Novaform

So this is kind of a long post about a simple mattress topper... but let's be real, SLEEP is like the most important thing to like everyone.

A few months ago I was having pretty bad back pain. I know back pain in pregnancy is common but I just didn't think the very center of my back was being that affected by my pregnancy at like 20 weeks. It got so bad that some days I would come home from work and put a heating pad on my back. I'm sure the cold I had for like a month didn't help.

So one day Casey and I found ourselves debating over getting a mattress topper.... for like an hour. Really... we probably haven't talked over any other purchase we've ever made for that long before. We knew it would be over $100 and if we didn't like it... that's a lot of money for us right now down the drain. I found out that these were on sale at Costco and after an hour of sitting in our living room debating (this may be partly because Casey was trying to avoid having to to Costco)... we went and picked one up.

BEST DECISION EVER

Since we got it, my back pain has totally gone away (hopefully i'm not jinxing myself right now) and we absolutely LOVE IT. We've had it over two months and still every night when we get in bed we are so happy because it is just that comfortable!

SUPER BONUS: since I've known Casey he has gotten migraines. We've learned in the last few years that the way he sleeps with his pillows can make or break his headaches. Also sleeping in... he's been pretty afraid of sleeping in cause maybe that was why he would sometimes wake up with migraines. He would get them at least twice a month and always on weekends... super bummer. Since we've had this matrress topper... he's been migraine free, regardless of sleeping in! (again...hopefully i'm not jinxing it right now). But seriously?! If we knew that getting this would in the least help with his migraines, we would have done this years ago!!

So THANK-YOU, novaform blue gel mattress topper thingy... you are awesome.

Family closeby

No pictures for this.... but just wanted to post that I'm pretty happy about the Hansen's living in Provo. In just the few weeks they've been here, I've been able to see them so much more. Cole always makes me laugh and I'm hoping eventually Livia won't be so shy around me :)

I'm also happy Matthew is here now too... he's living at the Riviera where I also lived my sophomore year. Good Luck with school bro!

Sleep

Saw this on Facebook, and nothing could explain the last month better. Besides waking up at midnight to pee everynight, I wake up every morning at about 4:15 am and can't fall back asleep until like 6 am. But then when my alarm goes off at 7:30 am, I want to throw my phone across the room so I can sleep longer. Seriously?

Houghton Family Photos

Brooks and Wendy

 Ted and Peggy

 Caleb and Michelle

 Ryan and Mindy

Casey and Nicole - Easton on his way :)

 Jordan and Kryshelle

Original Houghton's

 Some of the grandkids!

 Thanks again Ashley for taking these, they turned out great!!!

Pregnancy Shot!

YES- this is me, three days in a row, trying to get a pregnancy shot I could live with. I didn't like any of them but then since I didn't want to have to choose one... TO HECK WITH IT. 29 Weeks here.

St. George

We had a fabulous time in St George this year for Casey's family trip... there's not much more to it than that. For me, it was the perfect combination of relaxing by the pool and hanging out with my adorable nieces and nephews. I will say though that it was HOT. Very very HOT. Casey and I left a little early with his parents and drove down wednesday night and stayed in a hotel. We got the house on thursday and the rest of the troops trickled in. After three days of pretty much hanging out by the pool... we were still not quite ready to leave.

 Yes, that's Cal on the tube in the water.

 We had the music up loud and the kids danced and danced for hours. Pretty adorable.

The highlights of the trip for me:

• Watching my father-in-law go down the slide backwards and popping the tube. HALARIOUS. Poor guy hurt his back though.
• Getting a pedicure. I'm learning that sometimes there's nothing better than a pedicure!
• Teaching Ava how to swim. At the beginning of the trip she was wearing her floaties. Then she asked if I could teach her how to swim. Seeing how determined she was and where most kids would ask for a break, she would ask to try the next hardest thing, was seriously SO COOL. I love that kid. By the end of the trip she could make it the whole long way of the pool by herself, and go down the slide and get to the side by herself. Also when Live came up to me and out of nowhere said, "I love you and Easton" I practically wanted to start crying. So cute. I just love those girls!

Goodbye Brit and Kyle!

Casey has been friends with these goofballs since he was in like the first grade. He has a really great group of friends. This was our little good-bye party for Kyle and Britney who the next day were driving out to Florida to start med school. We really like hanging out with Kyle and Britney and I feel like whenver we do, we spend the whole time laughing. We will really miss them. I will especially miss thier ADORABLE little boy. Seriously... Ridder is the kind of kid that makes me excited for our own kid... he's just that adorable.

Yes... it took three tries to get a somewhat decent picture. I blame Ryan.

We will miss you, Ashley!!

Ashley has been one of my best friends since freshman year! It was super sad to see you leave on your next adventure, but I'm comforted knowing you have plans to return :)

Last Monday as a little goodbye-homemakers for Ashley, we went and saw Hayley at her new place and had a little potluck. I wasn't hungry enough to try the sloppy joes (which i'm sure they were great cause Hayley made them) but I did get to try some yummy cornbread and oatmeal/berry dessert! I had a blast chatting with these girls and I think I speak for all of us when I say we wish Ashley the best of luck and we will miss her!!