[The Gunnells]

Relief Society

2012-01-31T18:23:00.000-08:00

Over the past few years I have really grown to love, love, love our church's women's organization called Relief Society. It's one of the reasons why I can handle Chase's career choice that will have us moving every 2 years. I'll have a much easier time making friends.

On Saturday we had an activity where I learned a few more tricks to couponing, learned how to cut Chase's hair (he's been begging me to learn in order to save us money), and made a cute pillow for Mila's crib. How cool is that? The Lord knew what He was doing when He created this organization!

The Great Communicator

2012-01-29T19:11:00.000-08:00

In November Mila developed a little quirk that has become her way of communicating to us. Spend a few minutes with her and you will see what we're talking about. Mila communicates to us whenever she wants something by twisting her wrists. The more she likes/wants something, the more her hands twist. We love it! It scared me at first because lets be honest, it is a bit weird, but I find this form of communication way better than her screaming or crying. Plus, it makes buying her things way easier...she lets us exactly what she really wants. (However, I am trying to do sign language with Mila, and it is difficult to know when she is "all done" with something because she twists her wrists a lot, which looks a lot like the sign for "all done." Oh well.)

Friday Outing

2012-01-28T14:35:00.001-08:00

To unwind from the week we headed over to the Riverwoods to walk around and to use our gift card at Blickenstaff's. As will be seen from my next post, we successfully found a toy for Mila and a candy bar for ourselves. I love the old school candy they have!! Anyway, Mila thoroughly enjoyed walking around so she could stare at the water basins with fire. She thought those were pretty sweet. I really love the Riverwoods and will be sad when we move away from it.

Snow!

2012-01-27T10:57:00.001-08:00

It snowed at the beginning of the week, and Mila finally got a chance to experience it! It had snow a few Saturdays ago, but by the time Chase finished his BAR studying for the day it had melted. So, we jumped at the chance to bundle Mila up this time and take her out.

She made a snow angel.

I built her a snowman (Chase chose to be the photographer on this adventure rather than getting his hands dirty (or wet in this case)).

All in all, she didn't mind the snow. She wasn't a huge fan of laying down in the snow because it was still snowing outside and so it was getting in her eyes. But, she didn't cry so we count it a successful outing.

Overwhelming Gratitude

2012-01-24T08:44:00.000-08:00

Sunday night, our church celebrated the seminary program's 100 years of existence. For those not of my faith, seminary is a program designed for teenagers to attend that allow them to study the scriptures for four years in order to study the Old & New Testament, the Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants along with our church's history. Living in Texas, I attended seminary before school at 6AM at my church building. Here in Utah because there are so many Latter-day Saints, there is a greater demand for seminary classes, and so there is a seminary building adjacent to practically every high school and junior high. This allows students to be released from school for one period a day and walk to the seminary building. My seminary teachers volunteered their time each morning to teach us from the scriptures. In Utah, they pay seminary teachers since they teach all day. As many of you know, I had the opportunity to teach seminary for five years. Although in the past few months I have missed being in the classroom less and less as I grow more in love with my life as a mother, today my heart aches. Today I realize how blessed I am to have been a part of such an amazing program.

Many of you reading this will have been blessed by being able to attend seminary growing up. Like me, you may not have realized as a teenager, how blessed you were to be able to study daily with peers the scriptures. I realized years later the impact seminary can have. I realized it because during my senior year I was not diligent in attending seminary. I did the necessary make up work in order to graduate from seminary, but I definitely didn't value seminary like I should have. Near the end of my senior year I faced some difficulties that I know came about because I did not have a full measure of the Holy Ghost in my life to help guide and direct me. Maybe that's why when I became a seminary teacher I was passionate about students coming and making the most of their time in seminary. Plus, as an adult I understood that it's not every day that you get to have gospel discussions and feel the spirit as your testimony grows. But that's the thing, it was every day for me while I was a teacher. I think that's what I miss--being in an environment where I felt the spirit daily and witnessed the strength that the youth today carry with them. The Lord really is sending some pretty choice spirits in these last days. I had that witnessed to me time and time again. If you have a second, you should watch the beginning of the broadcast starting just after the 5 minute mark. You'll see for yourself in the short video the church produced about seminary how strong the youth are.

I'm grateful for the Lord's hand in guiding me towards teaching seminary. I'm grateful for the youth and faculty of Mountain View that I rubbed shoulders with for four years. And I'm grateful to now have the chance to use my teaching skills on my daughter. I just hope I don't get rusty :)

Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012

2012-01-03T09:59:00.000-08:00

This past week Chase and I took time to reflect on 2011 and all the blessings we received from the Lord. Really, 2011 was quite the year and I don't know how 2012 could top it. But we do have a lot of unknowns left, which should make for some excitement in 2012. Here are some of the highlights of 2011.

**Chase finding out he landed an internship with the Air Force as a JAG.

**Being showered with love by friends and family in preparation for Mila's arrival.

**Living in an area that allows us to attend married student wards. We find it such a blessing that last year we served in amazing wards and made more lasting friendships.

*Obviously THE highlight of the year was the arrival of Mila Christy Gunnell on May 17.

*Spending the summer in Texas near family and having family present in person and via technology for Mila's blessing.

**Quality family time (just the three of us) in San Antonio.

**Mila surviving two 1,000+ mile drives. She was a trooper!

**Selling our condo...bitter sweet, but definitely a huge blessing!

**Chase receiving an offer to be a JAG for the Air Force.

(Here's a picture of our celebratory breakfast since he received the call at 7AM)

**Spending Christmas as a family of three!

Screech Owl

2012-01-02T09:56:00.001-08:00

Last night Mila was on one. It was hilarious. I must say she is a social butterfly and loves living with family. She just wants to be the center of attention. Just look...

Best Toy Ever

2012-01-02T09:50:00.001-08:00

After researching and asking friends and family for opinions, we decided to buy Mila the Bright Starts Around We Go saucer for Christmas. I felt this saucer was better suited for Mila's age. When we have a second child we will probably purchase a traditional saucer for the age range of 4-6 months. But this saucer is perfect for the older, more sturdy child. Plus you can take the seat off and it can be an activity table for the toddler stage.

We weren't sure if she would like it or not. But take a look at her first trial run in it. (Please ignore my commentary.)

I think we have a winner!

First Visit to Santa

2011-12-28T09:13:00.000-08:00

Before moving out of our condo we decided to have our own Christmas and enjoy our last night in our place. We opened gifts by our Charlie Brown tree, then put Mila's gift together (video to come). After Mila took her last nap we headed to Riverwoods for dinner and to see Santa.

We started the tradition last year of looking at Christmas lights on Christmas Eve to remind us of the light Christ brings to our lives. The Riverwood lights were a perfect reminder!

As for Mila's for experience with Santa, it was a success! After being introduced, she had no problem sitting on his lap long enough for us to get the obligatory photo. Thanks Santa!

Goodbye Condo #12

2011-12-27T15:41:00.000-08:00

While Mila and I were in Texas our condo was viewed and sold!! Crazy huh?! Although the timing seems bad, it is a blessing for sure. The Lord really has been looking out for us and answering our prayers. Such as...

1. Chase's mom being both the buyer's agent and ours, so we aren't having to pay as much money in fees.

2. Our buyers are actually "leasing to buy" which allows us to up the selling price a bit, which in this selling market is a huge blessing.

3. This all has gone down before Chase starts studying for the Bar.

So, although I had to fly home to a house in disarray and boxes to pack, I am grateful for the Lord's timing once again. I am also grateful for Chase's parents opening their basement to us. It ends up being more space than we had before, and Mila loves all the attention she gets from family. Blessings sure do come in ways we wouldn't imagine.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-26T19:00:00.000-08:00

Life has been crazy...but I'm sure many feel the same way during the holidays. I have future posts in the works that will explain our recent chaos. We didn't get Christmas cards sent due to a change in plans when I returned from Texas, and so we didn't get the opportunity to wish everyone a merry Christmas. We hope that everyone felt the warmth of the season and remembered the birth of our Lord and Savior. From our family to yours, enjoy the rest of this holiday season!

The Gaylord Hotel

2011-12-23T09:46:00.000-08:00

Out near the DFW airport is the beautiful Gaylord Hotel. Apparently at Christmas time they have a themed ice sculptor exhibit you can visit. This year's theme was "Shrek the Halls". The whole hotel was decked out.

Cool greenery reindeer huh? Each of Santa's reindeer were sculpted in different ways or with different professions. This one is Comet.

Rachel deemed this present a suitable size for her. Good luck Jeff and Kari with that one!

Here's a model in gingerbread of the hotel.

And there was also a life-size gingerbread house. That's a lot of candy and gingerbread!

There were plenty of things to do all revolving around Dreamworks movies. Jeff and the kiddos were getting restless as we waited in line to do the Kung Fu Panda tubing. Jonathan's head actually cracked the structure (way to go Jeff!). Sadly, I didn't get a picture of the tubing courses but they were sweet! Only in Texas would they make snow runs inside a hotel.

Kung Fu Panda came out to bust a move for us.

In a very Disneyland/world fashion, there was a bit of waiting in lines. So we took the opportunity to take some pictures.

To keep the ice from melting they keep the area at a frigid 9 degrees so they give you parkas to keep you warm (I was so grateful that I left Mila with my mom because frankly all the other babies were ticked to be so cold.) We felt like we were on a "Christmas Story" as seen here.

Pretty cool huh? Kind of a shame though to have so much ice in Texas when experiencing such a bad drought.

They even made an ice slide. You can get going pretty fast on an ice slide.

And an ice potty. Pretty cold.

And they had a beautiful manger scene at the end to help remind us all of the reason for the season. Well done Gaylord Hotel!

Texas Fun with My Bro & Family

2011-12-21T17:22:00.000-08:00

While in Texas I had a chance to spend time with my brother Jeff and his family. Mila enjoyed hanging out at their home because they too have dogs for Mila to laugh at. Meet Winston and Bunker, an odd pair, but they sure love each other.

Mila also enjoyed being doted on by her older cousins. I love watching them play with and hold Mila. Mila's biggest admirer had to be Rachel. She was so nice to entertain Mila.

Jeff and Kari always find cool things to hit up in Dallas (a future post will be fully devoted to one of our outings). One night we tried out Twisted Root Burger near SMU. They have lots of different meats. I wasn't brave enough to try the Elk meat, but Jeff tried buffalo I believe. I thoroughly enjoyed their twisted lemonade.

It's Official!

2011-12-21T09:01:00.000-08:00

After lots of waiting and praying, Chase got "the phone call" this morning at 7AM from the Colonel at the base he worked at this summer in San Antonio. He was offered a position in the Air Force as a JAG officer!!! What a great Christmas present. When the phone vibrated he jumped out of bed and said "This is it! This is it!" It took me a minute to process what he was talking about, but I quickly realized and jumped out of bed to await the news.

We are thrilled! What a whirlwind of a month (I'll explain more of the blessings/craziness that has gone down this month in a future post)! Air Force here we come...the Top Guns!

**Thank you to all those who have been praying for us these past few months. We really appreciate it!

Quality Time with the Parentals/Gparentals

2011-12-16T18:33:00.000-08:00

Since tickets to Texas were crazy expensive during Thanksgiving, we couldn't make the trip home as a family this year. But, we found a cheap ticket for me to fly home the week after Thanksgiving out of Provo's airport no less (thank you Frontier Airlines). So I packed up the little one and we made the flight alone out here to Texas while Chase stayed back to study and take his finals.

Mila was a champ on both flights. On our way out, she slept for a bit on both flights and didn't seem to get frustrated with having to stay on my lap, even when the man in front of me on our Denver to Dallas flight (the longer flight) reclined his seat THE ENTIRE TIME. I now have a great understanding as to why Chase never reclines his seat on a flight...it really inconveniences the person behind you. Oh well, Mila didn't mind. We were blessed to make some friends on both flights who helped me with Mila. Tender mercy for sure. Our flights back also went smoothly, and we actually had a spare seat on both flights. Mila loved lounging in the seat during the flight!

Although I missed seeing my brothers Chip and Brad and his family, I did get to spend some quality time with my parents and my brother Jeff and his family (post forthcoming). Some highlights of my time with my parents include...

**Seeing the Muppet Movie with my dad...we thought it was hilarious! I can't stop laughing about the chickens clucking to that "Forget You" song. So funny.
**Decorating the house with all the Christmas decor. I even found a Christmas book I wrote in the 7th grade while pulling out the decorations. I was a pretty good writer if I do say so myself.
**Watching Christmas movies on Ion at night.
**Traveling to Arlington to check out the German Christmas celebration held outside the ballpark. There were lots of cute vendors and authentic food. We left with a yummy schnitzel!

I had to take this picture to document how well Mila is standing up. Although my mom's hands are around her, she was standing for quite awhile without help just people watching. She likes people watching.

A Mila-size Nutcracker!

**Going to Northpark mall to see all the Christmas decorations. We even got to watch a little puppet show where Scrooge talked to all the kiddos watching.

Grandpa helped Mila get a closer look at the ducks. One thing this trip helped solidify in my mind is that Mila is an animal lover. She would giggle quite frequently when my parents' dogs would bark and loved going to the pet store.

There you have it, some of the highlights. Mila sure loved spending time with her Texas grandparents.

Recent Projects

2011-11-28T06:46:00.000-08:00

So, when Mila's napping or at night after she's gone to bed I've been packing in some projects. I'm grateful I have a crafty MIL nearby because she helps keep me busy with projects :) My current project is crocheting infinity scarves. I have been trying to pick up this new skill of crocheting, and let me tell you it's taking me lots of practice. I have a deep respect for the many individuals who can crochet. These infinity scarves are simple enough that they make for a perfect project to refine my meager skills. I started first with a little one for Mila. Isn't she the cutest model?!

This week I just finished my long, ongoing project, which I promised Chase I would complete 2 Christmases ago--Christmas socks. Chase loves his family's Christmas socks, so I agreed to make them for our family. It involved lots of cutting out of little shapes, some appliqueing, lots of stitching by hand, and a little sewing by machine. Here are the finished products:

And the close ups...

Chase's

Mine

Mila's

So while I'm in Texas I'll be busting out my adult size infinity scarves, a few more small ones for Mila, and sew a few Christmas gift ideas I have in mind. My creativity juices are a flowin!

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-27T07:16:00.000-08:00

We spent Thanksgiving with Chase's parents, paternal grandparents, and sister, Karlee. My assignment was to make rolls, stuffing, and gravy. My family's stuffing cooks inside the turkey so I had the fun opportunity to stick my hand up the turkey. Nice.

While the bird was cooking, in typical Gunnell fashion, we played cards. Mila joined in. We're starting her early.

Dinner was delicious and the company was pretty sweet too! Hope everyone else stuffed themselves as well as we did.

Mila's 6 Months Old!!

