SiN CiTy StRoBehNs

All about Celeste!

2010-05-09T14:21:00.000-07:00

Celeste, my little posie girlie girl! She looks sooo much like Bill! The one on the right shows it best, Bill has a baby pic with the same facial expression, I'll have to find it and post that too!

Dancing Celeste

2010-01-27T21:26:00.000-08:00

Celeste loves to watch Elmo's World on Sesame Street. Here are her dance moves! I LoVe It!

Celeste

2010-01-25T17:28:00.000-08:00

Binge update

2010-01-25T17:24:00.000-08:00

holy freak! how has it been so long since I was on here last???
Here's what I have been up to:Well, Christmas was packed full of fun. Did I tell you my brother got engaged? So he's aiming for a June wedding, hopfully before my other brother is shipped out to IRAQ!!! yeah, just found that one out recently. They are sending my newly joined army brother, Luke, to IraQ. wow. So we'll all be praying hard. :]Oh, then my fridge broke and leaked water allllllll over! it was 4 inches deep in the drawers and all over the floor too. Can you say "DiSaSter"??? yeah. well I know Haiti has it worse, so I really can't complain...but still...what a pain. It is still leaking though too, so we just have a cup under the water filter where the leak is and we have to empty it everyday or else! (Yesterday we forgot and this morning the whole top shelf was floating!! yikes! ;s so that's crazy. I AM ON THE RADIO IN BURBANK!!! So I don't know if you saw any of my facebook status updates, but the song "Touch" I sing on with my friend DJon has been put into a regular rotation on a radio station in Burbank CA!! People there can hear ME sing on the radio!! so cool!! And next week, the song will be hitting the college circuit in NY! So that's just freakin great! I may even get to go to NY to do a few shows to help promote the song! We'll see. :]I saw Blue Man Group with some friends. My friend, Beth, that I went with, just got signed as a Christian singer for a small music label. They distribute music through Universal's label though, so it should be way good. So I am totally stoked for her! :] She's so awesome! she sang with me in the Brazos River Band for a while.Celeste is taking steps!! she is almost walking!! Everyday she tries out her new skill more and more! It is so special! ...but we have had to start childproofing. We finally installed those latches that make it hard to open cupboards on all our lower cabinets. Wow, i feel like a parent! ;] crazy.hmmmm, what else...I have a gig with the BRB tomorrow. it is only two 45 min sets but really good money so that is always sweet. :]I am learning to play the guitar! I am taking a few lessons through the community center and it is being really fun and good. My goal is to be able to have 4 songs performance ready by tthe end of the year...I know, I know, sounds like a lofty goal ;] but really, I think it is actually achievable and honestly with everything going on I think that will be about all I can do. :]Well, I think that about does it for me and updates. :]
CHEESECAKE!! That is what it on my mind right now. I want cheesecake! So I made some: one is just white chocolate cheesecake with a nilla waffer crust, the other is a white chocolate and strawberry swirled cheesecake with an oreo crust. YUMMY! They are cooling...patients, patients. Soon, I will eat cheesecake. :] yay!! I'll let ya know how they turned out!! :]

Celeste Said Her First word! Oct 2, 2009

2009-10-31T14:32:00.000-07:00

She looked up at Bill with this sweet admiration and cocked her head shyly, then looked right at him again and from underneath those long eye lashes said, "Dad." bill and I were like, "whoa, did you just hear that?" It was her first word ! So sweet!

Adventure Dome!

2009-10-31T14:23:00.000-07:00

"Hi Baby!"

"My Mom and Dad are crazy!"

Beth And Amie Posing with Pirates!

Bill finds an old friend ;]

Celeste's first pony ride!

Man I am a binge blogger!

2009-10-31T14:02:00.000-07:00

So here's the catch up for the last little bit, to the present! Celeste is so awesome and does something new and cute each day...thus no time to blog about it! ;]

So here's the highlights:

Celeste LOVES the water! She loved swimming any chance she gets, or even to just be in the tubby. She's a water baby.

We visited Kanab for the women's forum and some of my brothers had just gotten back from their lastest adventure, this time in New York. They all won these HUGE dogs and packed 3 of them in the car and drove cross country back home with them!! AAAH! It's licking Celeste! Dog slobber! ;] She doesn't seem to mind.

Other highlights from the women's forum:

On September 20, 2009, we went to this Italian festival with our friends, the Miltons.

Here is Bill and "mini me"

Sweet Potato Anyone?

2009-08-27T10:53:00.001-07:00

Celeste Thoroughly enjoyed her sweet potatoes :]

She is kind of going through a nursing strike right now. Maybe it's teething? I've read that happens a lot when babies teeth...anyway, so she will drink very well from a bottle though, so I have been pumping a lot. she is learning to hold the bottle and that is pretty cute. :]

She likes to try everything we try! Haha, and look at her getting her feet involved too! I love it!

And here is what happens when she eats too much: Oops!!

Oops!!

We LoVe this GIRL!!

Celeste's First Booboo

2009-08-27T10:44:00.000-07:00

I was cutting Celeste's TINY fingernails and somehow nipped a little of her thumb!! It bled a little. :( I thought I was gonna cry! She didn't really seem to notice too much, thank Heaven, but I felt terrible! We gave her her first bandaide.

She's like, "what is this funny thing on my finger?"

Bill snuggling our girl

Me snuggling our girl. she's ok!! Yay!

Shark Reef Adventure

2009-08-25T10:26:00.000-07:00

Here we are at the Shark Reef at Mandalay Bay
Emma, James, Me, Celeste, Bill and Luke.

Look at those crazy jellyfish!

Me, Luke and James by the komodo dragon!

Look out for the Shark!

ooooew slimy, yet fun!

James put sand on him!

Celeste tried to get her hand in there when daddy wasn't looking!

Celeste grabbed for everything

ooo shark!

Turtle!

Luke and I gave each other piggyback rides back to the car :] well, Luke gave me more of a wild raptor ride...he has more muscle than I do! ;]

Fun with the Family at the MGM Grand pool!

2009-08-25T10:14:00.001-07:00

Whoa! Luke, what are you doing in just a towel??
It looked so funny to see us walking around the casino in our towels after we swam in the pool. And Luke really did have a suit on under this towel, but it sure didn't look like he did! He played it up well too and it was funny to see people's expressions.

Emma Garrett, James, Luke, me, and sleepy Celeste

Swim in the fountain? It's ok? A little chilly!

Too much!! Ahh!! (haha, this picture was purely accidental! Luke was adjusting his slipping towel just as I snapped the picture. The crazy thing is you STILL can't see any of his swimsuit!...so it just looks like he is about to go streaking in his tennies through the casino!) Especially by the mischievous look on his face!

We had fun in the lazy river and they created a thrown for Emma

James, Emma, Luke, Celeste, and Amie. Let's go SWIMMING!

Update on the Cuteness!

2009-08-25T09:50:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I've given an update, so here is a long one:

Here we are before church one morning. Notice my hair is curly, that's what happens when you're a mom and find you don't have much time in the mornings anymore! ;] haha

This is us at the park. We had a fun picnic and played around.

This is one of the first times Celeste ate babyfood for the first time! See that smile! I think she liked the pears! :] she also likes to grab the spoon.

I LOVe this picture! just look at Celeste's BEAUTIFUL Celeste eyes!

I took this one while we were in the office and I was sewing a project. It looks like Celeste is taking the bear's measurements! I laughed so hard! Oh she's fun!!

This is Celeste's room. There's my little girl, learning to stand in her crib!

Gotta love the Peter Cottontail mobile in the background. I think I and all of my siblings have spent time staring at it when we were kids, now Celeste loves it :]

This is Daddy and Celeste dancing it out to Frankie! As Ben Stiller looks on in the corner.

Oops!! This looks pretty nasty...good thing it wasn't another inch to the right, right? ;]

Celeste LOVES tubby time with dad! And she has discovered that splashing is her new life calling! she splashes so much we have to pull the shower curtain to cover us or we may as well be in the tub with her cuz we'll get that wet! :]

Bill and I like to brush our teeth in the car. Well, one trip she was eyeing me and eyeing me, so finally I got out this baby toothbrush that I keep in her bag and gave it to her. Her expression was priceless! It's kinda like, "weird...and WHY do you and daddy do this again?...am I doing this right??" hilarious!

Till next time! Happy brushing!

Resolution

2009-07-29T10:40:00.000-07:00

As so many people tried to tell me they would, turns out things worked out! ;] (Bill says I need on "off" button sometimes so I don't stress as much) It's true. Bill doesn't stress unless it's helpful. That is a really good way to be: if stressing will help him in any way control the situation, then he lets himself. If not, then he holds off till it could. If that never happens, then he just saved himself a lot a drama ;] Good lesson. We'll see if I can remember it for next time! haha...

So the resolution: It turns out Rise, my mother-in-law was unable to find someone to babysit to free her up for Wednesday, so she couldn't come. I talked to DJ and we worked out that I WILL be able to record my parts in Vudu's Vegas studio (date unknown, but I'm not gonna stress about that detail just yet! ;] haha) and DJ can incorporate that session into the protools (the recording program) session he'll do in AZ. So AwEsOMe! yay!
I am hoping to try and book a really cheap flight in the future sometime (book when it's only like $49 a flight) and go get my recording fix yet. ;] But it would give us more planning time, be cheaper, and hey, maybe we could write a few more songs in the interim and have more to record! :] sigh! Why do I LoVe this stuff so much! Music just fills the soul with the sweetest sensations, and fills the gaps within your being. Yes, music completes me ;]

Now for random but cute pics:

Celeste really wanted to try the rootbeer! Too bad baby, ya gotta wait 4 hours for it to come through the milk! haha
Celeste and her Daddy
This picture makes me smile. and for some reason gets that "Banjo the Woodpile Cat" song in my head: "I'll stick with you kid, you stick with me. Together we'll overcome adversity. And old man trouble will have to let you be. Cuz you're gonna come out smilin' if you stick with me!!"

A Sloppy Update

2009-07-28T17:22:00.000-07:00

Well, to anyone out there who cares to read this spotty blog...I know, I'm not a very consistent blogger at best, but anyway. So much has happened; here's my sloppy update: Celeste is so fun!! That has stayed the same :] She is getting so big! She only rolls over occassionally, and usually just for Bill. (I guess I spoil her too much and hold her in order to get any housework done so she doesn't have as many opportunities to do so with me) :] She is so easy-going which is so good, but is a little interesting when we try new things with her since she usually doesn't really give us any type of reaction. Well, FINALLY, the other day when we went to the park I got her REALLY wet and her face said it all! Awesome! :] So cute! i can't look at this picture without cracking up! Oh yeah, she did also react when we fed her cereal for the very first time! She was so happy and excited and proud of herself she laughed her head off! :] So GREAT! I'll post a clip of it soon... so stay tuned? ;] In other news, I looped my mom into coming with me on a mini "vacation": She flew to obscure Mesa, AZ, with me and Celeste to hang out with me in a one bedroom apt, and babysit Celetse until wee hours of the morning while I got to record in a multimillion dollar studio at the Conservatory for the Recording Arts down there with my friend DJon for a special project of his. SO AWESOME! It really was a great trip! And we had a BLAST!...only problem now is that DJ needs me to come back again to fix a few little things...which means I need to go back down to AZ. And I can't just leave my breastfeeding baby! So now what? It's really been weighing on me. I HAVE to go, or what, DJ will have to replace me on the track! I don't want that! But it is being very difficult and expensive to try and work it all out. But ya know, this project is for a Music Label that is seriously looking at DJ, so WHEN they pick him up due to our AMAZING song, all this will seem frivolous :] Good Things! :] Wow, Celeste actually fell asleep! She went on a sleep strike the other day and just wouldn't sleep, so Bill and I have been trying the Baby Whisperer method and it has been REALLY HARD on us all to try and break old bad habits. This afternoon for a nap she cried for 30 minutes. It didn't even matter when I would go in to try and comfort her at intervals, she just wasn't having it. but right before I started this post, she was getting sleepy so I lay her down and came in the computer room prepping myself to stay busy for the inevitable onslaught of tears that I had to fight not to rush in and stop too early...but they haven't come! She is actually asleep! OR DEAD!! gotta check... ... holy freak! She is alive and breathing and SLEEPING! this is the happiest day of my life!! That was way too easy! If it starts to work like that, I will feel pretty foolish for ever trying any other method!! ;] ...but ya know things this beautiful only come ever so often, just to give you a taste of what can be. It's all good: that is how this even can be so happy: I KNOW the bitter ;] ha ha. Life lessons ;] Anyway, so I will post a few of my favorite recent pictures:

Mom and Celeste in Mesa
DJon and Josh by the mixing board. Yes they know what each of those little knobs does :]
Me in the Studio
Celeste LOVEs to splash so much in the tub we have to pull the curtain between us sometimes so we don't get completely soaked! :] She even splashes her face and it doesn't even faze her! My water baby :]

Till next time...happy day :]

CeLeSte Being CuTe!!

2009-04-22T09:47:00.000-07:00

Me and my Girl

The Babes and Great Gramma Hansen. Look at that SMILE!

4 Generations on the Strobehn Side

I LOVE YOU!

Little Girl on a BIG LovSac

She likes her new toy!

Give Daddy Kisses

What you thinking about girl? :]

EASTER!! In Kanab

2009-04-22T09:29:00.000-07:00

I found a prize in my basket!

New Family Picture

"What?? We're gonna have an egg hunt? And you say there's gonna be chocolate?!"

"What?! I can't have any yet?? I'm not old enough?"

The Babes with Nana Rosa

The Babes with Great Gramma Riggs

Smile! Jesus was resurrected today!

Who does Celeste look like? You decide ;]

2009-04-22T09:22:00.000-07:00

Baby Amie

Baby Bill

Baby Celeste

Celeste is ONE month old!

2009-04-08T10:51:00.001-07:00

I can't believe it but my little girl is already one month old! And she sure is growing! We went to the doctor on her one month day and she now weighs 9lbs 13 oz!! so she has gained nearly 2 pounds in two weeks! whoa! I guess the breastmilk/breastfeeding thing is really working for her ;]
She gave us a great present for her one month day: she smiled for the first time!! Sure we've gotten hints of smiles, but most of those were in her sleep or gas related ;] This was a real, genuine smile in response to seeing her Daddy! It was so wonderful! ...The only sad part was it all happened in the doctor's office moments before the nurse came in a poked her with a needle for a vaccination causing a new first: Celeste cried real tears!! >.< It was terribly traumatic! But she still loves us, cause she smiled again later that night. whew! Close call ;]
Here are the pics:

I love this little girl!!

2009-04-08T10:42:00.000-07:00

This was the first baby clo (baby outfit) we received after we found out we were pregnant. Bill's mom got it for us. she actually bought it while Bill was on his mission to Japan. she thought it would be cool to give him someday cause the style looks asian. Well she was even more excited to give it to us since I also served in Japan. It's such a cute outfit, but it drown her when she was first born...I can't believe it fits her now! So CUTE!

I love the way this little girl sleeps! It cracks me up: she LOVES to have her arms free like this :]

Barefoot in the Strawberry Patch and "Blue Steel"

2009-04-02T16:43:00.000-07:00

Despite my best efforts to try and keep this up, I am just not a blogger. So just be grateful for the occassional pictures ;] haha

Little girl on a BIG Lovsac!

Showing off how cute she is in her new outfit from Gramma Lynn, Lori and Marcia, laying on the special blanket Gramma Lynn made for her

Practicing our "Blue Steel" looks with Derek Zoolander

Some Cute Pics!

2009-03-24T09:44:00.001-07:00

What you thinking about little girl?

How fun is it to decorate the nursery? :]

Daddy Daughter Date. Dad is SUCH a BIG help! What a blessing. I got my first full nights sleep since Celeste was born this past weekend thanks to Daddy Dearest :]

Sleeping like an angel!

Celeste has found her fingers

St Patrick's Day

2009-03-24T09:40:00.001-07:00

Isn't she cute in her girly green and oversized bow? :] I LOVE this girl!!

CELESTE IS ONE WEEK OLD!!

2009-03-14T14:34:00.000-07:00

Wow, time is flying. I can't believe my baby is already a week old! Mom left today so I am on my own now. Oh no! But Mom prepared me well though, and I have had quite a few mommy triumphs this week which give me more confidence :]
But on to the fun stuff: the pictures!!!

Us making faces

She LOVES to be held by gramma!

Mom brought me flowers in the hospital and they have lasted all week

Our new little family <3

Celeste decided she wanted her hands out of the swaddling and she wiggled into this position...girl that is not meant to be an off the shoulder gown! ;]

Getting ready for our first outing:

a trip to Walmart! She was so good!
she didn't even really cry until the checkout line

My little love being cute!!

Contemplating the pros of the binki

First sponge bath!

Give daddy a kiss!

Hey! She likes staring at her wall mural! Yay!

Wave bye-bye! 'Till next time :]

I'm Still Not a Blogger!

2009-03-11T00:09:00.000-07:00

Although this is my 3rd post in a fairly short amount of time, I will not tolerate being called a blogger! (I simply have a little more to write about AND I was an English graduate, after all ;)). Since Amie has obviously had her hands full with Celeste and recovering from labor (thanks again to her mom for helping out all week!), I figured I'd get some more pics up here 'cause I'm a good daddy :) (and I don't know how to breast-feed)...

Some non-naked pictures

2009-03-08T12:45:00.000-07:00

Well, this is Bill again. I've never "blogged" before and wasn't really planning on starting, but since Amie is always tied up either nursing, eating, or sleeping, I figured it was up to me seeing as how Celeste won't listen to me when I ask her to give Mommy a break!
If you didn't read Sara's post, the baby's name is Celeste Rose Strobehn. "Celeste" just kind of popped its way into the name pool a few days ago and creeped its way to the top. We're not exactly sure how it made it up there, so it must be right! We really like "Kaiya" most of the pregnancy but when she came out, we quickly decided that she didn't look like a Kaiya... Her middle name, "Rose", is a combination of Rosa (Amie's mom), and Rise (my mom). ("Rise" is pronounced Reesa for those that don't know).
Both Mommy and Baby are doing great! They're both sleeping right now-- well, they WERE sleeping!! Sounds like Celeste is hungry, AGAIN :p.
I'm sure that Celeste's temperament will change as the time goes by, but so far she's just been an angel. (Not to say I've never heard her cry!), but most of the time she's content to look around the house and explore her new, much-bigger-than-the-womb world. She's so cute! (obviously takes after her mom ;)). When we first got home, Amie gave Celeste a tour of the house and showed her each room. I think Celeste was only half-way impressed, lol.
Amie is recovering pretty well and can walk around on her own as if she was never pregnant. I wouldn't say she's ready to run a marathon any time soon, but considering the episiotomy, I'd say she's doing quite well. And she just loves her new toy, Celeste!
And I'd be extremely ungrateful if I didn't give a heart-felt shout-out and thanks to Rosa for sacrificing a week to come and help out. She's already been a huge blessing (and is the only reason I have time to write this). Well, enjoy the pics. I'm sure there'll be more to come!

And the baby is here!!

2009-03-06T15:32:00.000-08:00

I figured while Amie is temporarily unavailable ;) I'd get a few pictures up and let her write more later...

Leann Rimes Concert!

