the life of a (temporary) housewife...

Since about a month and a half before Giles was born, I went on maternity leave at my work.

My job was at good ol' Pizza Hut. I got the job there right after Josh and I were married and had our own place. Josh was struggling finding a full time job. It was right when the recession hit full force and it was hard everywhere. I took any job I could get, and with my Pizza Hut wage and tips, along with random work Josh was able to get, we made it through till he found his job 3 months later. Yes, Pizza Hut. Not the most glamorous job. But it did well for me while I was at university. DANG it was hard to run around as a waitress later on being sick and pregnant, and later to being huge and pregnant waddling around. But I'm a trooper and I did it! The pay off was getting my maternity leave and pay.

So I began my leave. It was before my final exams and finishing up of university, so it was great to just have to worry about that and finish everything off. Then, I was left with a few weeks before Giles was due to just chill and get some much needed rest before the chaos of the birth and parenthood. So that was reallyyy good.
Giles is 4 months old now, and I'm still on maternity leave. Maternity leave and pay are brilliant here in England, much better than in the States that I've heard. My maternity leave lasts till June 2011, but my pay ends mid-February 2011. So I'm being paid for leave from mid-May 2010 to mid-Feb! Completely great! It's been a huge blessing to have the pay and to have this time off with my baby. Although I get restless a bit at times, I really do relish this time I have with my baby before I become a working mum when we move to the States.


So what is the life of a temporary housewife like??? Well, JUST in case you wanted to know, haha, I will tell you:

1. Taking care of my baby obviously!!!


Giles takes up 80% of my day at the least. He is on a 4 hour schedule, that I learned from the book Baby Wise. He eats, plays, and sleeps, all day long in a cycle. He is such a happy baby, Baby Wise teaches you to establish sleep patterns because a well-rested baby is a happy one, they say. And I really see that it has worked! He's always talking and laughing. He adores me and it makes me SOO happy! Just how he smiles at me makes all the tiredness and worry and stress worth it times a million. During the day I read books to him, making him laugh, play with his toys with him, etc etc etc.

2. A little bit of TV
When Giles is napping, or winding down to take a nap, I might put on the tele. Josh and I never had TV, we didn't pay for it and we just watched our DVDs. But now we're living at his parents house (to save up money and clear our debts for our big move to the US), well they have TV so I indulge a little.
Some shows I watch:
Homes Under the Hammer
This show finds derelict properties around the UK that are going to be sold at auction. They film the selling and then the presenters interview the buyers at the property to see what they are going to do to renovate it, what they plan to do afterwards whether they will rent it or sell it or live in it themselves, etc. Sounds boring eh? Haha sometimes it is. I just like to watch it to see the 'before and afters'. It is interesting to see what it takes to redo a whole property, how much stuff like that costs, how much homes in general cost. I have no idea about those things. I hope to be a home owner one day, so it is good to know bits a bobs.


How Clean Is Your House
The two ladies, Kim and Agie go around to the absolute most disgusting excuses for residences and show the dirty birds how to clean. A team of cleaners and the two ladies help to turn the place around and reveal a clean, lovely living space. This show motivates me to be clean hah. To not be an unimaginable pig. Kim and Agie also give really cool cleaning tips. Like using ketchup to polish old silver. Crazy, but the things the put forward work, so that is interesting.


Supernanny
My all-time favorite show, I've decided. This may sound silly, but Supernanny has taught me a lot about parenting! Kids' behavioral problems always boil down to the parents. It is so fascinating, and supernanny Jo Frost is teaching me quite a lot. Like if you find your kids are aggressive and disrespectful, look at you and your husband. Do you yell or discipline them aggressively? Do you bully them, or treat them respectfully, as human beings? Not as friends, because they need to know you're the one in charge, but speaking to them at people. Jo Frost is just brilliant. She gets along with any kid and gets to the root of any problem lickety split. She's just fab!


Enough of TV. I honestly don't watch it that much. Just a bit here and there. Now on to number 3. It's an obvious one.