2011-11-25T09:30:00.000-08:00

Seriously, I know everyone says this, but I can't believe my baby is already 6 months old (well actually she turned 6 months last week). Where has the time gone?! We sure do love our little one and find each week becoming more and more fun. Here's a look at her progression over the past 6 months.

Newborn

Month 2

Month 3

Month 4

Month 5

On her 6th Month Birthday!

Some stats on our little Miss Mi...

Weight: 16 lbs 13 oz

Height: 26.2 inches

This puts her around the 60-70%. We love our little chunkier so we're happy with her growth.

Also...

*She is sitting up all on her own and rolling over from tummy to back and back to tummy, although she would much rather be sitting up so she doesn't roll as often as she use to.

*She is expressing her opinion more and more. She HATES being taken out of the bath. She also shows frustration when we strap her in her car seat because she would rather be sitting up not strapped back.

*She laughs and squeals! It's the greatest. She consistently will squeal when we start the bath water.

*She loves people watching. She loves riding in her stroller now that we face her forward because she can just soak in everything around her.

*She sleeps through the night completely!! Roughly 7PM-7AM. It's great.

*She is eating solids. Her favorites are sweet potatoes and oatmeal. She has also tried carrots, apple sauce, apple juice, and prunes. We stopped rice cereal and switched to oatmeal because Mila has difficulty with bowel movements. Sadly we have had to do a few suppositories :(

*She has showed signs of teething since month 4, but still no teeth...instead we get lots of drool...

Sure do love our little Miss Mi and look forward to the next 6 months.

My Gratitude List

2011-11-24T10:31:00.001-08:00

I feel I should take a moment and write down some of the things I'm grateful for this year. We took the chance for Family Home Evening one night to make hand turkeys listing our top four things to be grateful for. I included on my turkey:

1. Mila and her smiles--her presence in our home has given our lives so much more meaning. And her smiles have brightened my days tremendously.

2. Chase and his constant positivity--I'm grateful to be married to an individual who makes up where I lack. Plus, I'm so grateful for how helpful Chase is around the house. I really lucked out with a husband who often asks how he can help me out in the kitchen or around the house.

3. The gospel and the happiness it brings me--I really find my greatest happiness from living the principles of the gospel. Plus, the gospel offers me eternal happiness with my family and for that I will be eternally grateful.

4. Sweets (come on, you'd be lying if that wasn't in your top ten!)

to continue on...

5. My family--although we are spread across the nation I sure do love and miss them like crazy! I can't wait to see some of my family next week as I fly home to Texas.

6. My in-laws--I really lucked out and have married into an amazing family. Chase's parents are always so thoughtful, and I cherish the friendships I've made with Chase's siblings and sibling in-laws.

7. Extended family--I am grateful that I married into a family that stays so close with their extended family, but I am also grateful for my extended family. They have been supportive in many different ways to Chase and I over the past few years.

8. A healthy body--I lucked out again that I have been able to bounce back pretty smoothly from pregnancy. I sure do enjoy having my body back to "normal" and being able to go running again.

9. Friends, old and new--I find it such a blessing to be able to surround yourself with individuals who make you feel like a million bucks and push you to be better. I am grateful for the many friends in my life who do just that.

10. Our home--I love our home. Now, while we are in the midst of trying to sell, more than ever I realize how blessed we have been to live in such a great condo in such a great location. Because of our condo's location we have met some of our closest couple friends.

That's my 2011 list. This year Chase and I actually wrote something we were grateful for each day and put it a "Thankful Tub"--a tradition we hope to continue from this point forward. I hope I can continue to find something new each day to be grateful for--living with an attitude of gratitude. HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!

Mila has a twin

2011-11-12T19:57:00.001-08:00

So while at Chase's parents' the other day we discovered Mila's twin. Look at those bellies!! We just can't get enough of her chub...the cheeks, the thighs, and the gut.

Halloween 2011

2011-11-02T20:48:00.001-07:00

We started out our Halloween with a photo shoot because, come on, when you have a cute baby and holiday attire, you've got to document it! Here's Mila in her pj's with her personal pumpkin given to her at Pumpkinland and then her day wear.

That evening we dressed up for the last time in our costumes. We sported these outfits for the law school Halloween party, our ward party, and then Halloween night to visit family. Presenting the Top "Guns".

This costume we felt worked on so many levels. One, our name is GUN-nell. Plus, Chase has applied to the Air Force. And Mila's stroller made for a perfect plane since it is three-wheeled. And, we only had to buy Mila's outfit since Chase's grandpa is a retired Air Force pilot. And doesn't she look like the cutest pilot ever???

I also have to document that our night involved eating my dinner in a pumpkin. Yum! In years past Chase's mom has made this, but this year I took my stab at it and it turned out pretty good. This definitely is a tradition for years to come.

Holidays truly are more fun with kiddos. Can't wait for Thanksgiving and Christmas!!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T06:06:00.001-07:00

I have so much to blog about but no Internet at home to work with so for now I'm using Chase's phone to wish you all a Happy Halloween! Here's a sneak peak of little Miss Mi's costume. More pictures to come, not taken with the phone's camera.

Mila's Nursery Revealed

2011-10-11T15:15:00.000-07:00

When we returned from Texas I spent most of my free time trying to finish up Mila's nursery since we never know how long we will have until our condo sells. I have to say Mila's room is my favorite room in our home now (not that we have many rooms, ha ha). Well here goes at my attempt of giving you a "tour" of her room.

First her crib. I have to give my mom credit for making the bumpers, crib skirt, and quilt. We picked out the fabric last Christmas. I wanted soft, classy colors. I love flowers, so it was fitting that I ended up choosing a print with beautiful hydrangeas. The quilt is so fun because the woman who ended up doing the stitching added a heart with Mila's name and birth date.

Mila has slept in her crib now for the past month or two rather than her Moses basket, but we put blankets on either side of her to help her feel more secure. She always sleep with her blanket from Kailee and her giraffe blanket from Grandpa Gunnell.

On the other end is a pillow and two stuffed animals--a teddy bear from Grandpa Smith and a dog Chase gave me back when we were dating.

Here's what Mila gets to look at on the walls around the crib.

First there is a magnet board I bought from Roberts, painted, and covered with paper. It has pictures and cards sent from cousins and Grandma Smith. On the other wall is a picture of the Savior. I read a long time ago in Marjorie Pay Hinckley's book that she placed a picture of the Savior in each of her children's rooms. I loved the idea and decided a long time ago that I wanted to do that too. This picture will always be in our nursery and I plan on getting a picture of the Savior with a little girl for Mila's room when we have another kid.

Above the crib is a homemade mobile. I got the idea from Pottery Barn, and then found instructions here on my friend's blog on how to make it. It was time consuming, but I love it. I think butterflies go well with the floral bedding.

On the window seal are some fun pictures from the hospital and from pregnancy as well as a flower arrangement I put together. Again, I love flowers :) My mom originally made the valence, but I ended up undoing the hem and lengthening it.

On the wall opposite the window seal is Mila's changing table. I labeled bins in order to keep things organized in such a small space. Above the changing table is a cute picture board that my friend Holly Smith sells. Find them here.

And finally the corner I spend the most time in.

Above my rocking chair we placed a shelf that holds the teddy bear Chase gave me for Valentine's while I was pregnant. It was the first official stuffed animal for Mila. There is also an ultrasound picture, pink sparkly Toms that Aunt Karlee gave Mila, a handmade frame from Aunt Dayna, and one of the most touching books for a new mom that my mother gave me awhile ago.

And there you have it. Mila's nursery!!

What We've Been Up To Lately #5

2011-09-19T08:34:00.000-07:00

On September 8 this cute little girl entered the world and into the home of the Russons! We were so excited to visit Emily, Jason and their new little girl in the hospital the next day.

It's crazy seeing Mila and baby J next to each other to imagine that Mila was once that small.

Mila has a pretty sweet face in this picture :)

It's so fun that so many of my college roommates have had or are having babies this year. I love going through motherhood with them! Congratulations Russons!

What We've Been Up To Lately #4

2011-09-16T17:00:00.000-07:00

We've been taking any opportunity to spend time with family that we missed while we were away from Utah. At the beginning of September Chase had the chance to attend his cousin Jordan's sealing while Mila and I walked around the grounds of the Timpanogos temple. It was so fun to finally see these two tie the knot! Mila enjoyed the chance to be next to a beautiful bride :)

Later this month my cousin Chumley returned from his mission in Chile, and so we traveled up to Salt Lake for his homecoming. I felt I should document the amazing luncheon his siblings hosted after church. The Johnson girls go all out!! It was awesome.

What We've Been Up To Lately #3

2011-09-15T15:50:00.000-07:00

We've been loving the cooler weather here in Utah (cooler in comparison to Texas), especially how it cools down at night. One Monday night we decided to have Family Home Evening at the Provo temple. We took Mila and walked around the grounds. It's so nice to have temples so close. You can feel the peace of the Spirit just being on the grounds.

Mila was a sport and put up with us taking pictures.

Sure am grateful that our little family is eternal because of the temple!!

What We've Been Up To Lately #2

2011-09-12T11:12:00.000-07:00

On August 27, after Chase's first week of his last year of law school (whoop whoop), we participated in the law school's first annual alumni 5k race. Since this is the first year the law school has put together this race, there were not many participants. Regardless, we had a fun time! Chase's parents showed up to show their support and took some pictures for us. We finished the race together and Chase pushed Mila the whole way in her stroller. I'm glad we did it, but I sure hope I'm in better shape come time for the Rex Lee Run. By then I hope to be able to push Mila in the stroller.

What We've Been Up To Lately

2011-09-10T10:24:00.000-07:00

Now that we are back in Utah, I don't have regular access to the internet, thus my blog posting has come to a halt. We're not sure if we are going to finally buy internet service since our condo is on the market and could sell at anytime. We are hoping it sells by April since that's when our student loans will dry up. I personally hope it doesn't sell too soon since I just finished Mila's nursery (pictures soon to come).

Today our carpets are getting cleaned, and so we are up at Chase's parents. So I thought I'd take advantage of the internet. I decided we should play catch up with a series of posts titled "What We've Been Up To Lately." So stay tuned for a flashback at the last few weeks.

We survived our 3-day drive from Texas to Utah. Mila was a trooper sleeping pretty well in her car seat during the day and then in her Moses basket in the bathtubs of our hotels. Once we reached Utah it took Mila about a week to adjust to her new surroundings. We ended up blacking out her window with poster boards since she was so use to sleeping in pitch black places. Chase also was a trooper on our drive back because he drove the majority of the time.

Upon our return I had the opportunity to teach a youth lecture series at Education Week. It was a lot of fun and the youth were amazing! Hopefully I'll have the chance to teach again at Education Week.

Sorry for a picture-less post. Picture filled posts are on their way!

The San Antonio Temple

2011-08-13T13:19:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, I was able to join some of Chase's extended family as we witnessed his cousin's fiance going through the temple for the first time. Chase's cousin, Jordan, is in pilot training for the Air Force right now at Del Rio, Texas. Because of this, his parents and fiance flew out here so that Jordan could be a part of this special event since the San Antonio temple is the closest temple to Del Rio. Chase offered to watch Mila so I could attend the temple session with everyone. It felt so good to get back to the temple since I haven't had the chance to go since Mila was born. The San Antonio temple is quite small, but so beautiful. I wish I would have taken a picture of the windows because they have beautiful stain glass images of trees and nature--I loved it! I also loved the fact that it wasn't very tall so you could see very clearly the angel Moroni. I think it's the closest I've ever been to it :)

It was so fun to see family and to introduce them all to Mila. And, it just so happened that the Thatchers were in the same session with us all so we got to see them again. They even surprised us by bringing us the famous large Round Rock donut...man do we love those donuts! It was so sweet of them. We had compare its size to Mila's of course.

A yummy donut, friends, family, and the temple--what more could you ask for?

House Arrest

2011-08-11T09:28:00.000-07:00

You read it right. I'm on house arrest. Not by any government or city authority. Nope. I'm confined to my house instead by a crazy, mean cat. Let me explain...last week one night while Chase and I were lounging on the couch I started to hear what sounded like a kitten meowing outside. I kept hearing it so I got up and opened up the hanging blinds in order to look out our sliding glass door. And low and behold what did I find??? Four kittens and a ticked mother cat on our patio.

How they got there is beyond me. All I can figure is the mother cat carried each one over the wall. You would think that I would be thrilled to have these visitors seeing as though I am an animal lover, but I'm not because the mother cat is scary. She hisses at you when you get near the glass.

Then she glares at you.

My SIL says it's as though she is sucking the soul out of you. Now, I get it; she's protecting her babies, but seriously it's a bit scary. They have now taken over our patio/porch area since I dare not go out with the mother on the prowl.

This situation has caused me to be a little annoyed with the city of San Antonio because with Texas being hotter than ever (seriously we are hitting all time highs everyday) I am concerned that these cats might die in the heat. I tried calling different animal organizations and have yet to find one that will come and pick up the family of cats. So, I don't know what's going to happen. We leave tomorrow. I'll probably just inform the apartment management and leave it in their hands. Till then, Mila and I will continue to miss our patio where we use to sit. At least Mila enjoys watching the kittens play through the glass window. I wish I had it on film, but one of the cats actually clawed halfway up the screen door. It was pretty impressive.

Baby Steps

2011-08-09T07:46:00.000-07:00

Don't be fooled by the title. Our little Mila is not walking. Ha, she's not even really scooting yet (well not on her tummy at least...she does scoot on her back). No, this post is entitled "Baby Steps" because as of last night I officially took my first baby step towards getting back into shape. Before delivering Mila, I had this grandiose idea that upon returning to Provo I would compete in the sprint triathlon that is held every August at the Scera pool. I competed in it 2 years ago and loved it. Well, I soon realized after giving birth that I may have set my sights too high. It's amazing what pregnancy and labor can do to one's body. Plus, they advise you not to even start trying to workout again until after the first 6 weeks. So, to ease myself back in, Chase and I signed up last night for a 5k the law school is hosting at the end of the month. This will be the first race Chase and I will run in together. I'm pretty excited. Especially since we are going to bring Mila along for the ride. We've got to put our Bumbleride to work!

It feels so good to be running again, even though I still will never claim I am a runner (10k is the most I think I'll ever run). I now have plans to do the Telos Timp Tri again in April. That should be plenty of time to get back into shape to run, bike, and swim.

Well, wish us luck as we continue to utilize the workout facilities here. I'm dreading returning to Utah and running outside with the whole altitude difference. It will probably kick my trash! Good thing we'll have two weeks to adjust before the race.

Time for Chase

2011-08-03T09:34:00.000-07:00

With Chase's internship coming to a close I thought I should toot his horn a bit (since he won't) and explain what the future holds for us. For those who don't know, Chase was selected out of hundreds for 1 of 50 spots available this summer for a JAG internship with the Air Force. Then, we were placed here in San Antonio close to family after the Air Force learned I was having a baby just two weeks before the internship began. This truly has been a huge blessing, not only to be closer to family, but because of the opportunities that Chase has had here at Fort Sam Houston (the base he works at).

During his internship Chase has had the opportunity to really shine. On Tuesdays and Thursdays the office is open for any enlisted individual to come in and receive legal advice and so Chase has helped individuals directly on those days. He has also had the chance to help with a court martial that will sadly take place after we leave. He was given the assignment to write a motion for this particular case that may be placed on the Air Force's database for others to refer to when they need to write a similar motion.

Near the beginning of the summer he was given an assignment that he ran with. He went above and beyond what was asked of him and has really impressed his superiors here. I don't remember what the original assignment was but in the end he created brochures that can be available for enlisted individuals that explains many common legal questions they have such as issues with divorce or changing residency and so forth. Before now there was no resource like this for enlisted individuals. The base is excited to use these brochures.

Also throughout this summer Chase has been working on the packet of information he has to submit to the Air Force. Part of the process of completing his packet has been collecting letters of recommendations from captains and the colonel at his office. In both his interview with his supervisor and with the colonel, Chase received a lot of good feedback and was praised for his work this summer. In fact, one of the individuals who just recently left their base because he is being stationed at a different base said in his closing remarks to everyone at their office that he hopes to work with Chase in the future. What a compliment!

Everyone has been ensuring Chase that he will have no problem being chosen in this next wave of applications. This has been very reassuring since only 6% of the applicants are chosen to become a JAG.

So, now we wait. His packet will be reviewed in October and so we should know by the end of October if he has a job. Then we wait again. He has to pass the bar before he can officially be hired. So in July of next year he will take the bar and once the results come back (sometime in September), if he has passed, the Air Force will hire him. He'll then have to go to officer training in Alabama for four weeks followed by a training camp on military law. Sometime in the midst of these trainings we will be placed in our first assignment. Our assignment is based upon a list of preferences we give the Air Force of where we would like to go, and we've heard they tend to place you at one of your top choices the first go around. So, we are opting to put foreign bases as our top choices first so we can ensure to go overseas. See, Chase isn't sure yet if he will stay with the Air Force after his initial four year commitment. So we want to make sure we get overseas during these 4 years. At this point we are leaning towards the two bases in Germany or a base in Italy, but who knows, it may change.

So that's the 411 on Chase. I am so proud of how hard he has worked, and I am thrilled with the fact that he has found a career that excites him and gives him a variety of things to do so he doesn't get bored :). I'm sure many wives can agree, life is so much better when your husband loves what he is doing. We feel very blessed that the Lord guided us towards this path and that Chase has excelled this summer.

The Latest with Mila

2011-07-27T06:50:00.000-07:00

This week Mila woke up with the best bed head hair. I had to document it. Her hair is becoming more difficult to manage as you can see from these pictures :)

Side shot of the do

Also in the past week Mila has discovered fans. She seriously loves watching fans and gets some of the biggest smiles on her face. I tried to capture some of the smiles. It makes you wonder what she's thinking about when she looks at it.

Here she is noticing it.

And here she is in utter joy.

Good Times in Austin

2011-07-25T07:54:00.000-07:00

This weekend we decided to drive to Austin to see some of the sights. Although Chase has driven through Austin many times, he had never actually stopped in Austin to look around, and it had been many years since I've actually walked around the city so we thought it was high time we visit. Plus, Chase's mission companion, Cameron Thatcher, and his wife, Chelsea, live there now. So we drove up Saturday morning and met the Thatchers first at the State Capital.

Aren't these cool hinges???

This is where the Senate meets.

This is the Texas Supreme Court room. If Chase takes the bar in Texas this is where he will come to be sworn in I believe.

After doing a self-guided tour, we went to the University of Texas' campus and LBJ's Presidential Library.We finished our time in Austin with food and relaxation. We ate some yummy New York style pizza from Home Slice on Congress Ave, ice cream from Amy's, and of course, the Man vs. Food recommendation: Round Rock Donuts.Can I just say, these were to die for!! Jackson, like you, I don't know what it is but they are just amazing. Seriously worth the trip. Buy the glazed if you go because they were by far our favorite. What a great weekend! Thanks Cameron and Chelsea for putting us up for the night and showing us around Austin.

Thank you

2011-07-20T07:59:00.000-07:00

I would like to thank the many friends, and my husband, for commenting on this earlier post. I wasn't expecting to receive so many uplifting responses. It really was nice to read the comments and know that I am not the only one going through these struggles. I felt so supported and love, and for that I wanted to express my gratitude. Thank you.

Our recent adventures

2011-07-19T06:43:00.000-07:00

On the 4th Mila and I accompanied Chase down to San Antonio. We are loving being together as a family and are very pleased with our living accommodations. We're staying in a furnished apartment in a complex called The Villas at Oakwell Farm. Things we've done thus far while here in San Antonio:

*Chase and I have been able to play tennis a few times since the courts are right outside our apartment.

*Chase took us on a tour of Sam Houston's base where he works.

*This weekend we walked around some Japanese gardens. Not so conducive for a stroller but still fun.

*Last weekend we drove to San Marcos and hit up the outlets there. Seriously, combine the Park City outlets and the Premier outlets of Las Vegas and throw in a few more upper end stores and that's what you have in San Marcos. So fun!

*After shopping we ate in New Braunfels (a German influenced city) at Oma's Haus for dinner. Thanks Miles for the suggestions of which German food to try!

*We also have hit up a local diner here in San Antonio called Lulu's in order to try their 3 lb cinnamon roll that we first discovered while watching Man vs. Food. Don't worry we only consumed 1 lb of it if that. It was as big as our baby practically!

Still left on our Bucket List of things to do while we're here:

*Visit Austin and the University of Texas' campus.

*Hang out with the Thatchers (a mission of companion of Chase's).

*Consume a donut from the Round Rock donut shop that was also featured on Man vs. Food.

*Attend a Missions baseball game.

*Walk some of the neighborhoods in Alamo Heights. Apparently it's a nice area to live in.

*Take Mila to the Riverwalk and probably to the Alamo (both Chase and I have been previous to this summer).

Lets Be Real

2011-07-17T19:07:00.000-07:00

Disclaimer: This post is all words, no pictures. It's pretty long and primarily just a compilation of my feelings as of recent. I wrote this post more for me than anything.

In the blogging world we tend to sugarcoat our lives--highlight the good parts of our days and hide the bad parts. That's not how life really is though; that's not reality. Today I feel like being real.

First off, don't get me wrong. I love my daughter and I often play for Mila Ben Folds' "The Luckiest" and feel truly lucky to have the opportunity to be Mila's mother. But, motherhood can be really hard. I guess I had it coming to me since my labor was a breeze. I can honestly say that the transition to motherhood initially was pretty smooth. I had Chase around those first two weeks and then my mother the second two weeks and Mila was a good baby, a golden child if you will. Really, she still is. Also, I did not face post partum depression luckily even though Chase and I honestly thought I would.

But these two months (yep, our baby is two months old as of today!) have not been without their struggles. From the beginning nursing has been difficult. I am so grateful for a patient and caring friend, Misty, who took the time to help Mila and I through some of our early difficulties. You see, in the hospital Mila was introduced to a nipple shield. As a result she was clenching anytime I would try to have her latch to me. This resulted in lots and lots of pain. So we worked with Misty and got Mila nursing without a shield. Shortly after we thought I might have a yeast infection. So I started on medication for that and we treated Mila with Gentian Violet liquid for 10 days. Poor Mila had stained purple lips and tongue. After treating for a yeast infection, I still found my chest just burning between and during feedings. I finally had the thought to pump for a week straight in order to give myself a break from Mila sucking me raw. This helped a ton, but was exhausting. Pumping and then feeding a baby can be exhausting, especially at night. After this experiment I was feeling a lot better, and I determined that Mila has a strong suck and was rubbing me raw. I now can have Mila feed on me regularly, but I pump every so often in order to give myself a break. I can't honestly say that feeding Mila is painless now because it isn't. I don't know if it ever will be honestly. But it's bearable.

Another difficulty I have faced becoming a mother is my own personal struggle with perfectionism. I am pretty anal and stress over doing things right, which has led me to read a lot of books in order to determine how to best mother my child. It's difficult to weigh out all the advice though, which leads me to the last difficulty I have faced.

As all babies do, Mila in the past few weeks has transitioned out of "sleeping like a baby" and thus my life of going and doing what I want, when I want, has quickly come to an end. Mila no longer gets good naps in her car seat so running errands during her "nap time" is out of the question. So how do mothers do it? How do you balance getting out of the house and allowing your baby to nap in their bed? I struggle with this. I have read the books "Baby Wise" and "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" and try to implement what I think is best for Mila, but that results in us being tied to staying at home for her to take 4 naps during the day--a short one after waking up; a long morning nap; a short afternoon nap; and then a longer midafternoon nap. When we ignored this little cycle on Friday in order to go eat lunch with Chase she was totally cranky and fussy all afternoon. When I have a cranky child due to lack of sleep I tend to beat myself up (another weakness of mine) and mark myself as a failure for the day.

Please don't think I'm trying to throw myself a pity party. Not at all. I just wanted to put into words some of my thoughts. I'm grateful to be a mother, but I do miss being in control of my days and nights and feeling confident that I'm doing things right (like when I was teaching seminary). I truly know that the Lord does give us trials in order for us to draw closer to Him and trust in Him. Many a prayer has been offered up to the Lord for help. And, my scripture study has become more meaningful. I find answers in the scriptures in a way I haven't in a really long time. For example, the Lord instructed me as I was reading 2 Nephi 4:28-29 last week. I was reminded that I must not allow discouragement into my life because that is just giving place to the adversary to work on me.

So, never you worry. These difficulties aren't getting me down, or at least I'm working hard at not allowing them to get me down. Luckily Mila's smiles (a tender mercy of the Lord I believe...babies start social smiling about the time you are having more difficulty determining what they need) brighten my down days. She sure is a sweetheart. Hopefully she'll continue putting up with me :)

Pool Time

2011-07-12T08:26:00.000-07:00

Over the Fourth of July weekend, we spent time with my family in Dallas. Most of our time was spent at my SIL's parents' pool (just the way I like it). We jumped at the chance to introduce Mila to swimming (we want her to be a fish like me). We had a cute swimsuit that we didn't want to go to waste.

I learned though that you aren't suppose to put sunscreen on babies until they are 6 months old. And so I went out looking for a rash guard small enough for Mila to keep her from burning. I also discovered that they don't make swim diapers small enough for a 10 lb baby. So, I had to find an alternative, and I think I found a pretty cute one. I found the last rash guard at Target that they had for someone so small (hence why it is blue...it's all they had left) and I found a speedo, yes a speedo, that is suppose to take the place of a swim diaper. Behold Mila's swim attire...

We think she liked the water...I mean she didn't cry. She just quietly took it all in. The cousins loved swimming with her even though her time in the water was like 5 minutes long :) As can be seen in the picture below, she got tuckered out pretty fast. I can't wait until next summer when she can really start to appreciate the water.

Enjoy this video I put together of her adventures in the water.

The Chapter is Closed

2011-07-09T15:12:00.000-07:00

One of the loose ends I had to tie up before I left Utah for the summer was clearing out my office and taking down my classroom at the seminary building. It took me two days to organize and pack up 5 years of teaching. It was a bit sobering to turn my keys over to my principal and walk out of the building one last time. I loved my time at Mountain View and will miss my daily associations with my amazing faculty and students.

Here's me and Mila with some of my faculty the day we left the hospital...Mountain View was on the way home :)Darin, my principal missed Mila that day so we went back to visit him

When I got home from wrapping things up I officially retired my Echo shoes and my quad. Both were pretty worn down from years of use.

I know my time at Mountain View will never be forgotten. One, because it's how Chase and I met (No, he was not my student...eww! His sister was!). And two, because my very thoughtful husband secretly made cards for students to fill out describing what their favorite memory with me was; what they will always remember about me; and why they are grateful for me. We were able to read the cards while I was in the hospital and then put them in a photo album for me to always have. I'm so grateful he went to all that effort to help me preserve the memories I have at the seminary. Thanks Chase!

Mila's Blessing Day

2011-07-06T10:27:00.001-07:00

Last Sunday, July 3rd, Chase was able to bless Mila in my parents' home. Two of my brothers, my father, and my parents' bishop all stood in the circle with Chase.Although a small, intimate circle, thanks to modern technology Chase's family were all able to listen in via facetime and Skype. I wish I would have taken a picture because it was quite the sight to see. My SIL's were helping out by holding the phones and computer.

The blessing was beautiful. Chase really did an amazing job. Since we were in my parents home I had my niece record it so that I can write it down for Mila to read when she's older. It was amazing to hear some of the things the Lord wanted Mila blessed with. I feel like I know her better after hearing the blessing.

Well, here's pictures from that night.

First us with the woman of the hour

All the cousins that were present. These past two weeks in Dallas have been so fun to see how enamored my nieces and nephews are with Mila.

Then we had to do a little photo session of Mila. I love this picture of me and my SIL getting Mila primped and ready. The look on Mila's face is priceless. It's as though she's saying, "Really Mom? Do we have to do this?"

Yes, we had to do it! I had to get some shots of Mila for two reasons. One, so that I could document her with the blessing blanket that Chase's mom made her. (Isn't it beautiful?) And two, because her dress is from when I was a baby. Sadly, my blessing dress is practically falling apart because it was made out of parachute silk from WWII and so it has deteriorated over the years. But I found this dress in my stash of clothes and found it to be a great substitute!

The photo shoot was a success because I was able to get this great shot! I love it :) It is a great depiction of what the blessing pronounced about Mila--she has a quiet and peaceful disposition.

A Princess's Throne

2011-06-30T12:10:00.000-07:00

First off, how do you do the possessive of princess? Princess'? Princess's? I wasn't sure and wondered if anyone knows.