2009-02-10T21:14:00.000-08:00

SWEET!! So Bill swanked us free tickets for Leann Rimes! Especially since I sing in a country band, and we actually do quite a few of her songs, it was just so AwEsOMe to se her perform live! She definitely has talent! Such flexibility and even tone to her voice! Oh, and we were kind of surprised, but she was really down to earth and not flashy: she was wearing silver-grey stretch pants, and a pretty simple black tanktop!
GOoOoOo FREE tickets! :]

Baby Shower and Nursery!

2009-01-21T17:10:00.000-08:00

Trish threw me a baby shower last Saturday! :] We had a great turnout and my mom, sister Chelsea, and Gramma, and little bro Kevin even got to come!
With all the help from the shower and the support from so many friends and family I am feeling pretty ready for the baby. We even got our nursery pretty well organized. :] I LOVE it!!! We set up my new glider (I could live it this chair!) and the crib all set up too. All baby's clothes are washed and ready. I have a little more painting to do on the blank wall, but that's about it!! wow!! :]
We still have a few more weeks ahead (I am only 34 weeks along) but it feels sooooo good to have things ready. That nesting instinct is strong! ;]

Diaper Cake from Melinda Ringer. Can you guess how many diapers it has?

Do I look pregnant from behind???

Peek-a-Boo!!

34 weeks along with baby number one! Go Girl!! :]
P.S. there were 116 newborn diapers in the diaper "cake" :] sweet! I'm sure I'll use 'em up fast! :]

Almost 32 weeks down! Not much more to go!

2009-01-03T14:26:00.001-08:00

I am definitely pregnant! ;]

Snow Day!!

2008-12-30T16:11:00.000-08:00

Well, we Vegas-dwellers got quite the surprise on December 17th this year: SNOW in VEGAS!! And not just a dusting, there was about 4 inches on the strip and in my own backyard!
I was in the office working and looked out the window and saw that it had started to stick a little. Thinking it would probably melt soon, I took a quick picture and then kept working.

A few hours later, I happened to look out the window and my jaw dropped!! It was STILL snowing!! This was crazy! so I took another picture.

I kept working and the temperature felt like it kept dropping. After another hour or so I looked out the window again to find a curious and astonishing winter wonderland!!

By the time Bill came home from work, the tree outside our house was almost broken in half because of the weight of all the snow! So we took the opportunity to trim it a little while we could reach the top ;]

Vegas hadn't seen snow like this since the 30's!! It's COLD!

"Jealous" Music Video Finally Completed!!

2008-12-19T12:43:00.000-08:00

So that is my friend DJon :]
And our song "Jealous"
The Track Kingz produced the beat/music
DJon wrote the rap and we wrote the hook together
And hey, I don't look pregnant yet, but little
do many people know, but I am!! :] My little girl's
first music video! awe! ;]

The Word is Out! The Baby GIRL is IN!

2008-11-13T12:32:00.000-08:00

It's true. Bill and I are having a baby!! I am due March 5th.
We were really shocked and excited, we really weren't expecting to be expecting. We'd thought about starting to try, but then I got cold feet cause I wanted to know the time was right and I felt like if I MADE it happen I wouldn't know if it was really God's will or just mine. So we stopped "trying" and a few months later I started to feel kinda funny. I had thought I was supposed to start and had that "here it comes" feeling a couple of times, yet nothing happened. I was beginning to wonder and one Sunday night (June 29, 2008) I was talking to Sara on the phone. She was about 2 or 3 months pregnant with her second so as I explained how I had been feeling lately, she quickly recognized the signs! She urged me to go get a pregnancy test right now!! Well, Bill was in the room for our whole conversation :] and by the time I got off the phone he had such a priceless look of his face. Total surprise, curiosity, excitement, and disbelief. "Is there something you wanna tell me?" he asked. :] ha ha. So I explained it all. He thought I was crazy, and really I wasn't even that late yet so I, too, thought I was a little crazy. But we were both so curious now and Sara had sounded so sure! And since she was pregnant right now it really would be cool to be pregnant too and have our kids so close together I thought. So finally, even though it was a Sunday night, we decided the urgency and need to just know dominated and we broke the Sabbath and went to Walmart and picked up two different brands of tests, just in case ;]
WELL!!

Bill was SO SHOCKED when, after the 3 long minutes it takes to process, that it indicated we were indeed PREGNANT!! It was just such a surprise! We were stunned and totally excited. Bill was still just so shocked and taken off guard, his first words to me after seeing the strip was "quick! Drink more water! Take the other test to double check!" So I did and it too said the same thing. "We're having a BABY, baby!!"

Can you see the shock and excitement in our faces? :]

So after much searching, we found a good doctor and had our fist appointment. We heard the heartbeat!! and got to see our little blueberry-sized being! It was so incredible! Her little heartbeat was so fast and wow, she was alive! This adorable little creature living inside me!

Then on October 20, 2008, we had our special ultra sound!! She was so posy in there! The ultrasound tech was laughing and was so impressed cause every time she would tell us something like, "ok, now I'll move this to take a look at the liver (or heart, or spine, whatever)" it's like the baby could hear her and would turn herself in just the right position! It was pretty impressive. Smart baby ;] I just think she is the most adorable thing on the face of this planet and she still just looks like a little alien baby! ;] it is so much fun!!

Isn't she cute?? :]

And while we were watching her in there, she put her little fist up and raised one finger...not that finger ;] but she flashed us a #1 sign! She's #1 and she knows it! And I guess she just wanted to let us know she knows ;]

So there you have it. I have been trying forever to get this posted! :]
We are having a little girl...so that luckily eliminated 50% of the name possibilities, and because I am so horribly indecisive, that really helps to not have to pick out a boys AND girls name just in case. But still, as far as names go we have NO idea.
I CAN FEEL HER KICKING!!! OH I LOVE IT!!
it is so funny though, she kicks all the time! she is an active little tike, but Bill has only felt it like two times! I am convinced that she can sense Bill or when she hears his voice it soothes her and she stops cause so many times she'll be kicking like crazy but as soon as I put Bill's hand on my tummy she fall totally still and silent! It's like clockwork!

This is me at about 19 weeks. There is a little bump!

I am a lot bigger now and it is getting really hard to hide it when I am on stage singing with the band! :]

Oh and I got so excited upon hearing I was pregnant, that I painted a mural in our new baby room. Bill thought it would be so awesome to do something classic like Mario Brothers! We painted it before we found out if we were having a girl or boy, but I figured, hey, there is still a princess on the wall, so if it is a girl, I'm sure she'll be fine with it! ;] I painted the background and then printed off the characters on repositionable stickers so that I can move them around to switch up the scene when I feel like it! :]

Quick look at the Wedding 2006

2008-10-28T14:02:00.000-07:00

Bill and I recently celebrated our 2 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!! Wow does time fly! And since we have so much fun it flies even faster I am convinced :]

Here is a glimpse into our wedding day, October 7, 2006

Everyone!

The Vreeken side

The Strobehn side

My girlfriends helped me put the finishing touches on my homemade wedding cake!

The Honeymoon Condensed Version

2008-10-28T12:28:00.001-07:00

Well, I know this is all catch up info, so I will try and keep this brief. Our honeymoon story is pretty funny though so ask me more details if you will :]

Bill's parents sent us to Hawaii, Oahu, for our honeymoon!!

It was so amazing! So breathtakingly beautiful AND also really fun because we got to use our Japanese! And eat Japanese food too! (the waitress at this restaurant, though, kept eye-flirting with Bill and I didn't like that all that much, but Bill didn't notice cause he was too into me, so that I did like very much!) ;]

We took in the sites in our week long visit

The Swap Meet

Pearl Harbor,

the native wildlife

Hanauma Bay where we went snorkeling hand in hand! SO awesome!

We took a helicoper ride all around the island!!
There is where "Lost" and other movies have been filmed

Looks like you can see King Kong's shadow!

Here is the Dole pineapple plantation from the sky

Pearl Harbor and the "Black Tears" of the brave men who died in the Arizona

This is BOB our helicoper pilot

Driving in Hawaii is crazy! If you get off the highway there isn't always a place right there to get back on! So we got lost quite a few times!

We planted a pineapple at the Dole plantation. Free labor...

...but then we ate all the pineapple they used in this pineapple cutting demo so I guess we'll call it even ;]

We got lost in the pineapple maze.

We went swimming at this bay who's name I can't spell, and I had never swum in the ocean before so I was very ignorant about waves and their power!

I got sucked into a rolling wave and washed down the beach, rolling over and under the gripping waves!! sand and water everywhere! I couldn't get out! I didn't know which way was up! The waves kept sucking me under water!! Bill rushed into the fray and pulled me out! He saved my life! My hero!!!

That was also Bill's birthday!

We went to the Temple with Miyuki and Justin.

And went to the PCC.

THEN, on our last morning, the day we were supposed to check out of our hotel, there was an earthquake!!

The earth must have still been shaking when we took this picture!
The power was out and we didn't know what to do. Our cell phones didn't work either! All we knew what that we were supposed to check out of our hotel room at 11 am! so we locked our key in our room and went to the elevators with all our bags just as they stopped working and all the electricity went out!! We had a picnic in pitch blackness by the elevator doors, hoping that the power would come back on and we didn't have to use the stairs!

But to no avail. We had to lug all our luggage down 22 flights of stairs with only the light from our cell phones to guide us!! Since no restaurants were open due to lack of electricity, and since no one knew how long it would take, hours or maybe even days, till the electricity came back on, we waiting in a line for 45 minutes just to get basic food supplies from the ABC store!

We finally found a pay phone and got in touch with our friends the Sonomuras who graciously let us stay with them. We called the airport and found that our flight had been canceled and we wouldn't be able to get out for another week!! The Sonomuras let us stay with them for the next two nights :] They are amazing!

So with our extra week we stayed with locals and got more of the local experience as opposed to our first week as tourists.

