Name

No, I don't have any pictures yet, but I am really excited because we have a name for our baby...and when I say "we," I mean "I." Jeff is not convinced, but he will learn to love it. Our daughter will be named.....



Aidyn LaRae Gallego


I am really excited that I can actually start calling her by name now, and I grow to love the name more and more. Let me know what you think...

Pregnancy

So I have been a huge slacker with my blog...we have so much going on in our lives, and yet I can't find the energy to keep this thing updated. We found out a couple weeks ago that we are having a girl. Talk about shock. I had always imagined myself the mother of a lot of boys, but I guess the Lord has other plans for us. Our families are excited...mine a little disappointed that we wouldn't be adding some testosterone to the overload of estrogen. My dad says he will have to settle for an athletic tomboy...thanks dad. I figure, I got married first and had the first grandchild. I will give Lindsey the opportunity to have the first boy in the Snell family.

My experience with pregnancy has been nothing but horrible. I can honestly say the only good experiences I have had is when we get to hear the heartbeat, and see our child at the doctors. I don't wish to complain, I just think I should document my feelings. My first trimester was the worst. I was very sick, throwing up a lot, very tired all the time, and feeling bloated and fat. My doctor refused to give me medicine to help with the sickness because I was gaining weight. I had absolutely no energy to work out, or even do anything after work. I couldn't sleep at night, and I was feeling very worn out. My only hope was that it would all subside after the first trimester, and I would feel fabulous, like the books say. Books lie. As I hit week 13, 14, 15, and even 16... I was still feeling sick, throwing up every other day, very tired, lots of headaches, and massive heartburn. I am now at 17 weeks, and feel the same. I am having an even harder time sleeping at night...I read it is from the cramping going on in my stomach due to my expansion. The expansion is coming...I can feel it. My stomach grows progressively throughout the course of the day, but it is definitely growing. My pants are extremely tight, and all my shirts feel weird.

I am looking forward to our next visit...the amniotic screening, when we will get to spend an hour looking at our daughter's organs, and make sure everything is ok. I have been feeling some flutters in my stomach...like popcorn, every once in awhile, and it makes me happy. I hope I can feel her kick sometime soon...I have some huge expectations when it comes to our daughters' future as a soccer player.

Jeff is enjoying my expansion. He loves when my belly looks big, and he can rub his hands on it. Before he leaves for work in the morning, he always kisses me goodbye, and then works his way to my stomach to give our daughter a kiss goodbye as well...so cute. I know he will be a good dad.

Sorry about the long post with no pictures, but I thought I should write something, and I have yet to take a pregnancy picture. I will try and get one up in the next week or so...I think I would regret not documenting my progressive transformation into a whale.

Baby!!!

I know most everyone knows by now...so I thought I would post it finally. We are having a baby!!! Jeff and I had a doctor's appt. this morning and our little "alien" is doing very well. He/she is moving around a ton, even though I can't feel anything yet, and has all the appropriate limbs and parts. I am about 11 weeks, and have been extremely sick, throwing up all day long for the last couple months...not fun. Hopefully that goes away soon. We can't wait to find out if we are having a boy or a girl next month. The picture scanned a little big...so to zoom you can just double click on it...

Happy New Year!!!

So with the new year coming, I have decided to write down my new year's resolutions. I know that if I write them down where I can see them often, I am more likely to follow through. So here goes:

• Be better at having spousal prayer daily
• Be better at saying my personal prayers daily
• Daily Scripture study
• Make Sunday a more meaningful/sacred day
• Write in my journal at least once a week (this ones for you Mom!!!)
• P90X Workouts (I have already started this and let me tell you...it is a killer!)
• Read a book instead of watching tv
• Eat a healthy, balanced diet
• Read a book with Jeff just for fun (I am determined to change Jeff's perception about reading!)
• Be better at staying in contact with my family
• Work on my domestic skills (baking/cooking/sewing/decorating)
• Help Jeff plan his primary lessons each week so he is more prepared, and his knowledge of the Scriptures grow

Wish me luck!

Christmas 2009

We spent Christmas morning with my parents in Temecula. We opened presents and then had amazing stuffed french toast. We also had a great suprise when Caleb, Lindsey's boyfriend, proposed to her while on a bike ride in Meadowview. Yay!!! Lindsey is getting married sometime in May, and I cannot wait to help her plan the wedding. Christmas afternoon we did a service project with a couple of different families, and then headed over to the church where we played dodgeball and then volleyball for a couple of hours. Christmas was a lot of fun and I am bummed it is over.

After announcing their engagement

Lindsey showing off her diamond ring to her friends.


Admiring the ring

Lanae looking at the ring

Gorgeous diamond band...the new thing

Organizing the gifts

Mckenna and Rylee

Mckenna and Bella

Our family on Christmas morning

Me and Bella

Lindsey and her new mountain bike

All the kids...we line up on the stairs every year in order of age

All the kids again

Family Time

My favorite part about the holidays now that I don't live at home, is having everyone come home for Christmas. We have been able to spend a lot of time with the entire family, and it has been so much fun.

Friends of the family...Gavin and Natalie. Jeff invited them over to our house for the BYU game

Lindsey and Kaleb

Corrie enjoying the game, and the food...as always

My cute parents

My dad...kind of a weird smile, but I took this as he was lying down so maybe that is why.

My mom...I hope to be like her someday

Mckenna and corrie

The two lovebirds watching the game...very focused.

The whole gang...

This is about the best picture we can get while everyone was watching the football game

Jeff and I at my friend Heidi's wedding reception

Lindsey and Kaleb at the reception

My dad

Mckenna and Mom

Corrie's Singing Group

So every year Corrie joins a singing group for Christmas. Their group sings at the Crech Festival, in a number of different programs, and their last performance is at the Mall in Temecula. This year Jeff and I were able to go, and it was so fun to see Corrie singing with her group.

The whole singing group

Corrie got to dress up as a shepherd while she sang...she looks so cute!

I didn't know shepherds had transition lenses on their glasses :) (lenses that get darker in the sun, like sunglasses)

All the kids had props and dance moves as well

Jeff and Kaleb...Lindsey has been dating Kaleb for about 5 m onths now, and has brought him home for Thanksgiving and now Christmas. It has been so fun getting to know him...he and Jeff get along really well, and my dad is very happy to have another guy around.

Corrie using her star to block the sun from her eyes...

She knew the dance moves so well, and looks so concentrated

Corrie looking a little bored

Say ch eese...we are still working with Corrie on smiling pretty...she doesn't seem to understand it

The cutest girl in the whole group :)

Puppy!!!

So I finally backed down and let Jeff get a puppy. He has been wanting one forever, and all of our friends have dogs. Every time he goes over to one of their houses, he is in heaven. He plays with them constantly, and I have never seen him so happy. I decided that getting Jeff a puppy for Christmas would be the ultimate gift, and nothing would make him happier. We rescued our puppy from a shelter. She is a mix of breeds, we are not exactly sure. She is about 4 months old, and she couldn't be sweeter. She snuggles up with you, and is so loving. She never barks or is loud, she sleeps all night long, and plays with Jeff when he is home. We are still working on potty training her, and hopefully she masters that soon.

Our family
Bella and I at the mall in Temecula

Jeff and Bella...if the tv is on, she will just sit there and watch it.

She has the sweetest look...if she wants you to play with her, she just looks up at you like this...how could we say no???

The newest addition to the Gallego household...Bella (no, we did not name her after Twilight, we just both liked the name, and thought it fit).