One of our latest purchases for our little girl was a Nap Nanny. Thanks to our cousins, Chase and I were introduced to the magic of a Nap Nanny. It's helpful for babies who have a problem with acid reflux and it's a perfect replacement for a swing (and way easier to transport for us right now). Pretty much Mila loves it! She just lounges in it, and that is why we have deemed it her throne. Make way for our little princess!My all time favorite pic...her typical slouched position, leg extended, and an awesome pensive look out the window. What a poser :)

Mila's Latest Do

2011-06-27T14:38:00.000-07:00

Chase drove up this weekend and while he was in Dallas he decided to try out a new hairstyle on Mila since she has so much hair to play with. What do you think? I couldn't allow her to have a mohawk without also having a bow. I don't want anyone confusing her for a boy :)

3 Years

2011-06-25T08:19:00.000-07:00

What a year! Looking back this year has been consumed with the trials, growth, and joy of bringing new life into this world, and truly that has made it one heck of a year! Fitting right? In our 3rd year our family grew from 2 to 3. Gone are the days of just me and Chase, and gone are the years of complete freedom to go and do whatever we want. But, there is something to be said about having a little person in your life that is completely dependent upon you. It really has brought us closer together more than any trip or date night could. And that's what has made all the trials of becoming parents so worth it. Thanks Chase for an amazing year! Thanks for your support throughout pregnancy and motherhood. I'm so glad I have you by my side!Here are some major events from our third year of marriage:

Traveling to North Carolina--a first for both of us; me running my first 10k with Chase cheering me on at the finish line; attending the Smith family reunion in Texas; working at the Beatles festival in DC; Chase starting and completing his second year of law school; finding out we were expecting; visiting my brother Chip & the Fishers in San Francisco; surviving first trimester; both of us losing grandmas; finding out we were having a baby girl; Chase landing one of 50 internships nationwide with the Air Force's JAG; enjoying second and most of third trimester; playing lots of tennis; me wrapping up 5 years of teaching; bringing Mila Christy Gunnell into this world; migrating to Texas for the summer.

A Shout Out to Mila's Visitors!

2011-06-24T13:37:00.000-07:00

Since I was slacking on my posting during Mila's first month, I didn't get a chance to thank all of those who came to visit Mila in the hospital when she was born. She (as well as me and Chase) felt very loved by family and friends.

Aunt Karlee was there, unexpectedly, for Mila's debut so she was officially the first visitorSoon after Aunt Dayna arrived. Uncle Nate was anxious to meet Mila too so he flew home early from a job interview in NY. Of course cousin Gabe came too. Gabe was very cute and shy with Mila.
Mila's grandma and grandpa Gunnell came as soon as they landed from their flight home from China.Mila's great grandparents, the Gunnells One of my former students, Christina, was doing an internship this last semester at Orem Community so she came in and helped us out by introducing Chase to the warmer. Chase almost baked Mila to death while we were at the hospital :)My coworker and good friend, Justin Su'a stopped in after work.The Fitchs and of course cute Roman came by. The Breadys visited. Doesn't Eric look ready to be a daddy himself? Since this picture was taken they have welcomed their new little girl to this world. Mila and Harper are going to be great friends, I know itWhile the Breadys were visiting more of our friends from church stopped by. Little Owen was exstatic to meet Mila :)Emily even stopped in on her way back to work after her Dr's appointment with Dr. Judd to meet Mila. Mila's anxious to meet her little girl who is still on her way.We sadly didn't get a shot of the Klains who also came by and visited. We probably forgot because we were in amazement at how effortlessly they are now parenting two children of their own. Seriously, they seem like veterans in parenting!

Thanks to all those who came by even after we left the hospital. We loved introducing many of you to sweet little Mila.

One month already!!

2011-06-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

I can't believe one month has already come and gone (actually as of today, 5 weeks have come and gone). Mila survived!! It was touch and go at first :) See when we brought Mila home from the hospital we decided to give her a sponge bath the following day. We were so excited and thought we knew what we were doing. Sadly, by the end of the bath we thought we had killed our baby. Tips to new or soon-to-be parents: When sponge bathing your newborn, keep in mind that they do not regulate their body temperature very well yet, and so you must be careful to keep them warm while bathing them. We suggest having multiple towels and only uncovering the part of the baby's body that you are wanting to wash. We did not think through our method of attack very well and instead took our time, while snapping pictures the whole time.In hindsight we realized we spent way too much time gawking at her adorableness in her duck towel, because when we took her out of her towel we discovered her feet were bright blue and her lips were becoming a shade of blue. We freaked out! We frantically dressed her to try and warm her up, but we then faced her falling asleep and becoming limp and lifeless. She wouldn't wake up for anything. Needless to say I called my SIL who is a nurse and even my doctor's office to make sure she would be okay. What a crazy first 24 hours! Thankfully we have slowly been improving in our efforts to not kill our child. This first month and parenthood in general has caused me to rely even more on the true principle of if I do everything in my power to do what's right, the Lord will make up where I fall short. I am grateful for the Lord's help.

During this first month we have discovered that Mila loves swings and her car seat. Thanks Aunt Dayna and Uncle Nate for letting us borrow your swing for a bit. She made for a pretty cute lamb :)

During this first month Mila accompanied us to church practically every Sunday. Good thing too because she was able to sport this adorable dress!
At her two week appointment we found Mila to have regained her birth weight and exceeded it by weighing in at 7 lbs 13 oz. A week later when I went to the doctor again for a yeast infection they weighed her and she weighed 8 lbs 11 oz so she is growing like a weed! We also found out at her two week appointment that she had already grown another inch making her 21 inches and putting her into the 90 percentile for length/height! Looks like she might have the Smith genes!

Just after her two week mark (and luckily just 2 days after her umbilical cord fell off) we did a newborn photo shoot with our friend Whitney who did our maternity pictures. Mila was so easy to work with! We did the sitting at Chase's parents' house, so we were able to crank up the fireplace (poor Whitney is in her third trimester and so she was a saint for dealing with the heat!) to keep our little miss warm. She didn't pee and hardly cried. I love that she was so awake. Really these pictures are a great depiction of our little one...she is often very wide eyed, but not the scary wide eyed like some babies :) As you can tell, I love her big, currently blue, eyes.Here is one of our favs (as you can tell from the header of our blog)! Yellow looks so good on her. Just after these pictures were taken, Chase headed for Texas to start his internship. Mila and I survived 48 hours of being on our own. I really have to give Mila all the credit. She is such a good baby. Thanks to the suggestions of Baby Wise (I recommend this book to any new mothers! Thanks Leanne for suggesting it and letting me borrow your copy!) in this first month Mila has been following a routine of feeding about every 2 1/2 hours during the day. Her last feeding is at 9:30PM and will wake up once to feed in the middle of the night and then wake up for the day at 6:30AM. Seriously, she makes my life so much easier.

After those 48 hours my mother flew in and stayed with us for a week and a half to prepare for our journey to Texas. Yep, this past week, my mom, Mila, and I made the 1500 mile drive to Texas to meet up with Chase. Mila's face in this picture sums up how I felt after the drive:Pure exhaustion! It was more traumatic for me than her I think. Her routine hasn't seemed to be affected much and she is still a pretty easy going baby despite being in a car seat for 25 hours (divided up between 2 days). However, I was a wreck by the time we got to Dallas. Lets just say, a yeast infection mixed with a cramped backseat makes for uncomfortable feeding periods and getting stuck in two traffic jams equaling 2 extra hours of driving when you're 30 miles from home will send anyone over the edge. Thank goodness my mom kept her sanity.

So there you have it. A recap of the first month! I promise I'll be more on top of blogging now that we are in Texas :) Stay tuned.

Our Fathers' Day

2011-06-20T11:47:00.000-07:00

As I alluded to yesterday, Chase drove up to Dallas to see Mila and me for Fathers' Day weekend, so we tried to make the 5 hour drive worth it for him :)

I had to include this picture because it looks like Mila is trying to kiss Chase back. Melts my heart!

Mila took a good nap so that I could wash the car on Friday since Chase likes his car looking good. Then together Mila and I wrote a little poem for Chase. For those of you who don't know, Chase is quite the poet himself; throughout the years he has written many a poem for me, so I thought he might like one in return. Here's how it went:

"On this your very first Fathers' Day,

There are a few things we'd like to say.

First Mila...From the beginning you've been in tune.

You heard me cry in the hospital room.

You have a knack for knowing my moods.

You sensed that I would spit up my foods.

At the airport when you were leaving,

I cried knowing what I'd be missing...

I've missed our daily walks together,

And baths with you are so much better.

I've missed you singing your Russian song,

And without you my mornings are long.

Really here is what I want to say:

I LOVE YOU AND HATE WHEN YOU'RE AWAY!

Now Christy...Since May 17 you've been a pro.

As a father you've stolen the show.

You've changed, which deepens my love for you.

You're so sweet and tender through and through.

As we know you are more fun than me,

But now you are quite the sight to see.

You make up songs for Mila all day,

And your dancing time is fun to play.

Those first two weeks were the best ever.

The timing of her birth was clever.

I thank our Father above each day

That you were at home with us to stay.

Thank you for the help you've given me.

I'm grateful for you I hope you see."

I then had Mila sign the poem with her hand print. It was a pretty fun gift to give. Maybe it will become a tradition...who knows. I also made a fruit bouquet for Chase and my dad today to help celebrate the day. Really an enjoyable Fathers' Day! Hope everyone else's was too.

Happy Fathers' Day

2011-06-19T14:33:00.001-07:00

Happy Fathers' Day to all the fathers out there! Granted I realize that not many "fathers" probably read this blog, so really this is just another chance for me to express my love and gratitude to Chase on this his first official Fathers' Day.

I love you Chase and have loved watching this past month you taking on being a father so flawlessly! You really are amazing with Mila and I know she misses being with you right now. Thanks for driving up this weekend so that she could be with you and feel of your love.

For everyone else reading this, here are some photos that I love of Chase in action as a father that have been taken over the past month.

Presenting Mila Christy Gunnell

2011-05-19T13:20:00.001-07:00

Mila Christy Gunnell's story for those who may not have heard it yet...

May 17, 2011, is a day that we will not soon forget, nor will the nurses at Orem Community Hospital. We arrived at 5:00 a.m. for our induction. By 7:45 a.m. I had Petocin going, my epidural placed, and my doctor broke my water. For the next two hours I stayed at dilated to a 2, but between 9:45 a.m. to 11:20 a.m. I progressed until I was complete. At that point our doctor was notified and we started what he calls "rest and descend." Our doctor has the philosophy with first-time mothers to rest and allow the baby to descend for 1-2 hours before the mother starts to push. Little did he realize, Mila would need no pushing.

By 12:45 p.m. I was feeling lots of pressure and a little pain, so we boosted my epidural. Mila's heart rate kept decreasing during contractions so the nurse had me roll to the opposite side that I was on, in a hope to keep Mila's heart rate constant during contractions. After rolling over I felt liquid on my leg. I told the nurse and we decided to change the pad on my bed. During this conversation with my nurse, Chase, who was sitting on the couch, said he heard a baby cry. Both my nurse and I looked at Chase and told him we hadn't heard it. I then told Chase to not joke about these things. I continued conversing with my nurse and a couple seconds later, I heard, Chase heard, and Chase's sister heard (who was in the room talking on the phone with Chase's parents who had just arrived from Beijing) what sounded like a baby's cry. Chase got adamant that he was hearing a baby. The nurse told him that a baby was being born in the room next to us and that she thought Chase was hearing the cries of that baby. Chase got more adamant and, to appease Chase, the nurse looked under the sheets and saw something she will never forget: Mila's head sticking out to her shoulders. The nurse immediately pushed the "Code Red" button and within 10 seconds we had 10 people in the room helping Mila. The nurse asked me to give a push to help deliver the rest of Mila. Chase and I were shocked. We didn't know what was happening. All I remember is Chase was half frustrated, half scared, saying, "I told you I heard a baby cry!" I started bawling. I wasn't hearing anything from Mila. She wasn't crying. The nurses had taken her to the warming station to get her all cleaned up. They persisted in reassuring Chase and me that Mila was fine, but we were still nervous. They conducted all of the necessary tests and found out that she was perfect.

It was about this time that my doctor showed up and it didn't take long before I realized he was upset. While he was getting ready to sow me back up (I had a second degree tear), the nurse leaned over and said to me, "He isn't mad at you, he is mad at us nurses." After he stitched me up I was able to hold Mila for the first time. No words can describe the emotions that overcame me at that moment. I have never loved someone so completely, so purely, and so immediately as I did Mila the first time I saw her. It was a spiritual feeling that I will never forget.

The miracle about it all is that afterwards the nurse that ended up delivering Mila came to our room and told us about a conversation she had with the doctors that were at the hospital. She asked the doctors if it was possible for a baby to cry when only her head is out and they all unanimously said that it was impossible for a baby to make a noise until they are completely out of the mother's body. So, I don't know what Chase heard, but what I do know is it was a miracle either way you look at it. Either Mila made a noise that the doctors believe is impossible for a baby to make with just their head sticking out of the mother's body or someone from the other side of the veil made a noise so that we would know Mila was out. The later option is plausible because the night before I gave birth to Mila, Chase gave me a blessing and stated that there would be many of our relatives that have passed on that would be in the room during the birth of Mila. We feel so blessed to have many looking out for us in this life and in the next.

So, now, I would like to give a brief description of the name and how we chose it. Mila (pronounced Mee-la) is a popular Russian name that Chase has loved since his mission. It doesn't have a direct translation, but the closest things are cute, precious, sweet, and cuddly. To give you an example, the word "mila" would be used when a Grandma comes up to an infant that she finds cute and says, "Oh, she is is mila." It is for that reason that we decided to name our daughter Mila. The first attribute I noticed on our little girl was that she had big cheeks, perfect for a grandma to pinch and say, "Mila." Since that time, Mila has just grown into her name in meaning. She is definitely cute, precious, sweet, and cuddly.

So that's her story. Here are some pictures from her delivery and stay at the hospital...

Me at my largest

Just chillin while enjoying my epidural and a bit of oxygen

One proud, relieved daddy

My first chance to hold my sweet daughter

The doctor Mila just couldn't wait for

Bringing her home in the same blanket I left the hospital in when I was a baby

Updating and Reflections

2011-05-12T07:18:00.000-07:00

So, here we are just 13 days from our due date. I know I haven't posted a belly shot in awhile...I'll make sure to take one here in the next few days because it has definitely grown.

I'm excited to report that we had a doctor's appointment on Tuesday where I was told I am totally effaced! The doctor estimates that this little girl will come in the next week on her own (heck yeah for shaving a week off!). However, our doctor leaves town near the end of next week so we are meeting with him on Monday to set a day and time for me to be induced. Chase and I have already agreed on the 18th. See, the 15th is Chase's birthday, the 16th is my nephew Jonathan's birthday, and the 17th is my brother Kurt's birthday. We Smiths like to jam pack the birthdays apparently.

It's pretty crazy to think that in less than a week I will officially be a mother. It's been a whirlwind the past two days after finding this information out because this causes my last day of work to be tomorrow. It's surreal to think that after 5 years of teaching, this chapter is coming to a close so suddenly. Cue reflections...

It just so happens that today and tomorrow I am finishing off my seminary career by teaching The Family: A Proclamation to the World, a proclamation our church published back in 1995. Already in preparing my lesson this morning I have had to choke back tears, and I don't think I can blame it entirely on the pregnancy hormones. I felt like I needed to take a moment and write my testimony and my thoughts this morning so that I won't forget these feelings.