We found an awesome Japanese temple

We hung out with Metta!! And stayed a night at her family's house

We swam at local hot spot beaches

Ate where the locals ate

Stayed with friends we didn't even know we had

Until our flight came and we flew back the Vegas, met his parents who'd brought our car to the airport so we could drive directly to Kanab where we made it to my own bridal shower only 40 minutes late!

And that, my friends, is the CONDENSED version of Bill's and my honeymoon! :]

The beginning

2008-10-28T11:20:00.000-07:00

Well, I am so new to this blogging and frankly I suck at it. So in an attempt to practice and hone my blogging skills I am going to just start at Bill's and my humble begginnings.

When Bill first met me, in May 2006, I had dark brown hair! This was the first time I had ever had the guts to dye it dark. And everyone told me not to but I didn't really care. It was fun to try the brunette experience.

Bill honestly prefers blonds, so he couldn't understand why he was so drawn to this really tall, returned missionary, brunette!! (All things that didn't usually appeal to him).

I kept my blondness a secret.

I had just moved into a new ward and apartment complex so no one knew I was actually a natural blond. It was really funny. People do treat you a little differently. BUT I must dispell the myth that Blonds have more fun and get more attention because that is not necessarily true. But blonds and brunettes do get different kinds of attention. That's all :]

His roommates (Nick, Ben, and Devin) and my roommate, (Kimberly) unbeknownst to Bill and I, had already met and become friends,

so after Bill and I met at ward prayer and found out that we'd served in the exact same mission, (tokyo north) and even in one of the same areas, (koiwa) it was easy to hang out all together and have a blast!

Actually it became unavoidable, and kimberly and I were over at apt 203 everyday! (not that I REALLY WANTED to avoid it, I just tried to PRETEND like I did cause Bill was too short for me and I wasn't supposed to like him like I was finding myself liking him!!) Inevitably Bill and I would find ourselves at in our own conversation in the mist of our friends. I couldn't get enough of this guy!!

I'd try and space out my time between him and his roommates,

but it was a hopeless case.

I just wanted to be by Bill!!

It was driving Kimberly nuts that Bill and I wouldn't "define our relationship," but we both knew what we felt but also knew that we were both graduating and leaving Provo in just a few months so really, what could happen in three months? ;]
Regardless of our unspoken status, Bill did well to "court" me as Brother Baird would say.
He left me presents at my window when I came home from school.

He sent me the most exquisite bouquet of flowers, not just any flowers, calo lillies (my favoite!!) and roses! AND not just any type of delivery, IN A BOX!!! I don't know where I picked up the notion the getting flowers in a box was romantic, but ever since I can remember I have longed for someone to send me flowers in a box! This guy was beyond a dream come true!! (I also had never been to a live concert and really wanted to go, and Bill also fulfilled that wish at a later date. Since I'd had lots of boyfriends but none had fulfilled these simple desires, I was secretly convinced that the one who finally would be inovative enough to do so would be the one I would fall deepest in love with and marry!)

Then in July, everyone was supposed to go visit Vegas for Kimberly's 21st birthday and we were gonna stay with Bill's family. Well, last minute everyone bailed out! But Bill and I still wanted to go so...I met Bill's family!

And there, by the brillient fountains of the Bellagio, Bill and I exchanged "I love you"s for the first time.

In August Bill's roommates helped him propose and after making him wait what felt like an eternity, I said yes!!

We graduated a few weeks later, and moved our life to Las Vegas! My life is perfect :]

Disneyland

2008-06-29T23:21:00.001-07:00

Yay for disneyland!

Awh! My pirate! I love him!

We would have more pictures, but my camera died the day we went to Disneyland! Oops! Sara and Brandon met us in the park later that day and they got some good ones for us, so that was nice. It was fun to be there with them. Also, Disneyland is one of Bill's family traditions. And they always have a Churro, and a Cinnamon Roll, so we kept tradition. The Churros were fantastic, I think, though, we are gonna switch up the cinnamon roll for ice cream or something I am more fanatic about :]

Mini VACATION!!!

2008-06-29T22:57:00.001-07:00

Bill and I took a quick vacation to California.

We hit IHOP on the way to the beach for some lucious strawberry and banana pancakes! Reminds us of Hawaii!

The beach was beautiful! JUST cold enough, though, for these Vegas-heat-tolerant people to be too scared to get wet. But it was a blast. We used the sprayon sunblock for the first time and I missed spots along my swimsuit bottom lines...that was a very interesting tan! It looked like bruses! I had a small patch on my leg too. Hilarious!

We had an amazing BBQ with Sara, Brandon, and Ella. Thanks for the burgers Brandon! Their backyard is fun and tropical.

Ella is so adarable! She had so much fun playing in the leaves.

Sisters!

