mommy readers? 

Please share!!  I love to hear what others have experienced.

Hope everyone is having a great week. Just three more days until the weekend. 
Hang in there everyone!

Home Stretch

Finally reached my Third Trimester yesterday! I cannot believe we've made it 28 weeks and have only 12 short weeks to go! Before we know it our little man will be here.

Am I getting HUGE or what?!

Thursday I tried a new recipe and it was HUGE success. I made homemade Sloppy Joe's. 

I myself have never been a big fan about the messy pile of goop people call dinner, however I found a recipe on PINTEREST that included onions, BBQ sauce and other yummy flavors. They turned out amazing and were not runny at all. Kev ate TWO during dinner and had leftovers for lunch the next day. 

I love trying new recipes, especially when Kevin enjoys them and begs for them to be on the menu more often! 

Yes that is Corn you see on my plate.. and I ate it (Kev has proof)

Other mentionable meals this week:

Kevin made his FAMOUS french toast Saturday morning.

For desert with the sloppy joe's, I whipped up some homemade caramel to top a banana and vanilla bean ice cream. We eat so well in the Ford household.

Today I was not feeling well at all, just like Tuesday (after a weekend of  eating out and sleeping in a different bed AND Flying). 

I laid in bed until 4 today while my sweet husband went to church and taught our class alone for a second week in a row! I am so grateful for him and how he braves nine 7-year olds all by himself. 

Kevin took me on a drive this evening to get me out since I'd been cooped up all day. It was such a lovely day that we came home and sat outside for another hour taking in the gorgeous sun, blue skies and fresh mountain spring air! One thing I absolutely adore about Utah is how beautiful it is here when Spring comes around. I love the blossom trees and the way the snow looks as it begins to melt off the tops of the Wasatch Mountains.

We are very much looking forward to lots of outside time this summer. Sunday drives through the mountains or down by the lake. Sun kissed skin (which means freckle galore for me) golfing (for Kevin) and of course taking our baby out and introducing him to his beautiful home on earth. 

Whats your favorite part of the spring/summer season? We'd love to hear what your traditions and favorite things of the sunshine months are! 

Hope all our readers have a wonderful week. Can you believe we are almost to MAY?! Twenty-twelve slow the heck down.

Home Sweet Memories.

I am home. 

Not my Utah home where my sweet husband and I live, but the HOME that built me.

I arrived in Sacramento yesterday morning. As the plane touched down on that familiar runway, I began to feel an overwhelming emotion of love for the city I am from.

I was after all born here and lived a good 22 years of my life in this city. It is where some of my fondest memories were made.

As we drove down Madison Avenue and I stared out the window at so many familiar places, I smiled as I felt each street sign and building welcoming me back.

After an afternoon of running errands we finally made it to my parents home.

I can never begin to express the love I feel when we pull up to this lovely brick house on the corner. 

I instantly recall summer days on front lawn selling lemonade with my siblings. I see "Little Blue" (the teenage car that has been around since I got my license) parked on the curb and giggle inside at how that car has been there for us kids as we've each gone to high school.

I see the beautiful tree our family planted in the front yard and remember the day we planted it and how tiny it was back then. As it stands tall and towers over the home now, it reminds me of all the years our family has been here.

Sixteen years. 

It may not seem like that long to most. I know lots of people have been in homes for many years longer,  however for our family those sixteen years contain the best and the worst years of our lives.

As I have talked with my parents over the last day the realization has come that they wont be in this home forever. My heart breaks to think that my sweet baby may never get to know the home I grew up in. Grandma and Grandpa will live somewhere new when he is old enough to remember going to their home and I have felt a need to try and connect myself to this house while I am home this trip in a deeper way.

I am excited for my parents to someday move somewhere new (Hopefully UTAH close to ME) and to make new memories. I am excited for them to find the home they will retire in and the home where our children will make memories of visits to grandma and grandpas house. 

Its a wonderful feeling to look into the future and see all the amazing things the Lord has in store for the Grant and Shelley Goold posterity and I look forward to those coming years.

As I crawled into the bed I was sharing with my sister Aubrey last night, in the room we shared in high school, I began to soak in some of those memories. I remember many late nights that she and I would stay up talking. How we painted the room from jean walls to black and white hibiscus flowers. How I would set up all my pretties (makeup, perfumes, hairbrushes etc.) out on our vanity and how she would come by right behind me and sweep it all into drawers. I listened as mom and dad where out in the living room talking with the younger girls as they wrapped up the things they were doing preparing for bed and admired how for so many years my parents have always been there and involved in what us children were doing.

I loved being apart of this mornings chaos (quietly from the comfort of my bed of course). From the first alarm at 6am to the ins and outs of four girls trying to share ONE bathroom for their morning routines. Mom in the hallways making sure everyone is REALLY out of bed and up getting ready for early morning seminary. Dad getting ready for his day and 4 dogs whining for some type of attention amongst the hustle. 

I felt so happy that I had all these memories. I was happy as I thought back on how most of those memories include my sweet brother Hunter also. 

It will be hard I am sure when the day comes we pack up and say goodbye to 5500 Hammond Ct and all the memories, but I know the Lord has blessed us and will continue to bless our family in moving on and making new memories someplace else.

As I've been home I have also had a chance to look at my little family and ponder the important things. As Kevin and I prepare to bring a baby into the world this summer I have desired so deeply to be in a place where we can build memories of our own. Memories like the ones I have at my parents home.

My mom said yesterday that a home is not the house you live in but the people who are in that house with you. She said they could live in a cardboard box and it would still be a home as long as they were together. 

I thought how I desire to have a little brick home I can make our own. How I wish for a little backyard that the baby can play in with friends and siblings. I desire that little American family dream that seems to be a fading fantasy for so many young couples today. I also thought about what my mom said and realized that no matter where Kevin, our baby and I end up, that it too won't be forever and as long as we have each other and are healthy and happy, then that's all that matters.

I am so grateful I have the blessing of being home this weekend. I love coming to visit and seeing so many people I love. 

I am so thankful for the sixteen years of memories this home has made and how I (and anyone else who comes into this home) feel that blanket of love wrap around as soon as they step in the door.

It's FRIDAY! Off this afternoon with mom and then date night with Aubrey, my parents and uncles as the young girls go to TWIRP. Everyone is always going, Going, GOING here; Non stop.... and I love it! 

Have a great weekend Readers! 

Easter Sunday

He is Risen! 

 

Happy Easter to all of our readers! We are so grateful today for all of you and for the love you show us as you follow our story and watch our little family grow.

We are so grateful today for our Savior and for his sacrifice for all of us.

This morning Kevin woke up to find that EB (Easter Bunny) had visited our home. (He didn't make it last year because I was so sick the week prior to Easter and I think EB just didn't want to catch the nasty sickness I had the first few weeks of our marriage). 

Kevin had a little Easter Egg hunt this morning around the living room. He is a really good egg finder. I even had three eggs hidden in "really" hard places and he found them all so quickly. 

EB delivered three eater baskets to our home this year. One for Kevin and I and a tiny one for baby. I guess EB didn't realize baby wasn't here yet so he left a little note ;)

Church was lovely today. We taught our primary class the First Easter story and I was surprised how much these six year old children knew about the Resurrection. It is so neat to see them understand and teach back the story.

We had decided that this year we would have a quiet Easter dinner with just the two of us. 

I made potatoes, ham, rolls and veggies and it was very yummy.  We ate dinner and watched the Masters. 

Kevin's ideal EASTER of course would include an incredible dinner and his favorite sport.

Easter twenty-twelve was a lovely day. Crazy to think that next year our little boy will be here. I already have our Easter outfits planned! (I'm imagining two matching ties to one matching dress... all homemade) 

I'm off to Sacramento on Thursday with my sister Aubrey and I could not be more excited. Kevin is not as big of a fan of me leaving but he has to stay and work so he will miss out on this trip. 

Happy EASTER readers. 

Love a pregnant feeling Kyla, Hubby and a 26 week+1 day old baby. 

Thursday Blues.

Today was a poopy day! 

Lots of anxiety at work, and possible decisions to be made in the Ford Family over the next while and lots of excitement for baby boy that will be here in just THREE short months (I can't believe how its sneaking up on me so quickly).

Lucky for me I have an amazing husband, family and friends to keep me smiling through the rough days.

I received the cutest invite in the mail yesterday to help put a smile on my face. Of course I'm a little bias as it's an invite to celebrate me and baby boy back in Sacramento NEXT WEEK and I am so excited to be going home for a visit (it's been six months... well overdue for some Sacramento time with some of my favorite people).

 

 We also got to go to the Real Salt Lake soccer game last night. 

I had flashbacks of how much I love playing soccer and how much I miss these days with all these amazing girls. We had some amazing times playing the game we all love so much and I cherish those years!

The "Easter Bunny" sent a lovely package to our house that came in the mail today! I just love those Easter Bunnies back in Sacramento.They always spoil us!

And, I get to come home to MY incredible guy every night. He makes me smile and is my partner in crime as we face this world together and all that it holds for us... Good and Bad. 

PS. The other night we were lying in bed and he leaned over, kissed me and said, "Can I keep you forever?"

Lucky for him, we did this a year ago....

 And he gets to keep for forever and more! 

Happy Thursday Readers. Just one more day until the weekend. We can make it!