3. Taking care of errands
Every week I try to go to the health clinic to get Giles weighed. We also often walk into town to window shop or get necessary things. When Josh doesn't take the car into work, I'll go out to ASDA (it's the UK version of Walmart). You know your life is changed forever when going to the grocery store is officially entertainment haha. That's when you know there's no turning back haha. I just walk around there, slowly, looking at everything, buying little things we need, etc. Giles is always very good in stores. He has only ever cried a lot once. He usually is just asleep, or awake staring at everything he catches a glimpse of from the cart.

4. Other day to day activities
Scripture study, bits of cleaning and organizing, laundry here and there. Cooking dinners (Lorna, Josh's mom, and I alternate nights). I'm also starting to sort out all of our stuff for our move. I'm trying to sort what needs to come with us, and all that we'll have to leave for the time being. And then, from all the stuff we have to leave, then trying to sort out what needs to come over next, so that Josh's parents or whoever comes to visit next can grab it and bring it over.


So there you have it. To all my friends and my fam bam who I don't get to speak to that often on the phone, now you know what my life is like at the moment. Just a plain ol' housewife. I really really love all the time I have with Giles. But, nevertheless, I do relish the fact that this state of being is only temporary.
I must admit, that even after mommyhood, I love to work. I feel that drive, that ambition to get out and do something on the side. I feel satisfied making money and contributing to my family.

The only challenge now is, when I begin to job hunt, I MUST find something that I will find worthwhile. Something good enough to leave my little angel for just that little bit each day. If that doesn't happen, then yes it will stink leaving my baby. So that is something to think about.

funny bunny

Funny things that Giles has been doing lately:

-He literally laughs in my face when I try to feed him normally. I started combination feeding him at 9 weeks and he was fine with nursing and bottles. He didn't care either which way. Now he is definitely learning that the bottle is easier for him and he won't have me anymore!! Whenever I try to nurse him, he just pulls away, smiles, laughs, trying to play with me instead. Haha he mocks me and then cries till he gets his bottle. I've been pretty upset about it but I've tried every single method to coax him and it's all got splat. Soooo there it is! hah
-He tries to punk us at his nap time now! He will start talking and laughing, trying to smart his way out of the nap haha. It takes a while longer to get him to calm down and close his eyes hah. He is just being the most hilarious boy lately!
-He has always been a very talkative baby, but it's at its peak at the moment! He is ALWAYS yelling, gooing, gahing, even started screaming now haha! He goes really high sometimes as well, haha it makes Josh and I die laughing haha.
-He is in the early stages of teething. He is always drooling and always chomping on his hand hah, he is SO happy when his fist, or even both fists, are in his mouth. He hasn't been super cranky or ill from it yet so I'm very glad!
-He is discovering his feet. He has tried to put them in his mouth before, and he also laughs his head off if I bite his feet or hit my head or face with them.
-His grandparents just bought a Bumbo chair for him and he sits up in it now! It is so cute, he's just growing too fast!

That is all!

i must've done something good...

Nothing comes from nothing, nothing ever could. So somewhere in my youth or childhood, I must've done something good.

AHHHH glorious quote from Maria (Julie Andrews) in the Sound of Music. It has always been my favorite film. Just look at the RICH quality of the film, the colors, the shadows, ah I ADORE film film movies. Everything about that film is PERFECT. The cast, the songs, the LOVE STORYYY!!! the scenery...

which brings me to the star of this blog post...

SALZBURG!!!

Salzburg, as you know, is where the bulk of the Sound of Music is set. And the glorious film was the driving force behind mine and Josh's recent holiday to MUNICH, GERMANY and SALZBURG, AUSTRIA!!!!!!

Joshua and I just celebrated our 2nd wedding anniversary. 2 years married on October the 18th. :>

We were motivated to take a trip because we are moving to the States soon. Europe is soo close and we haven't explored it as a couple because we've been crazy poor. Well, we're still crazy poor but we decided we HAVE to take advantage of Europe before we move away from it. SO I was looking around for cheap deals, and there was a cheap deal to Munich, Germany. Looking into the area and tours more, there was also a cheap tour going for a day trip to Salzburg. SALZBURG!!! Childhood dream of visiting there HAD to be checked off my list! So we booked 2 nights in Germany.

It was our first time leaving Giles. It was really sad. I kept having panic attacks for days before the trip! I just prayed so hard that it would be okay, and that everyone would be safe. My fears were calmed a bit and we headed off. Giles was to stay with his grandparents, Dave and Lorna, for the duration.

We got to Munich Monday night, on our anniversary. We took a train into the city from Munich airport, found our hotel, and went out walking around and exploring. I tell you, I was the quintessential ANNOYING American tourist on that first night! Hahah everything I saw I was like 'WOOOOOOWWW!!' 'OH MY GOSHHH LOOK AT THAT!!! THAT's AAAMMAAAZZZIINNNGGG!!' haha but I did really feel that way, Germany was BEAUTIFUL! Munich was such an amazing city, I strongly recommend everyone to go out of their way to visit it! hehe




The next morning we headed off on our day trip to Salzburg. We met a group of American and some Scottish tourists at the train station in front of the tour company's office. Our tour guide was American as well, he was from Seattle. The train to Salzburg was 2 hours. On the way we saw the gorgeous snowy Alps, and so many picturesque German towns along the route. When we pulled into Salzburg I was SOOO excited. Just the view alone from the train was worth the trip, haha I couldn't wait to explore!



The guide took us around for about an hour and a half, and then Josh and I got to explore for 3 hours. The guide showed us the Sound of Music sites- where Maria and the children were running around singing 'Do Re Mi', where Maria was walking around Salzburg singing 'I Have Confidence', and where the real live abbey was, Maria's abbey! I was a complete nerd, I was so excited. I just adore the film so much! And Ms. Andrews is completely perfect in it. And Captain Von Trapp is too perfect and makes me melt ahhh!!!!

me at Sound of Music sites>





The guide also showed us the medieval fortress that was on the hill top above the town, he took us outside of Mozart's birthplace and childhood home. We went along the main shopping area, where every store had a fancy wrought-iron sign. Salzburg back in the day was the hub for wrought iron work.

Everything in the town was gorgeous. It was a bright, sunny day, only briskly cold, not too bad. It was so perfect, I couldn't have asked for a lovelier day and place to spend it in!

We returned from Salzburg around 6:30 at night in Munich, and we went to our hotel room to rest for a tiny bit. Afterwards we went out onto the town to get some dinner and to see more things.

I was determined to have a REAL German dinner. I am NOT a sausage person. I can have about one or two sausages a year and then I'm set. I just don't like it much, makes me sick most of the time! But the Germans are all about their sausages (and beer, but that's obviously a no no! haha). SO we went to a German pub and I had a sausage platter with mash and SAUERKRAUT! It is pickled cabbage, it's another big German thing haha. It surprisingly was very good! I had the famous Munich white sausage, a Regensburger sausage, a weiner, and hm some other kind, I don't remember. But it was all good, and worked really well with the sauerkraut! I probably won't have sausage again for a couple years haha but it was honestly good. Josh ordered a beef goulash with dumplings and he loved that as well.

The next morning we woke up, checked out of our hotel, and spent our final day officially exploring Munich and going inside of the churches and other buildings (everything was closed when we went round at night). Munich is famous for its rich Rococo decor. I studied Rococo in my degree but I'd never seen anything in real life, so even though it is very over the top and not very nice, haha, it was still cool to see some Rococo interiors.

Since I had my German meal the night before, Josh and I committed the tourist crime and we went to McDonalds. Haha but McDonalds has different things in every country! So that's how we justified it. We both at their '1955' burger. Apparently it was supposed to be like an American diner burger, 1950's style. The McDonalds there also had breaded shrimp! So weird, I've never seen a McD's have that, but it was very good. yummm

We also went to the Viktualienmarkt, the main market in Munich. There were flowers being sold, seafood, German candies, Christmas decorations, breads, dried fruits, sausages, everything. We bought some Munich white sausage to take home to Dave and Lorna.

Munich was a gorgeous, clean, beautiful city! BUT I must say, I was happy to leave it... I had a little boy to get home to!!!!!!!