This life and the Plan of our Father in Heaven is centered on the family. Sister Julie B. Beck did a beautiful job explaining this here. I am so grateful for the Plan and for the opportunity I have to be a family with Chase and to fulfill my divine destiny here on earth to be a mother. I know having the opportunity to become a mother is a privilege that many are earnestly, righteously seeking after. I feel very blessed that the Lord is allowing me this privilege. My heart is also full this morning because I know how hard the adversary is attacking families, and I wish I could just protect my students, my family, and my daughter from these attacks.

My family faced a heavy blow from the adversary just over 4 years ago, back when I first taught this lesson in the seminary classroom. I remember what a wreck I was trying to teach this lesson. Although the trial we face is a difficult one, it has made my testimony all the stronger. I hope my students will sense and feel that today.

I hope my family knows how much I love them.

I hope Chase knows how excited I am to officially start our family.

I hope each of us realizes the love our Father in Heaven has for us and how blessed we are to experience glimpses of His love by being in families here on earth. How grateful I am for the Great Plan of Happiness!

Prego Pictures

2011-04-08T10:27:00.000-07:00

Thanks to our friend, Whitney, and her amazing photography skills (which can be seen in more detail here) we were able to have some pregnancy shots taken. These are me at 32 1/2 weeks. We're so excited to have her come take pictures again after our little daughter arrives. Well enjoy!

General Conference 2011

2011-04-05T12:29:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love this time of year. The weather is starting to show signs of Spring, Easter is just around the corner, and the leaders of our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, address us in General Conference. I felt I would not be acting upon the counsel we received this weekend if I didn't take the chance to share my thoughts and feelings about Conference. (I've attached many links to the talks I reference in hopes that if one catches your attention you'll take time to click on the link and listen to the talk.) I have to start back with the General Young Women's session. I had the chance to listen last week to the talks given in this session and loved, loved, loved Sister Elaine S. Dalton's talk. She spoke about each young woman's walk to the temple and how there are some decisions they only need to make once. Decisions like staying morally clean in order to enter the temple one day. I sure am glad that that is a decision Chase and I both chose to only make once because it made my 24 years of waiting to marry way easier. She also mentioned that mothers are the #1 example of modesty and virtue for their daughters. It helped me realize the example I need to be for our future daughter. After the Saturday morning session of Conference I felt the overwhelming message to become like a little child by learning from our little ones. It made me so grateful for the opportunity I have had to be surrounded by nieces and nephews who have taught me a thing or two about faith and the power of prayer, but even more grateful for the opportunity Chase and I will have next month to start learning lessons from our own daughter. I also loved from this session Elder Quentin L. Cook's talk about how incredible our LDS women are. What a pick-me-up for all women! Elder Dallin H. Oaks' talk on desire was a direct answer to a concern I approached Conference with. I loved the quote he used given by Elder Neal A. Maxwell that states, "What we insistently desire overtime is what we will eventually become..." I have some desires that I hope will mold me into who I truly want to become. This post is a result of President Dieter F. Uchtdorf's talk on Sunday where he encouraged us to use technology to spread the gospel. How can you not love President Uchtdorf's talks? Both my husband, father, and students have commented on how much they loved his talk during Priesthood session. I can't wait to watch it. I couldn't help but think of one of my favorite pictures from our wedding day as President Thomas S. Monson spoke on the importance of temples. I wrote in my notes the statement he made to the youth: "Always have the temple in your sights!" What great counsel for each of us since busy schedules often times push the temple to the back of our mind. This picture reminds me of our prophet's charge to us: I loved and want to reread Elder Richard G. Scott's talk during the Sunday afternoon session as he reflected on marriage and how important it is to express gratitude and love to our spouses often. You could sense the love and respect he had for his dear wife. I hope each of you who actually read through this lengthy post will take Elder Jeffrey R. Holland's challenge to reflect on the unique phenomenon that General Conference is and determine what personal epistles the Lord was sending you through these speakers. I know that the Lord's voice was heard this weekend through His chosen servants. I am grateful that the heavens are open and that we have the opportunity to receive revelation and guidance to help us through life.

My First Shower

2011-04-03T13:43:00.000-07:00

Earlier last month I had the opportunity to be encircled by so many lovely ladies (and a few kiddos :) ). My cousin, Trish, and my old roommate, Beth, headed up an amazing shower. They really out did themselves! I was amazed at how they thought of every detail. Like for example, best thing ever, Trish made thank you cards in advance so when I was opening gifts all she did was write down what each person gave me on a sticky note and put one on each card. Geniusness!! It's making the process of writing thank you notes so much easier. Here are some other examples of their attention to detail...the decorations:

Clothes hanging from clothes pins along the stair banisters.The food was all yummy! Thank you to Emily, Kim, Lindsi, and Courtney who also helped to provide food. Beth made these super cute cupcakes, which were a huge hit.

Boston wanted to help me open presents. He was trying things out for me and making me laugh the whole time.

I really am grateful for so many amazing women in my life who took time out of their busy Saturday to come celebrate our little daughter's upcoming arrival! And thank you to two amazing hostesses, Beth and Trish!!

Soccer Season is Upon Us!

2011-03-31T10:17:00.001-07:00

It's that time of year again...the MLS soccer season has begun!! Last weekend was Real Salt Lake's opening game here at home against the LA Galaxy. Chase and I had the privilege of going to the game with my SILs Karlee and Dayna. The game was awesome! We came out in full force scoring in the first minute (I of course missed that goal because I had to go to the bathroom...story of my life). That's okay though because we ended up scoring four goals that night, winning the game 4-1. Sadly, me along with most of the crowd missed the third goal of the night because Jimmer was on the big screen and everyone was cheering for him and trying to figure out where he was in the stadium rather than watching the game. Whoops! You could tell that Jimmer felt bad that he pulled the attention away from the game. So where was Jimmer that night? Oh he was in the box where we were enjoying the game!! That's right, we were just seats away from the BYU star. We were advised not to ask him for autographs or pictures (to my nephew Jacob's dismay) but we did snap a shot on Chase's iPhone just for proof that he really was there. Rubbing shoulders that night solidified what a class act he, his girlfriend, and family are. What a start to Real's season!

Things To Look Foward To

2011-03-17T12:56:00.000-07:00

I'm in my final trimester, and find myself, like every other pregnant woman, hoping that I don't go the full 40 weeks. Today I thought I'd make a list of things I am looking forward to that I hope will pass the next 10 weeks along relatively quickly.

In order of occurrence:

March Maddness...I have bracket competitions going both with my family and my faculty!
A Gunnell/Stratford family shower
General Conference
A girls' weekend with my roommates
Spring Break (granted I still have to work, but hey, I get a break from teaching)
Easter and hopefully constant warmer weather by then
Attending Women's Conference with my SIL Kari, who is flying in from Texas
A Johnson family shower
Mothers' Day
Chase's birthday

Hopefully, our little one decides to arrive anytime between my Johnson shower and Chase's birthday, but if not, I have things to occupy my time. Please feel free to inform me of other exciting events that can help me pass the time along :)

Yogurtland

2011-03-05T10:33:00.000-08:00

A new couple that moved into our condos just opened up a new frozen yogurt joint. It's called Yogurtland, and it's located next to Smashburger in the same shopping center as Men's Wearhouse and Plato's Closet. Apparently it is a franchise that originates in Cali, which lucky for us means they use Ghirardelli chocolate...yum yum! They had a pre-opening trial run on Friday night that we hit up with Chase's sister, Karlee, and her bud, Morgan, and then we invited some of the ward to come on Saturday, their opening day, after Stake Conference.

*This picture was stolen from Rachel O'Brien...i figured since Danny covered my face I could steal this picture from you Rach :)

I have to say, it's really good! They weigh your selection, and you pay by the ounce, which their price by ounce is cheaper than any other place. And, they have so many yummy flavors. I think this will be my new favorite dessert stop because I feel healthy eating it!! Yeah for guiltless indulgences.

BYU Breaks My Heart

2011-03-03T13:37:00.000-08:00

Okay, so time out from the sporadic updates on our life; I have to digress for a bit and let off a little steam.

BYU is once again breaking my heart. It's as though we are cursed in any sport (I'm really just going off of football and basketball here). It seems to me that when we find ourselves ranked nationally in the top 10 we end up ruining our momentum by losing to a non-ranked school. I don't know how many of you watched the basketball game against New Mexico last night but I was so disappointed. Not because we lost Davies (although that is very disappointing) but because our players just weren't making the shots. So frustrating! I guess we must have been getting prideful after such an awesome win against San Diego, and our loss is part of a humbling process we must undergo, but I was really looking forward to placing BYU further than one round this year in my March Madness bracket. Now I'm not so sure I want to make that kind of gamble.

Come on boys...lets pull it together!

Suitable Bachelors for our Daughter

2011-02-19T12:45:00.000-08:00

So in the past month two of our friends have brought cute little boys into this world. Our friends the Fitchs welcomed their little boy, Roman, into this world on January 15. Chase and I were both sick when he arrived so we didn't get to visit him at the hospital, but we had the chance to bring over dinner and enjoy a night with the three of them. Roman is a stud!

Then just on Thursday, February 17, our friends the Smiths welcomed their little boy, Calvin, three weeks early! I am so jealous of Holly shaving off 3 weeks of her pregnancy. I am praying for a similar experience :) We went and visited the Smiths at the hospital. It's crazy to think in 10 weeks that could be us!

My First Attempt

2011-02-18T07:20:00.000-08:00

Okay, first off, my pregnant or formerly pregnant friends, where do you find cute, long enough, maternity dresses??? Seriously, I'm starting to get really annoyed with my long figure because all the dresses I try on are not long enough. Luckily I can still manage to get into my jeans by using the rubberband method to give me a little extra wiggle room at the waist, or I'd probably be even more annoyed trying to find jeans that fit well. Anyway, I would love to know where to shop for dresses since I have to wear a dress 6 days of the week and I'm getting really tired of my current selection.

Moving on...so because of my frustration I decided to bring out the sewing machine. For those of you who have never seen the work of my talented friend Leanne, you should take a look at her design blog or her etsy shop. The girl never ceases to amaze me. She introduced to our ward at a Relief Society meeting her pattern for super cute T-shirt dresses (you can find her step-by-step instructions here).

I have loved these dresses for awhile now, and it finally dawned on me that this could be the solution to my maternity dress problem. So after telling myself for a month that I can create such a dress on my own, I decided to try one Saturday. I bought some cute gray light corderoy fabric from Joann's and a cute forest green top from Cozy (if you have not been to Cozy on University Pkwy, seriously you are missing out...Leanne told me about this place so I finally went and seriously all the cute clothes made me covet having a skinny body again). After many hours and a few prayers, I managed to come out with a creation that I am not embarrassed to wear.

This definitely is not as good of quality as the dresses that Leanne makes, but I learned a few valuable tips for the next one I make. Like, because I'm prego and the fabric isn't stretchy, I needed more fabric than normal. So next time I am going to get 1 3/4 yard of fabric. Because of my lack of fabric I didn't get to gather the skirt as much as I would have liked. Second, I think I'm going to try some jersey fabric that lays nicer on the curves. Third, I did a back seam rather than two side seams (in order to save on fabric), but really the side seams would be way easier to work with when trying to make your gathering on the skirt even. Anyway, it wasn't bad for a first attempt at making my own clothes. Chase is thrilled because he really likes the idea of me making matching dresses for me and the little one. I'm just happy to have a dress that I don't have to pull down every 5 minutes.

The latest in pregnancy...

2011-02-17T10:44:00.000-08:00

This entry is more for me and my future daughter. It's a recap of some of the milestones in pregnancy.

As of this week, I am now starting my third trimester. I apologize that I did not increase blogging during the second trimester even though I had more energy and such. Due to lack of bloggin here is a recap of the past few months...

December

December 11

December 25

My belly seemed to make itself known over Christmas break. Probably because my appetite finally had returned and there were many yummy snacks at my fingertips. I reached my breaking point with my ptyalism condition on Christmas Eve so Chase gave me a blessing that pronounced I could be cured. I started chewing gum religiously shortly there after in order to force myself to swallow. Over the course of two or three weeks I noticed the mucus subside. By the time I went back to school in January I no longer needed a spit cup (which my students are very very grateful for). I still produce a lot of saliva to this day but I just chew gum in order to swallow it rather than spitting it out.

In December we felt our little girl kick for the first time. Initially I wasn't positive I was feeling her, but I assumed the fluttery movement was her. Chase and I both felt her on the 26th of December during church when I was wearing a skirt that was restricting the wee one a bit. She kicked or punched right where the waist of the skirt was cutting into me. I also felt a distinct punch on the 1st of January when I was playing "Just Dance 2" on the Wii and was bouncing a bit much for her. She made it known to me when I sat down that I need to cool it a bit in my dance moves :) It's funny because before pregnancy the idea of someone growing and moving inside of me kind of creeped me out, but now that I can feel her, I love it! It really is one of the highlights of pregnancy; I love knowing that she's there and having that personal connection since Chase can't always feel her movements even when I can.

January

During January I learned a valuable lesson in pregnancy and probably life. I caught a cold near the beginning of the month (which came and went throughout the month); then work became super stressful due to various unusal occurences and I ended up teaching for 8 hours straight practically; and to top it all off, this all happened when my grandma was emitted to the hospital due to a heartattack and I was told she was dying. All these things created an amount of stress that my body decided was too much. The Saturday following all of these events, I woke up at 4 am and by 5 am I was in intense pain, similar to the type of pain I've experienced when having ulcers. I literally could not move or the pain intensified. After discussing with my medical siblings and receiving a blessing, Chase and I both felt reassured the baby would be fine, but that I need to learn how to juggle the stress, a lesson I am constantly being reminded of. With time and medication the pain subsided, luckily.

February

February 4

This month I have definitely felt far more movement from the little girl, especially as I am going to bed or when I wake up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. I now cannot sleep without being on my side and without gripping my body pillow. Chase has been having difficulty the past two weeks sleeping because apparently my snoring has become pretty unbearable at night. My belly has grown quite a bit over January and February it seems like too.

This month I have also been able to see the movement are little girl is making. It was a bit freaky at first. It happened at work while I was preping, and I just stared at my tummy watching my tummy bulge and pop. I find myself staring more and more these days at her little movements. This is a very fun time of pregnancy...it really does make you forget about that first trimester. Thank goodness!

Eileen Felix Johnson

2011-01-12T06:32:00.000-08:00

Last night just after 11PM my last living grandparent passed away. Please allow me to use this post as a place for me to gather all my thoughts.

I have many mixed emotions right now. I know and have a testimony of the Plan of Salvation so I know this is not the end of my associations with my grandma. I know that her passing was an answer to prayers because she was in pain and her body was shutting down. I know that she is now reunited with my grandpa, who died last May. I'm grateful for this knowledge.

