Lombardi's Ranch

I finally got to introduce Scott to my favorite Halloween tradition: picking pumpkins at Lombardi's Ranch! We went twice this year. Once with family and once with our friends the Petersons! Sophie and Jake are good little buddies and they had tons of fun running around, picking up pumpkins, pushing the cart, playing on the haystacks and eating goodies. 

Jake was particularly enamored with the "baby" pumpkins. He kept moving them around into different piles or pairing them up with "momma" pumpkins. I just love his sweet little heart. 

 Jenn & I

 a candy corn cupcake. mmm..

The Petersons

The Garrisons

Happy Pumpkin Picking to all!!

Stevenson Ranch Ward Trunk or Treat

Jake was so excited to wear his Buzz Lightyear costume. He could barely stand the anticipation as Lina and I blew up his wings. As soon as they were inflated, he pointed over his shoulder and gave me his backside saying, "Here! Here!" He was ecstatic. Then he ran and got his treat bag because I had really hyped up the whole candy thing for him.

We arrived at church, walked into the cultural hall and "Buzz" froze. Brother Antaloczy was dressed up as a zombie/frankenstein-looking guy. Jake was totally freaked. He demanded to be held all through dinner and the dancing. 

Once the trunk or treating started he loosened up. His very first piece of candy was a blue sucker...and he decided he was good for the rest of the night. He got--maybe--three other pieces of candy. I felt so jipped! I was solo looking forward to raiding his candy bag over the next few days. But Jake was as happy as a clam, sucking on that sticky, blue glob of sugar. 

the big 3-0!

Someone turned 30 this year!!! 30! 

He is one dang hot 30 year old if you ask me :)

We celebrated at Outback and had a Rita's ice cream cake, balloons and presents waiting for him at home. He got clothes and a new driver and putter this year. He is one happy guy with his new golf clubs. Good thing we live in California and he can go golfing in shorts and t-shirt in the middle of November. 

Happy Birthday Scott! Jake, the Twinners and I all love you and your gorgeous 30 year old face! :)

garrison twins update

Meet Baby A<----- Girl!

Meet Baby B-----> Boy!

Baby Girl will be born first since she is lowest. She's constantly kicking me in the bladder and hip bones. Baby Boy is lying pretty much sideways across the top part of my belly so he's got lots of room. (He better turn head down eventually. Though I've pretty much accepted the fact that I will in all likelihood be having a c-section.)

One of the blessings of being pregnant with twins is the number of ultrasounds I get. I see both my OB and a Perinatologist which is a twin specialist and specializes in analyzing ultrasounds. Every month I get an in depth ultrasound and they've been lasting about 1 1/2 hours to 2 hours long. The perinatologist and his assistants check every inch of both babies. It is very reassuring, though after a while I do get tired of the ultrasound wand thingy rubbing all over my belly--and sometimes it hurts! Especially if they need to get one of the babies to move or turn to get a good picture and check organs, etc. It always hurts more with Baby Boy for some reason. 

Everything looks perfect with Baby Girl. So no worries there. Baby Boy's placenta is very slightly detached at one corner, so I'm not supposed to lift anything. I've heard that rule before but this time I'm really trying to follow it. Though with a two year old it's pretty rough to stick to at times. But all is well. Baby B also has placenta "lakes" which look like pockets of air in the placenta. The worry is that they can possibly fill with blood and interfere with his development. But everything is A-OK at the moment :) 

I have a pretty positive attitude about it all and really just don't stress about it. It's a kind of denial really. I just choose to think that everything is fine and all will be well. Plus, I feel them kick and move so much that I know they are happy and healthy. 

Starting at my next ultrasound, the length of time it takes to look over the babies should shorten. Simply because at 28 weeks they will be running out of the room and it will get harder and harder to get a good full visual of them. So then I'm officially ordered by the perinatologist to be on "unofficial bed rest." He told me my job is to be an incubator and just keep those babies in! 

So I'll party it up on Halloween then sit for the next two months eating all of Jake's candy :) Twins are typically born between 36-38 weeks. So at about Christmas they can come anytime. I'm hoping they decide to come no later than December 31st. Because they would make our tax credit super awesome come April :)

I can't wait to hold them and see what they look like and watch them interact with one another and with Jake. Life is gonna be pretty exciting!

los dodgers

Our boys in blue had a great season this year, though they BLEW IT in the finals. Oh well. We went to three games (Scott went to 5!) and had tons of fun eating to our hearts' content. I love that we live so close to so many fun activities and events now. Scott can just call up and say, "Hey! I got tickets for all three (technically 5) of us to the Dodger game!" and off we go. It's just so fun.

Jake loves baseball at the moment. When the Dodgers come on (or any baseball team really) he yells, "They hit! They catch! They run!" Oddly, he likes to sit and watch them on TV better. At the games, he's usually more concerned with his chocolate malt and french fries and keeping tabs on where the blimp is at all times.

My personal favorite moment of the Dodger season: watching the Asian couple in front of me take selfies--literally every minute--with their THREE different cameras. It was hysterical. 

california living

We moved again. Big surprise, right? We knew another move was fast approaching but what we didn't expect was to be headed to California! Heavenly Father has truly and majorly blessed us. It is no coincidence that a job opened up in Santa Monica at the same time we found out we were expecting twins. He knew we needed this blessing at this time in our lives. We are so grateful. We are so happy. Being near family again after 7 years is simply heavenly, and I find myself bursting into tears at little things: like my aunt watching Jake while I go to a doctor's appt. How did I live without them for so long?!

Jake loves being here and it makes me so happy to see him play with his cousins and run to them and hug them. He loves them all. I am so thankful he gets to grow up surrounded by family and fun. 

Scott loves his new job, though he doesn't love his commute (which is sometimes two hours one way--LA traffic) But I am so thankful for that sacrifice he makes so we can have the help we need and be by family. He's working hard getting his team how he wants it and is such an amazing provider, priesthood  holder, father and husband. Man I'm lucky!

And I'm just an incubator for the next few months. The twins (Baby A-Girl and Baby B-Boy) are healthy and growing and kicking up a storm in there. They leave me pretty breathless. I feel so blessed to a mother of three! Three! And feel extra blessed to be able to deliver the twins in a large city surrounded by good doctors and a twin specialist that is thorough and kind. 

I just feel taken care of. I feel like my family is taken care of. It is awe-inspiring to see the Lord's timing in our lives. He has given us the blessings we needed and some blessings we didn't know we needed at the perfect time.