When we arrived in Manchester, I had Lorna bring Giles in the car with her haha I couldn't wait till home to see him again!! I have NEVER been happier to see anyone in my entire life than I was to see my baby again! I was crazy to leave him haha but I guess I had to have that experience. I don't think I'll leave my babies again, no matter how much fun Josh and I had. I just love my Giles too much! BUT grandma Evans did a fantastic job and all was well. :>


Well there's the gist of our trip. It was so lovely, what a special time to spend those days with my darling Josh. He is such a lovely person, my best friend, and an amazing husband. It really was nice to be with him and to share our special 2 year anniversary!

there's no place like home..

Josh and I watched The Hangover today (NOT the most wholesome film :<). But all during the film, I was just ACHING for my home! I MISS MY TOWWNNNN!!! My home town, Vegas girl and I'm proud! I CANNOT wait to return home soon!!!!!!!!!!

Life is going to be INSANELY different. I haven't lived in the States in two and a half years. I'm so happy to move back but even though I spent 20 1/2 years there, it will still probably take some time to get a groove going. And I HAVEN'T EVEN LIVED 'REAL' LIFE IN THE STATES YET! EVER!! Real life, as in paying my own bills, supporting my family, big girl style.

All my life my parents paid for everything. I know, I was spoiled. But after I married, of course, real life began. And Josh and I have done a pretty alright job so far. We've paid our rent, bills, everything. We haven't had hardly a cent left over, it's true. I've been a poor student, slaving away waitressing, and now I'm graduated and on maternity leave with Giles. Josh has been working full time as a car insurance claims advisor. We've been poor newlyweds, but we've done it, and I'm now comfortable living big girl life now. BUT, that's living it over HERE, in England. It's a whole new game in the States! I don't know how much things cost- taxes, insurance, bills, everything. Can't judge things by when I was living in Hawaii going to BYU-H, because those weren't normal prices, they were expensive Hawaii prices. So yeah, big things coming my way.

My life at home will also be unrecognizable now because, I HAVE A CHILD! :> HUUUGGEEEE life change, right?? So that's something new, I need to get him a doctor, find out how I'm going to pay for that doctor (because I am LOVING England's free National Health Service here. I love paying a tiny bit extra taxes for it because it's amazing. You can't knock the system when you've had a baby on it for absolute free!!). I need to find out public programs and little things to take Giles to, to help him socialize and grow. So many things there! AND sadly, I'll have to worry about leaving my poor boy as I must get a job to pay for my husband's university, our insurance, etc. etc. etc.

Life will definitely be nothing like before. Nevertheless, I see it as enjoying my Vegas in a whole new way.

I loved growing up there, I love my parents, my friends there. Despite all the challenges coming up, I am ready to be home! And both Josh and I are excited to start a new adventure and to see where life takes us. From my experiences living abroad, I really know now that there is no place like the good ol' USA. There's terrible aspects of my country, it's true, but that's just like any country. What's great and what matters is that the USA IS a place of opportunity. Of dreaming and accomplishing whatever you want. From observing life in England, I don't feel that that same optimism, inventiveness, and spirit is here among the people at all. I cannot wait to be back home and to see, with hard work and relying on the Lord, where all the opportunities will lead us to.

Who would have thought that this huge passionate rant would have all stemmed from such a film as 'The Hangover' ? haha

<3 VEGASSSSSSS we'll be there soon! <3

danke schon

^Carsten, Belinda, and my sister-in-law Holly

This past few days there have been some friends of my in-laws from Germany staying at the house. My husband and his family knew them from their days living in Germany. They lived there many years as my father in law worked for the British Army as a dental hygienist. The lovely visiting family were the Stiegelmeyers- dad Carsten, mom Belinda (from Spain originally), and children Tabea (14), Elias (12), and Noelia(10).

I just completely fell in love with the family right away! I had so much fun speaking with them, getting to know them, joking around with the children. The kids were OBSESSED with baby Giles. Like craazzzyyy obsessed! Like, I had to bat them away half the time to keep them from suffocating my little boy haha. But they really were lovely though, they made me laugh! The first time they saw Giles downing a bottle, he had just woken up so he was drinking with his eyes closed and with his hands folded together. From seeing that, the kids started calling him 'baby death-eater'. Death, because he looked like a corpse apparently, with folded hands. And eater, because he was eating hah. So they called him death-eater, in honor of good ol' Harry Potter. What kooky kids, right??? hhaha

The Stiegelmeyers were all very kind, very easygoing, and very intelligent. They spoke many languages! Played many instruments! I definitely want my children to be as well rounded and polite as Tabea, Elias, and Noelia.

It was just great to be around them, and I am very happy I met them!


^Tabea and Elias with Giles. Didn't get a pic of Noelia! :<

errrr let's try this again....

Welcome to my new venture, my very own family blog. As you can see from my first post, I attempted to start a blog AGES ago, right when I became pregnant in fact, at the end of last year. But I quit because- a. I felt stupid, that I didn't have anything interesting to say. AND b. I had just begun my last year of university and things, of course, got really really REALLY busy.

I was going to document my pregnancy, but afterall, who wants to hear all the gross gory details of a pregnancy, except for your sister really (who was going through the same thing ! :P).

SOO I quit, and the evidence is below. However, I do feel that I am ready now to begin again. I do have much to say, even though 95% of it is about the new addition to our family, Mr. Giles Spencer Evans. He is now nearly 13 weeks old and I want this blog to document the little things he does, mainly for my family's benefit since we are still living far far away in England.

And about our living situation, yes we are actually hoping to move to the States as soon as possible. We've been mulling it over for a long time, and when we went back to Vegas for Christmas this past year for 3 weeks, we both decided we wanted to officially start a life over there. We figured that in the long run, we do want to end up there. And staying over here longer would just be wasting time. Josh couldn't start school really because he'd soon transfer, we wouldn't be able to ever buy a house because we'd still have one foot wanting to come over there, etc. So we put in Josh's visa application and sadly, we're STILL waiting. But it is in the final stages so we're hoping to move end of December, or maybe sometime in January.

As for Giles, he will have dual citizenship! We've recently been down to London to sort out his American side and we just have to turn in our British passport application. Yay for our children never having to wait in customs lines too long! hehe

Giles is nearly 13 weeks old and he is growing up too fast already. Here's some things about our baby boy:

-He no longer has his newborn cry! It's a very grown up, louder wail and it makes me sad that he's newborn no longer!

-He's started to laugh louder and more pronounced laughs. His baby giggles (huhuhuh) are few and far between now and he lets out a huge HA! HA! now :>

-Giles LOVES to talk (well, baby talk that is). He is always gooing and aoeeinngggg.

-He likes to be sung to sleep.

-His favorite toy is this finger puppet lion thing.

-Giles is CRAZY about books already!! Every time I read him a book, he brightens up, gives huge huge smiles, and touches the book and its pages.

-Giles is already starting to be clingy to his momma. He loves for me to hold him, to be as near as possible at all times hah. I'm hoping he'll break that at some point, we are letting him cry it out now and then, rather than picking him up constantly. Hopefully he'll learn!

-He has mixed feelings about the bath, which I think just depends on how tired or alert he is. When he's wide awake, he'll kick around in the bath and really enjoy it. When he's a bit tired he'll fuss.

-And one last thing- Giles, like any little boy, is obsessed with his dad! Everytime Josh calls me at lunchtime, I put the phone to Giles' ear and he will always smile, or widen his eyes and kick around more. He loves playing with him, and most especially cuddling him. Josh has a crazy knack for getting Giles to sleep nearly instantaneously hah!

Life is going really well. I have President Thomas S. Monson's (prophet of my church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) recent talk on my mind lately, about gratitude. If I have gratitude, I will more fully feel the love of God.

I do try my hardest to be grateful always. I have had such a blessed life! I've been blessed with opportunities of schooling, traveling the world, graduating university, having the best friends on the planet, the best siblings ever that always make me smile and laugh out loud. I have the greatest parents, and in-laws as well. I have two gorgeous grandmas and so many lovely cousins and extended family. I have a handsome, adoring husband, whom yes, I do not deserve! He's too great and always tries to make me happy and comfortable. And I have an incredible, gorgeous son. I feel SO happy in motherhood! It's been amazing. Greatest of all I have the gospel and my Savior Jesus Christ.

Well this is all for now. Thank you for indulging me and for reading this first (well, technically second) blog post of mine!

x