Quick Music Update June 2008

2008-06-29T22:45:00.000-07:00

First of all I want to say thank you to DJon for believing in me and getting me connected to other great people. I got a call from DJon's producer, Tommy Marolda, who is the one that got Djon's song in the last Rocky movie. He liked my sound on "Jealous" and wants to work with me on an upcoming project for TV! The last girl he worked with like that, they were able to get like 4 or 5 songs placed in a very popular TV series! CAN YOU SAY EXTATIC?!?!? YeAh, so I am thoroughly stoked! This is like the greatest thing! So keep your fingers crossed and pray hard, cause, you know... :]

Well, as some may know, especially by now, things in the music industry can change on a dime! So, "Jealous" didn't get picked up by a TV show, but it is one Djon's newly released album "401K" so that is still pretty cool to say, that I am on an album.

The Track Kingz said they weren't interested, but then said they'd changed their minds and wanted me to re-record the song in their studios with them...but we never heard back from them again, so they are either taking their sweet time, or changed their minds again and just aren't interested. Whatever!

The Brazos River Band took a hit lately when the other female lead singer, Felice, got a major singing role in a show on the strip 6 nights a week. So she had to quit the band, so we have been working hard with a new girl to try and catch her up to speed so we can take all these prospective gigs. Sucks too cause we missed out on a showroom gig that would have been weekly money until November cause we were short a member and didn't have a replacement yet so we had to turn it down. Oh well, I'm in a band, bands tend to have problems, I guess it just comes with the territory. ;] It'll come. :]

Get "Jealous"

2008-04-17T13:07:00.000-07:00

"Jealous" has really been kind to me. Djon showed the song to some of his other contacts, one is going to pitch it to be in a Fox TV movie! Another contact is The Killers first lawyer, and to hear that he liked my sound on that sound is honestly a pretty sweet feeling! :]
I am still trying to figure out how to post songs online to let you hear it...

Brazos River Band

2008-04-17T10:45:00.000-07:00

Well! My country band, the Brazos River Band, has a gig out in Primm in May! That's cool! And the venue looks pretty sweet too. http://www.primmvalleyresorts.com/enter_whiskeyshowroom.html
I am excited.

Things are really starting to take off.

Chink in the Wall?!

2008-04-16T23:17:00.000-07:00

Well, what do you know, there is a hole in the wall I keep singing to!!

Bill came home today, sat me down on the couch, took both my hands, and with a very serious look in his eyes, said he had news about what the Track Kingz didn't like about my version of "Grown Man." I was pitchy. Not a surprise, there were a few spots I had started to notice too after listening to the song a few more times. I can work with that though...

But he continued: "So they want you to come to their studio and re-record it!"

.....

Wow. yeah, I was a little stunned. I really didn't know what to say or think! Really?! What does this all mean?!

Well, I know enough to know that second chances like this do not happen often if ever at all in this industry, so I will live it up.

I probably won't be recording with them for a week or so, and don't have any solid details yet, but will keep you all posted ;]

I am really excited and feel uniquely blessed. I guess God may build a wall in some places on the path of your life, but will provide some great chinks through which you can view and experience some pretty amazing things. And who knows but this could be the gate onto a different pathway I never dreamed I'd get to travel.

I am glad that I got shot down the first time. Really, I am. It helped me realize that I am ok without this in my life. So whatever happens, and no matter what comes of any of this, I am still going to be just fine. :]

trackkingzinc.blogspot.com/

Singing to the Wall

2008-04-15T13:27:00.000-07:00

Recently I helped my rapper friend Djon with an amazing song he was working on. I helped write the hook (the chorus) and sang that part. He wrote all the verses and rapped them. The music was sent to him by the grammy award winning, quite famous in the rap/r&b industry Track Kingz and it rocked! It's called "Jealous". Well, once we finally got it all finished, we sent the Track Kingz a copy to let them hear what we had done with their beat. They were highly impressed! SO impressed in fact, especially with MY voice, that they asked if they could send me another song for me to sing almost like an audition. If they liked what they heard there too, then they wanted me to go on TOUR with them: ten cities internationally!! UK, Germany, Japan to name a few!! Oh this would be a HUGH break!!

So Djon helped me and did the recording and coached me on singing for this new genre. (I have been singing in a country band for the past year and haven't really sung much r&b/pop.) We worked long hours and it took quite a while since the song they wanted was so intricate and took up 84 tracks in Cubase (the sound recording software program). The song is called "Grown Man".

Well, we finally finished the song, sent it off and waited.

It didn't take too long, a day or two, and Djon got a text from the Track Kingz saying they didn't like it. That's it. Not much more to go on. No real reason, guess they just changed their minds. pity.

Djon says ya gotta have a thick skin and let things like that roll off ya, cause things can change so quickly in this business. He knows. He had 2 or 3 songs placed in the new Rocky movie, but last minute, all were pulled except one, "Get Up." It's a great song! When you see the movie, pay attention for that song. That's my friend Djon!

So anyway, this big opportunity came and went and now here I am singing to a quiet wall, all the hype and illusions of audiences gone.

I will continue to sing and see what other chinks I can find in my wall to sing through and maybe someone on the other side will listen a little more closely. :]