Did YOU get a bib for doing your taxes?

Happy Third Trimester to us!  Got our taxes done last week and was reminded of one angle on this baby that I had not yet considered:

Juneau updates

A few snapshots of life in Juneau...

Here is what our Christmas card would have looked like, had we not decided to save money and not send them after all.  :)

Here is our door of Christmas cards which we are thankful the senders decided to send!  It is nice to be reminded of people we love and do not get to see much.

Juneau bounty: this is a pile of gifts people have given us since finding out we are pregnant.  More books than I could ever read, some cute clothes and toys and maternity clothes are buried in there.

A cute ornament that showed up in the mail this past week from one of Brian's cousins.

My co-worker got me those little knitted extra-tuf booties and  I couldn't resist this photo op.

I remember when Maude wasn't too much bigger than those little boots.  Now she is a approaching 75 pounds.

My maternal instincts caused me to bring home a friendly dog who was walking down the middle of the road one day while I was walking home from work.  He had no collar and so I just kept prompting him to follow me freely, and he did.  He was so sweet and I couldn't walk away knowing he could possibly get hit by a car.  We eventually tracked down the owner thanks to the humane society and he was returned.  In the meantime, he and Maude enjoyed begging for whatever Brian was cooking here and some good play time.

I will be the first to admit that I am decoratively challenged.   I am secretly hoping nesting instincts will help with that.  Here is my latest effort.

Brian is definitely outdoing me in the nesting category.  He spent 27 hours one weekend refinishing the rest of the hardwood floor in our upstairs.

We enjoyed a very cold, but rain-free hike yesterday up Salmon Creek Reservoir.

This is my belly around 19 weeks.  My body has felt awesome and continues to support my CrossFit and yoga habits, for which I am thankful.  This baby is a good workout buddy already.  Half-way point is just a few days away!

Other tidbits about this baby: it likes to reveal itself on somewhat memorable days.
First day of Fall: I found out I was pregnant.
Halloween: We saw it for the first time on ultrasound.
Christmas Eve: I felt movements for the first time
At this rate, I'm banking on either Memorial Day or my birthday for its arrival :)

Preggo palate plus!

Brian thought this day would never come: I am eating seafood.  

Not sure if it's the hormones or what, but smothered in garlic and olive oil, salmon doesn't taste half bad to me now!  

I think Brian's exact words were: "I'll make this all day long as long as you keep eating it!"  

This new shared interest has made our marriage stronger :)

A Night at the Deadwood Saloon

Here are some shots from a murder mystery birthday party we were invited to this past Friday night.  Our characters were father-daughter, which made for some entertaining exchanges.  

Brian ended up being the killer, partly because the man he killed had broken his daughter's heart.  It was a hilarious night, to say the least.

Bellying up to the bar

Reviewing evidence.  Doesn't he look guilty?  No one knew (Brian included) who the killer was until after the murder occurred.

Good times!

Some videos of Maude

This is a video of Maude after getting her cone at the vet's office.  Her paw was in a splint with an IV bag on it to keep it dry, along with my duct tape job.  (I had taken this video and sent it to Brian while he was out of town.)  Oh, and we still owned the rust-bucket back then.  It is loudly carting some other southeast alaskan around town now.

Here is Maude's first swim session after getting her splint off.  Please pardon my high-pitched cheerleader mom voice.  It had been a long six weeks of keeping her paw dry.  I was excited.  

Maude and her favorite shoe:

Maude and Brian playing some ball:

Maudie girl

We love this face:

Waiting for Dad to get home from work:

Together at last:

Maude and her mama, Bay:

Eclectic Assortment of Pics

Ok, here is a random collection of iPhone photos for your viewing pleasure.

My second black bear sighting this summer.  This one, while walking home from work:

A glimpse into the fun, goofy time we had in Seattle for Brian's cousin's wedding:

A sad face from Brian as we prepare to load our truck onto the ferry toward its new owners in Sitka:

Brian demonstrating his salmon fillet skills:

Brian 1, Fish 0:

Vacuum cleaner 1, Brian 0: (I'll let him explain...)

Maude enjoying the back of our new/used Subaru Outback from Missoula, Montana:

Our new grandfather clock from my clock-repairing papa, all the way from Germany: