Baby!

Um. I'm not quite sure why I haven't blogged in SO long because I actually have a lot of news!

I blame it on the smartphone. With so many other outlets to share pictures/news, I've neglected this little corner of my internet.

If you haven't heard, we have some pretty exciting news... We're pregnant! I'm 15 weeks along and am due May 21, 2014! It feels like it's gone so fast already and I'm loving every minute of it! Our baby is the size of an apple this week! I'm not showing  yet, but check every day to see if I've grown and so far, no bump.

So I've been asked by numerous people to tell "the story" so here's some deets you may have been wondering:

We always thought we'd have trouble getting pregnant because of my past ailments. Having cancer and going through radiation terrified me at age 18, because they told me it may cause infertility. It scared me even more once Scott and I decided it was time to start a family, because it was suddenly so real and in my face. 

I took lots of pregnancy tests over the 8 months that we tried, each negative, and each bringing a little bit more fear into my heart. It definitely crossed both our minds numerous times, 'what if this isn't for us'. But through the grace of God, it happened!! Not only are we SO completely elated to be pregnant, but I am so completely relieved to know that we can get pregnant! Although 8 months doesn't really seem like a long time to try, and not conceive, in the moment, it felt like centuries. 

The night I took the positive pregnancy test, Scott was on his way home from work. We had been home from Costa Rica a little less than 2 weeks. We were in a hurry to go to a baptism at church that night. I took the test and was trying to keep it together and not give it away when Scott got home. It was one of the most surreal moments ever. I was finally pregnant!! I couldn't believe it! Scott came through the front door and I had left the pregnancy test on the sink in the bathroom. He was in a hurry to change clothes and go to the church and was having no side-tracking from me. I asked him to go into the bathroom to which he said no the first time. I told him "go in the bathroom!", trying not to get annoyed because I wanted it to be a good moment. He walked in and said "are you pregnant...?" I said "YES!" so excitedly. He kind of gave me a hug, and then double high-fived me and then we went to the baptism. Not exactly what I was expecting but hey, that's Scott for you. The next morning I woke up to him kissing my belly and talking to our baby, so that made up for the high-fives and awkwardness the night before. 

We've been to 2 doctors appointments and the baby is happy and healthy so far! We'll find out the gender December 26 (best present ever!!!) and we can hardly wait to know what it is!! Scott's convinced it's a girl (and he also thinks its twins, so let's just throw that out there). 

I've been nauseous in the morning, but nothing awful. I feel like I've had it pretty easy, and am so grateful! I can handle only vomiting 3 times my whole pregnancy so far.

obligatory pee stick picture

cutest text from my mom

at our first baby doctor appt!

Life is good and we are blessed.

Trip to visit Nicki

Last week I went to Connecticut to visit Nicki, my old college roommate, who lives there with her husband. It was wonderful.

The Thursday I was in town, we drove into NYC, since Nicki only lives 45 mins away.

We saw the Manhattan, New York temple:

 Ate lunch at Alice's Tea Cup (so fancy-like):

Got sweet treats at Magnolia Bakery (so yummy!):

 Went to the Discovery Body Exhibit!! This exhibit came to Idaho Falls when we were in school in Rexburg, and I wanted to go to it sooo bad!! Scott of course did not. So, it never happened. Of course Nicki and I loved it and ate it all up. It was awesome!

 Ate yummy dinners at home while watching movies and making baby booties:

said baby booties:

Playa Flamingo

So, these pictures are all out of order, but it was 2 days and we basically did the same thing both days, SO! 

I'm leaving them as is.

The last 2 days, we stayed in Playa Flamingo, at the Casa de Serinadad, and let me tell you, it was INSANE-O-TOWN!

Insane in an awesome, wonderful, beautiful, breathtaking way.

We found this place online (airbnb.com) and the pics, honestly, looked too good to be true, but when we arrived, it was everything and MORE! 

Oh me oh my. It was breathtaking, and that's now my happy place, laying in hammocks next to Scott napping. Bliss!

The people who owned the place we stayed at, were a couple from Georgia, and the sweetest (greeting us with banana bread!). Their place was insanely beautiful with an infinity pool, saunas, hammocks over a wading pool, and the most coo-coo awesome view!!

The first day, we got in around noon and spent the day lounging to our hearts content.

If you walk down, the back of the house down this big hill, FULL of crabs. Literally everywhere I looked, crabs big and small (which, let's be honest, at first terrified me). At the bottom of this long walk, there's a private little rocky beach! So picturesque.