But at the same time this knowledge does not take away the stinging reality--I no longer have any of my grandparents left on the earth. It doesn't take away the pain of knowing my daughter will never meet such an amazing woman. A part of me was hoping she'd make it until June so that we could bring our daughter to see her.

To lose my grandma Johnson is probably one of the hardest grandparents to lose for me because she has always been so easy to talk to, probably because she is my maternal grandma and thus our interactions often times were just like my interactions with my mother. Her home and her presence were a comfort to me during my time at BYU when I was so far away from my own mother.

Eileen is who inspired me to want to cook well and use lots of butter when cooking :); she is who inspired me to read lots of books and be well educated on things--she was a teacher by profession and spent most of her time these last few years reading and staying up-to-date on the news despite not having vision in one of her eyes; according to Chase she is who I get my feisty, stubborn nature from at times :); and she is who I believe I gained a lot of my musical talent from. It was fitting that one of the last requests she made of me was to come sing to her in the hospital.

I will always remember how sharp she was even at the end of her life. When she was emitted last week into the hospital, Chase and I went and stayed with her until my aunt arrived. I talked to her about what I am teaching at school right now: the life of Joseph F. Smith. Even while on oxygen and heavy pain meds, she responded and even chimed in with her two cents. I hope I am as sharp as she was when I reach the end of my life.

Thanks for sticking it through so many years of pain Grandma. Thanks for supporting me and Chase at our wedding. Thanks for always being so interested in our life. I'm glad you are free from your frail, pain ridden body and with Grandpa. I love you and will miss you so much.

Another Big Announcement!

2011-01-10T15:06:00.000-08:00

I would like to start this post by vowing that I will try to update our blog more often with the start of this new year. Today's post may just be the catalyst for such a resolution.

We'd like to take a timeout from reporting on our pregnancy by sharing some exciting news. Chase just received a call today from the Pentagon and was informed that he has been chosen for a JAG internship for this summer with the Air Force!! There were only 50 spots available across the nation and Chase secured one of them. We couldn't be more excited. For one thing, it's an internship...that means it's paid!! Paid internships are a bit hard to come by these days in law school. Secondly, it's with the JAG program, which is something Chase is very interested in pursuing after graduation, so we are hoping this will get his foot in the door. We both have felt strongly that the JAG program will play to Chase's strengths and get him in the court room where he excels way sooner than any law firm would. Then, after his 4 year commitment to the Air Force he will have more opportunities available to him. See, neither one of us sees ourselves becoming lifers in the military. It's just a great springboard for the future.

So if you see Chase, tell him congratulations! He deserves it. Stay tuned for where we will be placed. It's looking like the top 3 placements for us are:

1. San Antonio, TX

2. Charleston, SC

3. Washington DC

I'd be fine with any three since I have friends or family in all three locations. But lets be honest, Texas makes more sense since it's right next to family, which would be a huge plus since I will be bringing our newborn along for the ride :) Yay for new adventures!!

Our E-Christmas Card

2010-12-16T06:58:00.000-08:00

This year I decided I wanted to send out Christmas cards. That's something my family always does but Chase's family not so much, so Chase was hesitant to the whole thing. Thus we compromised and took a baby step this year by just sending out E-cards. Hopefully next year we will send out real, in your mailbox, cards. But for now enjoy the card below, just in case we missed sending you our card via email.

What a joy it was to travel around the country and parts of the world in 2010. But we are now jumping for joy for the opportunity to settle down and welcome our new bundle of joy--a baby girl expected to arrive on May 25, 2011!

Drum Roll Please

2010-12-14T07:05:00.000-08:00

So...we know the gender of our growing baby. Drum roll please...............it's a GIRL! Yep, we're having a little baby girl. We went to an early 16 week ultrasound last Tuesday morning (Chase couldn't wait any longer) and had pretty much everyone's guesses confirmed. My mom had told me she felt like it was a girl from the beginning and even one of my former students who I am close with still had a dream that I had a girl. So pretty much it was in the cards.

We're excited to now be able to call her a "her" rather than an "it" and to be able to start picking out fabric and color schemes for the nursery. I think Chase is a bit worried as to how he will "play" with a little girl despite the fact that he grew up with all sisters (he claims he just got picked on, ha ha). And I'm a bit overwhelmed by all the accessorizing that comes with girls. But luckily I have crafty women all around me to help me in that arena. So there you have it. The latest and greatest in the Gunnell household.

Long Overdue

2010-10-27T09:06:00.000-07:00

So, as is the case with so many, I have become MIA in the blogging world due to a big change in the Gunnell household. Yep, you guessed it...I'm pregnant. I'm currently in my 12th week and find myself counting down the days until this first trimester is over in hopes that I will feel better and have more energy. Our current due date is May 25th--right smack in between Chase's birthday (May 15) and my birthday (June 1) and just before Chase starts his yet-to-be-determined internship.

Chase has been asking everyday when I would announce to the blogging world that I'm pregnant. I've been putting it off and putting it off due to my lack of energy, but today my kind faculty member took my 4th hour in order to give me a much needed break at work after a week of stressing to get my grades in. So here I am finally posting.

Despite my lack of enthusiasm please know that I am grateful to be pregnant, especially since it did require patience and waiting on our end. Right now I'm probably more grateful for my understanding, supportive faculty who have been lightening my load constantly; friends and family who have been excited for me (since sickness has drained me of excitement)--it still makes me laugh when I think about our friend who tackled us when he found out; siblings who keep checking up on me, concerned for my well-being; but most importantly Chase who has learned to cope with me these past two months. He has taken over cooking, cleaning, doing the wash, and any errands I may have. Plus, he has adapted to me not wanting to do anything at night (nights are the hardest for me I think) and me not wanting to eat anything at night which results in him thinking of anything and everything he could make or buy for me so that I will eat in order to not get even more sick. I don't know what I would do without him.

Anyway, here are some pictures and hopefully a video (I loaded it but don't know if it will play). First a series of pictures when we found out.

The announcement was made pretty early to my faculty and students that I was pregnant since I became sick. One of my former students was pretty stoked so she decorated my car. Slightly embarrassing when an old man approached me in the law school parking lot as I was waiting to pick up Chase and proceeded to ask me if "Prego" meant "Pregnant". Apparently he was not aware of the new age slang.

Our first ultrasound and visit to the doctor. This visit has resulted in us now calling our baby "Peanut". Stay tuned for more updates on Peanut and us (probably once I'm in the second trimester).

Saying Goodbye

2010-09-27T12:03:00.001-07:00

The past few weeks have been a roller coaster ride for Chase's family. Late last month we were told that Chase's maternal grandmother's cancer had returned and unfortunately had spread throughout her body. As a result, they gave her 2-3 weeks to live. After about 4 weeks of fighting it, this morning at 6:30AM she passed from this world and into the next.

Although we wish her time on earth could have been longer, we look at these past few weeks as a tender mercy from the Lord. Elaine was able to have her family around her constantly, which I know brought her so much comfort. And it definitely allowed Chase and I time to feel closure. It also allowed me to share my musical gift with Grandma. See, Grandma Stratford has truly blessed not only her family but countless individuals with her musical talents, and so to bring comfort one day Chase and I went over so that I could sing for Grandma. I realized that in the 3 years of us knowing one another, we had never shared this love for music together. So I'm grateful for that afternoon. And I'm grateful for the generous love that she showed me since we very first met--exactly 3 years ago during General Conference. She truly will be missed. It makes my heartache to think that our future children will not be blessed by her crocheting skills--that I won't be able to wrap up a baby in one of her blankets. But I know that we will feel her love wrapped around us throughout the precious moments in our lives that we would want to share with her. I'm grateful to the Lord for the time I've had in knowing Elaine and in calling her Grandma.

Elaine is on the left in this picture.

Today's News

2010-09-24T13:46:00.000-07:00

My brother is famous!! Check it out...he was featured on this website today for his sweet surfin skills down in G-town (Galveston).In other news, Chase and I couldn't be more excited for our favorite show's season premiere tonight! You better believe we'll be campin out in front of the TV tonight at 7pm before racing off to my intramural volleyball game. Good times! Enjoy the weekend everyone!!

Family Reunited

2010-09-22T12:03:00.000-07:00

So, at the end of July/beginning of August we were able to travel home to Texas for a Smith family gathering. We started out our trip in Dallas where we were able to spend time with family and catch up with my old friend Audra from high school.

During our visit in Dalls we met Winston, the newest addition to Jeff's family. Chase loves bulldogs, so it was love at first sight for the two of them. His lazy, fat self sure did keep us laughing.

We also went and watched "Despicable Me" in 3D. Hands down, movies are ten times funnier when you see them with little kids. There was so many of us that we took up an entire row, and then some.

We then headed down south to Surfside, TX a city near Galveston. We rented a beach house big enough for all 22 of us. We spent our days playing with the kiddos on the beach. Here's little Ollie who had grown so so much since we saw him last Thanksgiving.

One night we went "Ghost Crab Hunting". It's where the kids walk around with flashlights until they find a crab that is transparent (hence ghost crab). Then they scream and chase it until they catch it. Regardless of age, the kids were fearless and would pick the crabs up with their bare hands.

Each night a different couple was in charge of cooking. Needless to say we ate well all week. The night Chase and I were in charge we felt we should introduce the family to one of our favorite desserts--Pazzokis. We made big pans full of cookie and poured the ice cream on top and let the kids go at it. It was utter chaos!

A night of smores!

Brad and Karrie's fish's presentation was quite remarkable.

The row of beach houses lit up at night.

We were able to put Jeff's expensive hobby (photography) to good use this trip. Here are some family photos we took one evening.

Here's our beach house.

And now presenting, the infamous sailboat my dad bought shortly before our reunion (may it rest in peace now). It was quite the adventure lugging the thing from Dallas to the coast, but we made it safely and enjoyed a week of sailing with the boat only tipping once.

Much of our indoor time was playing games, including Rock Band. It's pretty crazy when your little nephews can rock out with you!

I sure can't wait for the next Smith family gathering!

A Resolution Completed

2010-09-14T08:30:00.000-07:00

So, I must backtrack quite a bit in these next few posts. Maybe I'll catch up to the present soon, but I'm not counting on it. These past few weeks have been quite busy with work, family matters, and life in general. Plus, I don't want blogging to turn into a distraction like Sis. Beck warned against at our Regional Broadcast on Sunday. Thus my updates will probably be spaced out and used as a means of keeping track of events for our "Yearbook" I make each year and as a release from the stress of life. Hopefully I will be able to update you on the past 2 months...here goes:

One of my 2010 New Year's Resolutions was to run a 10k. When I found out that my aunt Val had rounded up most of her family to run the Deseret News Pioneer Run on Saturday I quickly jumped at the chance to run with family. It's funny how once you pay for an event like this your motivation to train increases tremendously. Once it's paid for there's no going back. I am happy to say that the training paid off. Not only did I run the whole way but I finished quicker than I expected. My time was around 1:07 (I never was able to find my offical time). I was also happy with the fact that I wasn't sore afterwards and I was able to sprint the last leg. Here are some pre-race pictures of the fam and our victory breakfast afterwards.

We're Alive

2010-08-26T09:42:00.000-07:00

I thought I would update our readers by letting them know, Chase and I are still alive (currently I feel like I'm hanging on by a thread after waking up at 4:50 am the past two days in a row for school), we just are MIA right now due to both of us starting school this week. Once I recover from this week you will be pleased to read posts covering the past month. Some events we have to share are:

*Me running my 10k

*Our Smith family reunion in Texas

*A night camping under the stars

*My kickin classroom that I've spent way too much time decorating for this year

So stay tuned...and pray that we both recover quickly from our first week of school :)

The Priesthood

2010-08-18T08:25:00.001-07:00

As a Latter-day Saint, I believe the power of God was restored to the earth in this dispensation on May 15, 1829 as John the Baptist conferred the priesthood upon the prophet Joseph Smith as well as Oliver Cowdery. As a result, I am blessed today to have Chase hold the power of the priesthood, a power that has blessed my life countless times.

Today I feel so grateful for a worthy priesthood holder in my home who is worthy to use his priesthood when needed. August 17, 2010 is a day that will not be forgotten in our home, and my knowledge of the power of God on the earth has been strengthend. May any priesthood holder that reads this (I know male readers of this blog are few) seek to live their lives worthy of the priesthood which you hold. And may any woman who reads this remember to turn to the priesthood for strength.

North Carolina

2010-07-23T10:54:00.000-07:00

Earlier this month Chase and I were flown to Raleigh, NC in order for me to speak at a 5-Stake Youth Conference held on East Carolina University's campus. It was such a treat, especially since neither one of us had ever been to the Carolinas. I loved the Southern hospitality that was extended to us throughout our stay. We extended our trip by a day before and after the Conference so that we could see a bit of Carolina. It involved a bit of driving but here are some snapshots of our adventures.

Fort Macon, a Confederate fort built on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The Siege of Fort Macon by the Union during the Civil War took place from March 23 to April 26, 1862.

Kitty Hawk where the Wright brothers altered life as we know it. Really, as we learned more about the first recorded flight in history we realized that this was quite the life altering discovery.

There's a monument seated on the hill where their plane took off from.

This is the track and markers of the how far they reached on the first four flights.

It just so happened that we visited Kitty Hawk during the 32nd annual Kite Festival. I even got to fly my own little kite along side some wicked huge kites! Chase and I both loved the picturesque campuses of both ECU and Duke. We had fun taking "artsy" shots around the campuses.Chase and I are fans of the show "Man Vs. Food" so we had to venture to one of Adam's picks in Raleigh before we flew home. Our trusty Jeep Liberty and GPS unit that we affectionately call "Vicky" (short for "Victoria" since we used the female British voice to navigate us). We drove over 800 miles on this trip so we were grateful for a trusty car and navigation system.
The trip was a nice vacation for us both and a great opportunity to once again rub shoulders with the youth. I loved the opportunity to have Chase on the trip with me, not only because he line danced at both of the dances that were held, but because he helped me meet so many more people than I would have on my own. I hope we have more opportunities like this to travel and speak.

Just thought I'd share...

2010-07-22T10:49:00.000-07:00

So as stated in a prior post, this summer is full of baby showers. I attended my cousin Jane's shower on June 12 at the Grand America Hotel and I thought I'd share the theme and decor from the shower because I loved it! And shoot, I know I'm not the only one having to host baby showers here in Provo and wanting new ideas.

The color scheme was so classy. Shades of green (predominately the mint shade) and pink.

The theme for the shower was children's books, specifically the book entitled Someday by Alison Mcghee and Peter H. Reynolds. I love this book actually because my mom gave it to me at one of my bridal showers. It's a tear jerker :) On the tables though were various children's classics like Beatrix Potter books as well as pictures of Jane, her sisters, and mother.

