The Day After Christmas

Ann & Brian made snow angles! Brian's had stubby wings so he wouldn't fly into Ann, what a considerate angel!



We woke Ann & Brendon up for a 9am hike up Rock Canyon! It was a beautiful morning even though I was a bit sluggish (hiking for two you know)!

Christmas Traditions

A tight squeeze in a steaming hot tub to soak our feet in prepartion for pedicures!

On Christmas Eve us Knudsen siblings, (mainly the girls) have the tradition of doing facials and other spa related activities. Ann wasn't feeling too well on Christmas Eve so we postponed the pampering until Christmas morning after stuffing our faces with Danish pastries! Our husbands were great sports and joined in on the fun!

I'm thankful for all of my senses!

I haven't been able to taste or smell for the past week and it's driving me absolutely crazy! It's just made me realize how thankful I am for each and every one of my senses. Brian and I were at Caputo's Deli in SLC last night, thought we'd buy some fun cheese. They let you sample anything they've got, but I couldn't taste, so Brian made the decision for us! Hopefully my sinuses clear up soon so I can enjoy his thoroughly contemplated choice of cheese!

Would you consider cloth diapers?

Jordan and Katy what do you think about this diaper option? Would it save money in the long run? I know it would be better on the environment. Check out their websit and let me know your thoughts. www.bumgenius.com

Brian and I enjoying each other and the last of the Fall colors!

Ultrasound results!

Well there you have it folks, Brian and I are having a boy! Brian spent about an hour looking at names on the internet tonight! You'll just have to be patient to find out those results.
Brian calls the first picture the "toilet point of view"! Hey, whatever works to show us what we're having, right? It was amazing to see the baby moving around so much. It just makes a little bit more of a reality to see him. The baby even had the hiccups during the ultrasound.

Brian jumps in here:
If you could see the rest of the images you would know that--except for the male-part--the baby already has Ashley's good looks. His first baby pictures. Great beginning to the photo album, aren't they? We're going to bring them out when his girlfriends come over to visit. I, Brian, aka "Daddy," feel the gray hairs coming on already. I did find the first gray a couple months ago--and quickly removed it.
This new reality of fatherhood is stirring up excitement and positive emotions, as well. Thinking about our moments during today's ultrasound, I noticed an undeniable sense of father-son pride. In preparing for the future, I am contemplating the establishment of a college scholarship for my son. I will set aside a thousand dollars in a fund that accrues interest over the years. He may apply for the scholarship if he has been a good boy and if he joins the Ultimate Frisbee team. Serious.

Trying to be self-reliant!

I took the truck in for safety and emmisions inspection and FAILED. The mechanic gave me a list of things to fix and then said come back in and he'd give his OK. First on the list were seat belts, mine don't retract (we just tie knots in the belt to make them fit). New seat belts are $100 each, YIKES, so I made a field trip to "Pick A Part" a car junkyard where you go out and pull the parts you need right off the car, much cheaper option. As I walked down a row of cars a man gave me a startled look and said, "Well, I've never seen a woman out here before!" I didn't end up finding seat belts there, but it was definitely an adventure in another world.
I attempted to replace the windshield wiper fluid pump but got in a little too deep over my head (I'll be going to the mechanic for that one). But I was able to replace the cab brake-light and the tail brake-light as well as both seat belts! I'm quite proud of myself!

Photobooth Fun!

Look at all these people we fit in such a small frame! I can't tell who's in the upper lefthand corner, then Jordan, Jennifer, Katy, Me, Ann! Pale and ghost-like! Jacob and Mom made it into the bottom frame

This is my friend Sarah Powley from 8th grade! And below is my good friend Katie Reese from Albuquerque!

Brian and I found an old fashioned photo booth at the K-mart on State street. These type of photobooths are a dying breed, so if you find one definitely do not hesitate to jump in! We took this set of photos while we were dating. We tried to be serious on one of the frames, I didn't do so well, it turned into a triple chin pose!

WIG?

The day I got my hair cut I went to a movie with mom & dad. As we were leaving the theather dad said "I keep thinking it's a wig". At church one of my Laurels said "you remind me of that lady in the Sound of Music". I didn't wash it for a few days after I got it cut, in fact I would just wake up in the morning and shake my hands through it. FUN!