Our last day there, we took the double sea kayak, that the owners let us use (for free!) and kayaked out to an island not far from us. Oh, no big deal that we were there all alone on this white sandy beach!! It was BLISS! Seriously. It was magical in every sense of the word! Sorry to say, no pictures were taken on said kayaking trip. We were to scared to get our phones wet/have them fall into the ocean abyss and be lost forever.

re-hydrating

How could I not do this?

the man who stole my heart forever and always.

our view from where we stayed

right here is the little rocky beach with all the crabs

 So, after the kayaking trip, we went to the beach down the road.

We swam and swam, and braved the waves, and warm bath-like water.

Scott laid like this for a good, few minutes, and when I came to snap a picture, he had literal mounds of sand building up in his ears. I love my goofy manboy.

Sauna every night makes for a good night's sleep.

the best napping there is!

constantly throwing things into the ocean to see how long it will take for them to come back to shore (manboy again)

It was an incredible trip!! We feel so blessed to have had to chance to see a different culture and experience the beauty and wonder of Costa Rica!!

Arenal

We started our 4th day off by driving into the jungle. 

There were signs for this place called Toad Hall for LITERALLY at least 30 miles of winding Costa Rican roads. With that kind of advertising, I couldn't say no (and one of their homemade signs said this place was in Frommers. Double bonus).

We stopped at Toad Hall and ate a yummy lunch and smoothie with parrots and toucans. 

We then drove even more into the jungle to our next place we were staying.

obligatory cow shot. look how cute they are though!

So we got to the Bio Thermales hot spring where were staying. How cute is this place right?
WELL. Let me tell you a little story about this yellow casita.
The employee gives us the key and is showing us around the room/kitchen and I see a few ants but in my head I'm like "Ashley, we're in the JUNGLE. It's okay to have a few creepy crawlers running around". Putting my brave face on, I don't say anything and just smile and nod and get excited to stay in this place.
Next thing I know, we're unloading our luggage and ants in the grass start crawling all over my feet. I calmly (as calmly as I do anything) start brushing them off when they start BITING ME!!!!!! Umm excuse me what?! Yes. Biting me. I start screaming for Scott to help me and I am just up in arms over this jungle "paradise". 
The story goes on.
We get into our place and I think I'm safe, when we go into the bathroom and there are ants literally covering a whole door frame. EVERYWHERE I tell you. I'm really trying to keep my cool for the sake of our perfect trip, but I'm slowly losing it.
We decide that we are okay and I start unpacking our things while Scott looks around. 
Cockroach. That's what he found next.
Obviously, that was the last straw and I had had it. We marched right up to those employees and told them what for.
They said they were Army Ants and that they come once a year and that we are just the unlucky ones who met them.
Of course.

SO! They moved us to this place:

Now, I don't know if I was just an odd kid, or if other people had this fantasy, but I always thought it would be so much fun to sleep in a bed with a mosquito net above it.

Well let me tell you, it's not all it's cracked up to be.

The bugs were KILLER. The jungle and me? We're not the best of friends.

All in all, it was a cool place to stay. Would I stay there again? No way.

The next day, we hiked, hiked, hiked.

We first ate lunch with a nice view of Arenal Volcano.

 Then, explored the jungle on our way to the base of the volcano. 

It was so much fun!!! We was the most gigantic 400 year old trees, lemurs, pecarries, lizards, butterflies, birds. It was awesome.

  

We made it to the top of the hike and it was breathtaking!! 

We sat and enjoyed nature and all God has made for a good 30 minutes with no one else interrupting us. It was perfect.

After a half hour, the thunder started roaring and the rain fell like I've never experienced. We were soaked in a matter of seconds and still had the whole hike to trek back. 

It was all swampy and wonderful though and the wildlife was in full force on our way back to the car.

The next day, we went Ziplining!! It was so so sooo much fun!! We had the time of our lives!

The zipline tour ended up being not booked at all so Scott and me got a private tour, just the two of us! FATE! It was also our anniversary that day.

The tour was 25 cables through a jungle canopy over 11 waterfalls. It was BEAUTIFUL!

furry little caterpillar

cutest legs and feet

 Halfway through the tour, our guides let us stop at this waterfall and natural pool to swim. 

It was the most wonderful!!! Scott and I swimming in this crystal clear water, sitting under the waterfall, soaking in nature. It was seriously amazing.

We finished off the zip lining tour in style, crossing bridges, repelling, and they even let us go on one of the cables together!! (they said they never do that, but they liked us extra I think?)

At the end of the tour, they had this most delicious meal waiting for us. 

It was authentic Costa Rican food and was easily the best meal we ate there the whole trip. YUM!

Our view during lunch