And the flowers were to die for. So there ya go...some fresh, classy ideas for a little baby girl shower. I'm anxiously awaiting little baby Miller to arrive any day now!

Summer Recipe

2010-07-20T08:43:00.000-07:00

So as I stated before, I am in love with all the produce that summer blesses us with. On Sunday Chase's grandparents were so generous and gave us two very large zucchini from their garden. We were so excited because it allowed us to whip out one of our favorite, easy summer recipes. I thought I'd share it with you, my loyal readers, in case you too find yourself with zucchini this summer and are tired of just making zucchini bread.

Stuffed Zucchini

1 med-large zucchini

1/2 lb. of thawed, uncooked ground beef or sausage (we prefer hot sausage...so good!)

1/4 c. mayo

2 tsp. onion flakes

2 tsp. parsley flakes

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. salt or Lawry's salt (we prefer the Lawry's salt)

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/4 tsp. pepper

2/3 c. spaghetti sauce

Parmesan cheese or mozzarella cheese (I think I am now more a fan of the mozzarella)

Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise (like you would if making twice baked potatoes). Scoop out the centers leaving 1/4" shell (again just like with twice baked potatoes). Place the shells in a shallow baking dish.

Coarsely chop the zucchini centers and mix with the next 8 ingredients. Spoon into shells. Top with sauce and cheese. Bake 30-45 minutes at 375 degrees.

If you don't have a garden with zucchini growing within, it is definitely worth going to a farmers' market to get some zucchini. I haven't had success finding large enough zucchinis at the store. Farmers' markets or your grandparents' garden are where it's at :) Enjoy!

I love summer!

2010-07-19T08:28:00.000-07:00

I love summer!! I love summer for a lot of reasons, but this summer I've really come to appreciate the fresh produce that is abundantly available during the summer.

This Saturday we really took advantage of the season. Chase's sister Dayna told us about this co-op called Bountiful Baskets. To learn more about them go here. Anyway, we signed up to pick up our first basket of produce on Saturday and we were thrilled with the results. For just $15 ($19 if you are a first timer) we got all of the following:

A head of lettuce

10 plums

10 peaches

6 limes

A large bunch of bananas

A cantaloupe

2 mangoes

Asparagus

Cauliflower

Grapes

Roma tomatoes

2 squash

I think that's everything. What a steal! Thanks Dayna for introducing us to this. We will definitely be taking advantage of this again. The cool thing is they do this co-op in tons of cities here in Utah as well as in Idaho, Wyoming, Texas, Arizona, Washington, and Nevada. So really, you should check it out.

Not only are we enjoying our produce, but we're taking advantage of the herbs I've been growing. Although my potted garden has not been as successful as I had hoped, we are enjoying the basil, parsley, and oregano that are hanging in there. Nothing beats a caprese salad with fresh tomatoes and mozarella cheese garnished with freshly-picked oregano and basil.

I hope everyone else gets a chance to enjoy the fruits of the season!

Just What I Needed

2010-07-15T09:44:00.000-07:00

So yesterday as I was on BYU's campus preparing to teach at EFY I checked my email and read some pretty disheartening news dealing with family matters. A pain I'm all too familiar with flooded my system once again. My mind raced with thoughts like, "When will this end?" and "Will things ever get better?" I lost all desire to be peppy and cheerful to the youth who would soon be entering my workshop. But the Lord knew this was going to happen and He knew I would feel hopeless. I know this because I witnessed His love yesterday through a tender mercy.

David A. Bednar once defined tender mercies as "the very personal and individualized blessings, strength, protection, assurances, guidance, loving-kindnesses, consolation, support, and spiritual gifts which we receive from and because of and through the Lord Jesus Christ…”

The personal blessing of strength I received yesterday had to do with the fact that of the four lessons I taught at EFY, my lesson entitled "You Are Loved" that discusses how the Lord's hand is in our lives through tender mercies was the very lesson that I was scheduled to teach yesterday morning. I know it was not a coincidence that things worked out that way. The Lord knew I needed to be reminded of His love at that moment. To start out the class I had planned for the youth to sing "I Feel My Savior's Love". I'm so grateful for the Spirit's strong presence as we sang that simple Primary song. It gave me the strength to teach.

So to my readers, I encourage you, as we were once by Pres. Eyring, look each day for evidences of the Lord's hand in your life. Because He is very present in our lives. I know this to be true.

Another on going project

2010-07-12T10:55:00.000-07:00

So I call this summer "The Summer O Babies" because already I have attended 3 baby showers, one of which I helped throw, and I still have 2 more showers that I know of before the summer is through, one of which I am also throwing. Due to this plethora of showers, I decided to undertake learning how to make cute onesies. I scoped out the designs of others and with the help of online tutorials here's what I've come up with so far:

Other designs that are cute that I don't have pictures of are a flat flower design for little girls and a lightning bolt , fish, or car for little boys (I've only had one shower for a little boy and I didn't take pictures of the finished products).

Next up is making suspenders to go with these onesies for my baby nephews...suspenders on babies, what could be cuter?!

Projects Overload

2010-07-02T16:09:00.000-07:00

So while Chase was away I decided to undertake one too many projects. I almost completed them all (after multiple nights of working nonstop till midnight--leave it to me to procrastinate) by the time Chase returned. Here's a bit of what I did:

*With the help of an awesome home teacher and a neighbor, I was able to hang in our kitchen a valence I sewed with a $1 rod from Ikea.*While my mom was in town I add some beauty to our front patio area by potting some herbs and flowers. Sadly my flowers did not survive the overwatering of my next door neighbor who thought she was "saving" my dying flowers. The verdict is still out as to whether or not my aloe vera plant will come back after the overwatering catastrophe. Pray that it does because it has come in handy the past few years due to Chase's skin's tendency to burn.

(All these pictures were taken before the catastrophe)

*Also while my mom was in town I bought lots of fabric to make pillows for our bedroom and living room. For our bedroom I had purchased a new simple white duvet cover, and so I wanted to bring in reds and aquaish blues with pillows. Here's how it turned out:

I did this pillow for our couch in the living room.

Side note: I've determined I do not like stitching up pillowcovers after you've stuffed the pillow in.

*I constructed on one of our walls a collage of pictures and repainted a "C" (for Christy and Chase) that I got at TJMaxx.

(To bring more of the blue into our room, I used some of my leftover blue material and covered some wooden frames from Ikea.)

*I also found a beautiful framed mirror from Rod Works in Lehi to adorn one of our walls. (Ever since we moved in we have been looking for a large enough mirror for the wall opposite our bed.)

*After about an hour of peeling I was able to place this vinyl quote above the mirror. We both love this quote. It sums up our feelings for one another and it somewhat ties into our family motto: Leave people and places better than when you found them.
*Thanks to the Wilcox's (once again) expertise I was able to make a rod design of pictures Chase and I have taken on our various travels and added some accent to our large framed pictures in our hallway.

And that's a glance at the projects I completed to help revamp our house :)

Two Years

2010-07-01T09:34:00.000-07:00

Last Friday Chase and I celebrated 2 years of marriage. As tradition, we went and did sealings. This year we went to the Salt Lake temple, the temple where we were sealed. (Side note: So I almost passed out while doing sealings (this is the second time this has happened to me)! Anyone else have this problem?!)As we watched couple after couple come into the Celestial room, and then as we walked around outside we both agreed how lucky we were on our wedding day. See, we were married on a Wednesday. As a result, practically no one was around outside as we were taking our pictures, allowing for some great shots; we didn't have to feel rushed inside the temple; and it probably also resulted in no one getting mad at us as we piled in almost double the amount of people allowed in the sealing room. It really was a perfect day and I would tell anyone contemplating being married in the Salt Lake temple to pick a weekday!

Happy 2 years Chase! I love the picture below because you truly are my best friend that I need and want by my side always. Loves!

Ironic

2010-06-16T15:16:00.001-07:00

Many of you know that Chase comes home today. Well of course Murphy's Law would step in and sabotage our reunion! Chase's flight was delayed from Ukraine and so he missed his connecting flight in JFK. He then waited in a 2 hour line to be placed on a new flight which will land in Utah 4 hours later than expected. He arrives after 11 pm so it's going to be a long night, especially since I'm running on little sleep due to the various projects I had to finish late last night for Chase's arrival.

I guess I should be grateful that he at least was placed on a flight that leaves tonight. I should have known when I was listening to Pres. Uchtdorf's talk entitled "Continue in Patience" last night at 11:30 pm that I would have my patience tried soon. How ironic.

What can you do when your husband's away?

2010-06-10T08:18:00.000-07:00

There is many a thing you can do...

You can watch a clutch game of soccer between Real Salt Lake and LA Galaxy! Final score: 1-0...In your face Galaxy! Thank you to the Checketts for allowing us to watch it from box seats!

You can cheer on your colleague's little boy with him and his wife as their son's dream comes true! (He got to walk out onto the field for the National Anthem holding hands with Borchers, a Real defender!) You can watch Pres. Uchtdorf in club seats watching his fußball.

You can fill the void in your heart by watching David Cook in concert after the awesome Real soccer game! (Don't worry Chase, David will never take your place!)

Side Note: So I have to say I felt like a teenage girl with a crush last night! As David Cook was leaving through the tunnel after singing the National Anthem I yelled out his name just above him (we were on a landing just above the tunnel) and he looked up, made eye contact with me, and smirked. Here's a picture just before we met eyes! Ha ha! Or you can decide to go crazy and totally change your hairdo! As you can see from these pictures from last night I have recently changed my "look". Thanks Trish for making this happen!

Memorial Day & Birthday with the Beatles

2010-06-03T14:29:00.001-07:00

So this past Memorial Day and my birthday (on June 1st if you didn't know) were spent selling Beatles merchandise at this big Beatles festival in Louisville, KY. With school out and Chase not around to help, I was recruited to help sell with the family this year. It was quite the experience. I've never seen my legs/ankles so swollen from standing on my feet from 10 am to usually 11 pm. Initially I wasn't diggin it so much, but I have to say by the end I really enjoyed myself. Who knows, maybe Chase and I will both go help out at the festival being held in DC over Labor Day.

So here's the set up of some of the shirts we had for sale.

Here's of view of the whole row of merchandise we were selling.We had a prime location right next to the stage! Here's just a glimpse of the crowds of Beatles' fans that come.

While in Louisville my brother and his family stopped by on their way to Cincinnati so I could see my new little nephew Eli. So fun to play with family! Can't wait until our Galveston reunion at the end of the summer.

While together Sean lost a tooth!

With the whole fam...minus my brother Kurt who took the pic

We're Half Way!!!

2010-05-26T13:28:00.000-07:00

So today marks the half way point of Chase's externship! 3 weeks down; 3 to go. I know the 3 weeks have probably been a bit slower for Chase, but they've flown by quicker than I expected. It helped to have "distractions" like school, my mom coming into town, and friends and family nearby who have really been looking out for me. I can only hope that these next 3 weeks fly by for Chase as well as me. In the first 3 weeks Chase celebrated his 25th birthday and in the next 3 weeks I'll celebrate my 26th. Crazy to not be with one another for such occasions, but I think Chase will agree that this absence really has made us both appreciate one another more.Absence truly does make the heart grow fonder. Here are things I've grown fonder of since Chase has been gone:

*Chase's serenading...yep, you heard it right. Chase sings more around the house than I do.

*Cuddling up on our love seat to watch TV or a movie.

*Making dinners for someone...I don't cook now since it's just me...there's just no point. I do miss cooking, but I guess not enough to just cook for myself :)

*Waking up to a smile. The house is pretty empty at night and in the mornings.

*Hugs. Chase gives good hugs. (Especially since my secondary love language is touch!)

*Chase attempting to sing the words of "Lullaby" by Billy Joel.

*Watching this season of Smallville...The episodes are mounting up on Chase's parents DVR for us to watch when he gets back!

*Being able to call or talk whenever we want.

I miss you babe. Keep up the amazing work! And remember, just 21 more days!

Enjoy some pictures of my Chasers...I mean come on, who wouldn't miss this?!

The Funeral

2010-05-19T08:01:00.000-07:00

For those of my family not present, including my husband, here are some pictures I took at the graveside ceremony. Although yesterday was predominately rainy, the clouds subsided thankfully while we were at the cemetery.

Jason's wife, Angie, and their son Zach. Zach was such a sweetheart...though he may act like a tough guy, he was balling throughout the services yesterday.

The Pallbearers

Grandma taking it all in with cousin Sidney.

The $2 Uncle Dee found in Grandpa's safety deposit box. Dee gave one to each of his siblings.

May the Lord bless you and keep you Grandpa.

Thank you to all those who reached out to me and my family yesterday. It was a pretty draining day but I felt buoyed up by the love you extended.

Honoring my Grandpa

2010-05-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

This past week has been a whirlwind. Chase and I finally Skyped with one another on Wednesday mid morning (such a tender mercy to get to Skype before all this went down) and before I could talk to Chase again the following had happened: My parents called to inform me my grandpa had been emitted into the hospital for aspirated pneumonia; I visited him for an hour or so after work; my mom booked a flight because the doctors were giving my grandpa 1-3 days to live but instead he lived only a few more hours. Sadly, my mom did not get to talk to her father one last time before he passed. Since she came into town we have been squaring away everything for the funeral and visiting with family. Today is the funeral. I'm just tying up lose ends at work then I'm headed home to get ready.

I wanted to take the chance to honor my grandpa for a moment. He's the only grandpa I ever really knew growing up. My father's dad died when I was 5 or so. I will always remember my grandpa's love for BYU as well as the love and support he always showed me in my educational and career pursuits.

Yesterday I had the chance to go help dress him in his temple attire with my mom. I was glad I was there to support my mom as she had a chance to finally say "goodbye" to her dad. It was such a neat experience to see for myself how true the scriptures are when they state that our body is just a tabernacle of clay for our body. Without our spirit it is just an empty vessel. I was grateful to dress my grandpa in the clothes he loved wearing the most. I will never forget his desire to serve the Lord whether through church callings or through going to the temple. I know he is happy now to have strength to spread the gospel on the other side.

I will miss you Grandpa!

A fiesta!

2010-05-12T13:29:00.000-07:00

Last Monday we had a fiesta with friends. Our fiesta wasn't on Cinco de Mayo obviously, but it was in honor of my Mexican friend Emily's 26th birthday! We enjoyed bbq, homemade salsa, and delicious fruit as well as birthday cake and cupcakes.

Afterwards we enjoyed breaking a pinata. Kim and Emily did the honors. Once Kim knocked the pinata down, Jason took a sledge hammer to it...quite effective in getting the candy out for all to enjoy.
Kim, Jack, Emily, and Flat Sofia (Emily's niece's school project)

Kim successfully knocked the pinata down, then Jason destroyed it with his sledge hammer.