BOXES & BOXES OF STUFF

I've been sorting through boxes packed away at various points in my life. Some were packed when I went on my mission, some were packed when I went to grad school in Texas and others were just packed to get them out of the way. I have memories attached to most of the things I've gone through, but I don't quite remember how I came about aquiring these Russian pins, my only guess is they where a gift from Jordan and her mission to Russia. Am I right Jordan?

BACK TO SCHOOL CUT

It's time for a back to school haircut! I'm going back to school, just not as a student! I've scheduled a hair appointment for the end of this month, I wish it was sooner! This is a picture of the style I'm after! Join me Jordan, do the super short cut!

ART SHOW

We're having a show down in Southern Utah right outside of Zion's National Park. Stop in if you're in the neighborhood!

Squaw Peakers

Brian and I hiked Squaw Peak with a few early rising Laurels this past Saturday. We are trying to get them in shape for an overnight backpacking trip to the Unitas this August! It ended up being a 5 hour hike and my energy was completely zapped by the end, but I didn't get nauseous the whole time! It was probably all that beef jerky I was nibbling on!

Quarter inch baby

YES, Brian and I are the proud new parents of a baby the size of the eraser atop this pencil! We are extremely excited and grateful for this blessing! I'm definitely feeling the effects of being pregnant. I slept for 12 hours last night! Brian catches a very early bus to SLC so he likes to go to bed by 10pm if not earlier and I'm more then willing to join him. Luckily most days I can sleep in. Under normal circumstance I'm anxious to get my day started but waves of nausea keep me lying flat much longer in the morning.

JOY

Brian has the ability to find joy in everything. That is one of the qualities I Iove most about him! We took a trip to Seattle and our first night ended sleeping in the yard of a stranger we met at 7eleven. It made the trip memorable!
At Ann's wedding lunch a friend of Brendon's told me what a good guy Brian is, he said he could just feel it. It's true, Brian has this bright light eminating from him and everyone can see and feel it. I'm so glad to be a partaker of it!

Lose your inhibitions!

Guess what I found at the $1 store!? Tiny scanning radios! It's time to clear out the living room to sing and dance! Mom bought a whole bunch of them so it's going to be a party! Ryan, no filming this time, you must join the fun!

By Way of the Spectators Eyes

In art we are never in complete control of how a piece will be interpreted. "How will this be viewed by the spectator?", college professors often asked. This String/Mirror series directly deals with the spectator. The spectator actually becomes apart of the piece. They literally get wrapped up in it! It is my hope that these pieces will become personal and introspective to those who view them.

Capitol Reef

Brian was out of school for a couple of weeks so we took advantage of the free time and headed south. Before we actually entered the park we pulled off and found a side canyon to hike up. Since it was unmarked we felt inclined to give the place a name, Conglomerate Canyon! We found eye-catching rocks with every step. We scrambled our way up the canyon until the sun started to set. By the time we got back down we weren't quite sure where our car was, but all those carrots we eat, paid off and we found it. We drove off to find the camp-ground in the park, but ended up going back to Conglomerate Canyon because the campground was full. The next morning we nourished ourselves with pigs-in-a-blanket! Hebrew National hotdogs wrapped in Pilsbury poppin' fresh dough. I think Brian had about 4 that morning, YUM!

All wrapped up

I got this blog started a little latter then my sisters were hoping. For a decent reason though! I've been all wrapped up in string! My most recent art involves the imagery of string. That imagery has taken on a symbolic meaning for me, in part due to a quote by C.S. Lewis

"A wrong sum can be put right but only by going back till you find the error and working it afresh from that point, never by simply going on. Evil can be undone, but it cannot 'develope' into good, time does not heal it. The spell must be unwound bit by bit...."

So, we've got to untie and untangle those knots or wrong sums. If we don't we'll all end up in a big tangled mess!

Arms-Length Snap-Shots!

Brian and I have made it a habit to take arms-length pictures of ourselves. We often end up with double chins as we try and distance ourselves as far back from the camera as possible. These are a few arms-length shots while we were in Ecuador picking up Ann from her mission!