Welcome Owen Kyle Wright!

2010-05-11T11:09:00.000-07:00

Luckily our friend Kendra Wright went into labor a week early so Chase was around to see the Wrights' little bundle of joy before he left. Kendra and Miles welcomed into this world little Owen Kyle Wright on Friday, April 30th at 4:39 pm. He weighed 8 lbs 1 oz and was 19 1/2 inches long. I feel I should share these stats since they never update their blog :) We were lucky enough to stop by and see them in the hospital and I got to hold little Owen (Chase was encouraged to hold him by all of us, but he was too scared to hold such a fragile little guy). It's been so exciting to watch Owen grow from being a blastocyst, to a little fetus name Voltron, to now a little boy. Congrats you guys!

Praising Mother

2010-05-09T08:06:00.000-07:00

Happy Mothers' Day everyone! I would like to say thank you to all my friends and family out there who are mothers or are working towards becoming mothers. Thank you for your example. I have so many women around me that I look up to and one day hope to be like when I become a mother.

Today I feel I should especially thank my mom. For those who don't know Elena Johnson Smith, she is my mother. Like me, she graduated from BYU not married, and so she pursued a Masters in Advertising (She and my father both have passed onto their children a love of learning). She taught at a college in Washington before becoming a mother--a mother of 5 children, 4 of which are boys. If raising us wasn't enough she also helped provide for our family by teaching first at the middle school we all attended and currently at Kimberlin Academy (an elementary school in my hometown). When she isn't teaching she is playing Grandma to 11 grandkids or coaching Chase on how to put up with me :)!

Thanks to my mother I have a love for baking (especially breads), a desire to sew, and a love for animals (how she was ever patient enough to allow us all the animals we had in our suburban home I will never understand). I can't wait to have a child one day so that my mom can also pass on to me her wisdom when it comes to raising children. I love you, Mom!

A Series of Recaps: A Visit to the Tulip Festival

2010-05-08T11:02:00.000-07:00

Now that the hubby is gone I have time to blog about our recent outtings and such. So here's the first of a series of recaps.

So, I love flowers. My favorite class at BYU was "Floral Design". So naturally I look forward every year to when Thanksgiving Point's big electronic sign starts advertising for their annual Tulip Festival. I've been three years now--2o07, 2009, and 2010. This year we went with Chase's family. Sadly, this was when I was experiencing an ulcer, but it was still a great outting. Kinda wish I would have had a segway though like when I first went to the Festival back with Emily Haycock Russon in 2007 rather than having to walk with the ulcer pain. Oh well :) Enjoy some pics from our outting!

Capturing Gabe's fun personality. Got to love his laugh!

Chase playing his favorite game--waiting to the very last minute to catch the stroller rolling down numerous little hills all the while with Gabe inside. Definitely not a mother's favorite game :)

Thanks to the workers at Thanksgiving Point we were able to find the horned owl that is nesting by the waterfalls. So cool!

Officially On My Own

2010-05-07T12:00:00.000-07:00

Bear with me, this is a long one. It's more of a personal entry so that I can express all the feelings I'm having right now.

So, after a crazy week of me getting sick and Chase trying to get little errands done, Chase officially left for Ukraine yesterday morning. His flight was at about 8:45 am, so I drove him to the airport at around 5:45 am. He sadly got through security in like 5 minutes so he spent about 2 hours waiting at the airport, but what can ya do when your wife has to be to work by 7:15 am?

It hadn't hit me that we'd be parting ways for 6 weeks until the night before he left. Reality finally did set in that night though as we tried to soak up the finals hours we had. I'll be honest, every so often I tear up as I think about the fact that he's gone for 42 days (well 41 as of today), but then I think about our friends the Fishers who faced being apart for 5 months and think, "I can do this!" Luckily, we experienced a definite tender mercy this week in finding out that Chase's apartment will have internet (come next Tuesday), something we assumed he wouldn't have causing Skype to be nearly impossible.

I have to express my gratitude to those who called or texted yesterday. Thank you for thinking of me. But please, pray for Chase. I know I'll make it through these next few weeks because of my busy schedule and friends and family nearby, but I worry more for Chase who will be alone in Ukraine. He emailed me today the following that just broke my heart:

"Sveta's uncle picked me up from the airport and he drove me to my apartment so that I could drop off my bags. We then went to exchange money and then go buy groceries. He left at about 2:30 my time and that is when it hit me: I was alone. Have you ever felt that way? Surrounded by millions of people but feel like you are completely and utterly alone?"

So please pray that he meets welcoming people in the international branch in Ukraine that will invite him over at times and will make his trip more enjoyable. Pray that he will have a chance to see old friends from the mission. Pray that his Russian will return quickly to him. Pray for his safety. And pray that he will confidently be able to learn the Ukrainian laws in order to be an asset to the firm he will be working for.

I am so grateful for my sweet husband. I am grateful that he offered to give me a blessing yesterday morning. I am especially grateful for his thoughtfulness. I came to find out yesterday that he planned ahead in order to make our parting less difficult on me. Before we said goodbye he handed me a note to read that informed me that there would be surprises throughout the day to help cheer me up. During my second period I received this beautiful bouquet with a note wishing me a happy Mothers' day with sweet words to lift my spirits.
Then I was informed that I had to be home by 3:45 pm in order for Danielle, our cousin, to pick me to take us both to get pedicures. I've secretly been wanting one for awhile so I'm glad Chase read my mind.

(I know many of you don't really want to see my feet, but this picture is for Chase so he can see the color of my toes :) )

What a sweetheart! I really lucked out when I married Chase! It's gestures like these that make 6 weeks seem forever long to be apart. But let the countdown begin...41 days and counting!

Lesson Learned

2010-04-29T15:04:00.000-07:00

Months ago after dealing with a lack of energy day in and day out, the doctors figured out I have a condition called hypothyroidism (not a shocker since half my family also suffers from a malfunctioning thyroid gland). I was pretty relieved at the time to figure it all out because the treatment is as easy as taking a pill every morning. I joked at the time that hopefully I would have enough energy now to get everything done each day.

Well, for the past few months I can say I have had more energy. But sadly it may have been to my detriment. On Monday I awoke to a painful gnawing in my stomach. I had actually experienced this same pain about a month ago, but wrote it off as indigestion. The pain was not subsiding, but in fact getting worse, so on Tuesday I finally determined it was worth paying the copay to see my doctor and get some answers.

The verdict: ULCER.

So although my body has more energy from the little pill I take daily, apparently that doesn't mean my body can take on the loads I've been trying to carry. If only I could cut out work :) These past 2 days of sick leave have been quite helpful. And it's been nice to spend extra time with Chase since he leaves in less than a week. I must give a shout out to him because he has had to deal with a lot these past few days...a sick Christy isn't much fun.

So let this be a lesson to one and all: Even though you may have the energy for it, don't try to bite off more than you can chew! Your body will hate you for it :) Women especially, make sure you are taking time for yourself. I don't think we do that enough.

Inspirational

2010-04-22T10:27:00.000-07:00

So my colleague emailed me this link to a news report that has left me wanting to be better. If you have a moment I encourage you to watch this. It's just 5 minutes but it will leave you thinking for awhile...why am I not doing everything with a smile?! If Gabe Adams can, I surely can!

Early Birthday Surprises

2010-04-19T07:32:00.000-07:00

As you may remember, Chase is headed to Ukraine soon for an externship with the law firm Baker & McKenzie. He leaves on May 6th for six weeks so he is sadly not going to be here to celebrate his or my birthday. So we have exchanged gifts early this year. Chase has been dying for quite some time to have noise canceling Bose headphones for flights and for law examinations. So while at the Park City outlets I bought some and totally surprised Chase. He loves them!

Choosing what I wanted for my birthday was a bit tough. Chase wanted me to get something that would occupy my time while he's away. Naturally getting a puppy finally was seriously considered, but I opted for a more practical gift. I am now the proud owner of a sewing machine.

After a lot of research I made the plunged. I now have no excuse for no curtains in our kitchen or bedroom. Except for, where should I go for fabric? Any suggestions my sewing friends? Where can I find good deals on fabric in this town?

Sweet Treats

2010-04-17T07:28:00.000-07:00

So the other day Chase and I came home to this:

Amazing huh? My sweet friend Beth Klain took a cake decorating class not too long ago and has been baking away trying new designs out and we reaped the benefits of it. She's so crafty! In fact her and her sister Lindsay have a blog devoted to craftiness. Check it out here. The cake was an early payment for me watching this sweet guy today.

(Note: This picture was taken at Halloween...Mckay does not randomly wear giraffe costumes during the day as far as I know)

Isn't he adorable? Can't believe he's almost 1!! He cuddled with me before his morning nap and man did it pull at the heartstrings. Thanks Beth for giving me two sweet treats this week: an amazing cake and an adorable little friend to cuddle with.

Just My Luck

2010-04-15T13:33:00.001-07:00

Well, school's underway, Spring Break's over, and I'm back from Nashville. Sadly, I have to report that I missed seeing the birth of my nephew by ONE DAY! Yep, one day! But, I am so glad I got to see beautiful, green Nashville and spend time with Sean, Trevor, Leia, and Myla and their rats :) as well as have quality time with Sara and Kurt. I am realizing more and more how much I love how my family can just talk for hours when we're together. Talking on the phone, not our strongest suit (that's why Chase fits right in!), but I love just talking with my siblings and their wives. Thanks Smiths for a relaxing break and thanks for making me the proud aunt of my 15th niece/nephew!

Presenting Eli Deb Smith!

The Land of Country!

2010-04-07T08:01:00.000-07:00

This week is Alpine School District's Spring Break. It just so happens that this week is also about the time my sister in-law Sara's due date for their fifth child. So naturally when I discovered many months ago how nicely these two events would line up I bought a ticket to go out and help. So bon voyage! I'm off to the land of country--Nashville, TN. Hopefully I'll return the proud aunt of fifteen nieces/nephews.

Happy Easter!

2010-04-04T00:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Easter from the Gunnells!!

May we all take the time today to reflect upon the great sacrifice and love of our Savior, and may we express our gratitude to our Father in Heaven that He lives today to continually reach out to us. Here's a gift from us to you as you reflect. Have a wonderful Easter Sabbath.

Deep Beauty

2010-04-02T14:30:00.000-07:00

I don't know how many had a chance to watch the General Young Women's broadcast from last weekend, but I highly recommend it. Even though many who read this blog aren't in YW's and don't have daughters that age, I think you will find it time well spent to watch it online here. The messages were outstanding and applicable to all. I especially loved Sis. Dalton's talk that described "deep beauty". She stated "deep beauty" is "the kind of beauty that shines from the inside out...Spiritual attractiveness...It is the beauty that is earned through faith, repentance, and honoring covenants." I want all my nieces and future daughters to hear this talk when they're teens and know that when they are living the gospel, beauty will radiate from within. I saw "deep beauty" just this weekend in the face of my niece, Kamrie.

I see "deep beauty" as I look at any one of my nieces. This picture captures beautifully the "deep beauty" in Hannah and Rachel.

Honestly, I think "deep beauty" is found so easily in children because of the innocence that radiates from within. May we all strive to develop more fully our "deep beauty" rather than our outer beauty!! And may we all get excited for the amazing counsel we will continue to receive from our church leaders this weekend. Have a great Conference weekend everyone!

Jacob's Blessing

2010-04-01T17:00:00.000-07:00

On Sunday we had the chance to be a part of Jacob's baby blessing. Lots of family gathered for yummy food and lots of pictures. Ryan did a beautiful job of blessing Jacob, and it was great to see so many righteous priesthood holders united to help with the blessing.

The man of the hour!

Jacob Thomas Gassin

The Gassin Clan

By far one of my favorite pictures from this day. Tyler's face is priceless as he shows us his "guns".

The Gunnell Clan

I had to include this little Checkett Easter picture so everyone could see Gabe's outfit. So cute huh? This outfit comprised of a plaid shirt with sweater vest and seersucker pants has officially earned him the nickname "Nard Dog" after Andy Bernard from the Office.

Easter Egg Fun

2010-04-01T10:30:00.000-07:00

Here's some flashbacks to our weekend with the Gassins.

On Saturday morning we helped the kiddos dye Easter eggs. It's been quite awhile since I've dyed eggs so it was a lot of fun to have kids around to do it with.

Can't get enough of Gabe's faces :)

Later that day we went to one of my favorite parks near our condo. A few of us went early to hide the dyed eggs as well as some goodie filled eggs.
Don't ask me how long it took for us to take this next picture. All I have to say is Karlee's camera is on crack when you put it on self-timer. (During our many attempts Dayna had to lay the smack down on kids who were trying to take our hidden eggs.)

The kids had a blast trying to find the eggs.

This next picture makes me laugh. After Gabe had found an egg he decided to take a little rest on a bush. He just sat right down on it--I guess it is just his size :)
Afterwards we played. The highlight of the park though was the giant swing apparatus.

I was first introduced to this toy back at Jackie Skinner's graduation party when Emily and Jason Russon, Lindsi Sullivan, and I attempted to make it work. I say attempted because as you will see below it takes a lot of man power to make this thing go. But Kamrie loved it!!!

Here's the men trying to get Kamrie some air.
I tried to help at times.

The Plan of Happiness

2010-03-30T13:30:00.000-07:00

I don't do this often by way of my blog, but allow me for a moment to reflect on what is so precious to me--the gospel--if you will.

This past weekend, on their way to an away rotation of residency down in Pheonix, the Gassins made a pit stop in Provo and I couldn't have been more thrilled as an aunt and sister in-law. It's weekends like last weekend that help me realize more clearly how much the Lord's Plan of Happiness is centered on families, as Sis. Beck described this past August to us as Seminary and Institute teachers. It makes sense right? It is with families that we experience some of the greatest amounts of joy and happiness, hence the title--Plan of Happiness. I mean think about it, the 3 pillars of His Plan--the Creation, Fall, and Atonement--all revolve around families. In quoting Sis. Beck:

"The Creation of the earth was the creation of an earth where a family could live. It was a creation of a man and a woman who were the two essential halves of a family. It was not about a creation of a man and a woman who happened to have a family. It was intentional all along that Adam and Eve form an eternal family. It was part of the plan that these two be sealed and form an eternal family unit.

"The Fall provided a way for the family to grow. Through the leadership of Eve and Adam, they chose to have a mortal experience. The Fall made it possible for Adam and Eve to have a family, to have sons and daughters. They needed to grow in numbers and grow in experience. The Fall provided that for the family.

"The Atonement allows for the family to be sealed together eternally. It allows for families to have eternal growth and perfection."

If you're interested you should look up her talk here. I'm just so grateful for my knowledge of the Plan and the opportunity the Lord has given us to have moments with our families for eternity. Stay tuned for pictures of our joyous moments as family.