1+1=4, that's how we roll.

I may finally be getting a warm winter this year, thanks to 2 little passengers along for the ride with me:

Twins coming! February 2010
Life is about to change...or as my brother put it, "your life is over".

Questions?
MY FIRST REACTION: "I'm going to be huge."
Yes, I believe this was the first thing I said. When the doctor showed us the ultrasound I thought, oh there's just one. But I could tell he was not telling us something as he showed us the sack, baby, and heartbeat. I thought something was wrong with the baby. Then he showed us a second sack, baby, and heartbeat. I was all like WHAT? Then I saw this third dark circle and exclaimed in horror, "what is that!?". Oh, that's your bladder. Phew. I mean twins, that's exciting. Triplets, that's too much like a kitty litter for me.

BRAD'S FIRST REACTION: "Maybe one of the twins will eat the other like Dwight did in the office."
Yes, Brad now realizes that this wasn't the most appropriate comment. He was more shocked than I was at first and was lacking in the excitement factor. I think he almost fainted. We went home and he had to lay down for a long time. I didn't really help as I began fretting about how expensive twins were going to be, "2 cribs, 2 car seats, 2 high chairs, double strollers, twice the diapers, anytime we see something cool for baby we can't get just one..." Strangely enough he realized we would have the twins for the next March madness and now fantasizes about holding our twins while watching basketball. This idea got him very excited and he has remained so ever since.

MY FAVORITE THING ABOUT PREGNANCY: #1 Its amazing how you suddenly fall in love with something growing inside of you, I don't think this can happen unless you are pregnant. (tumors? parasites? I think not.) I worry about them all the time. I wake up and think, uh-oh I better tell the doctor about that...oh wait that was just a dream. like every morning.  Nothing is more important to me right now that doing everything I can to have 2 healthy babies. I'm just in love with them!
I also like saying "2 for 1!" Which is a shopping analogy, not a sports analogy...got that Brad? :)

BRAD'S FAVORITE THING ABOUT PREGNANCY: I'm kind of making this up, but I think it might be that once in a while I say things like "Let's get fries and shakes!" and want greasy, fattening food that previously didn't tempt me. (I've actually been making an effort to eat more fruits and veggies, I think of it as baby medicine and down it goes.)
I also think Brad has dreamed of teaching his children sports since he was a child.
And he's in love with the babies too.

MY LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT PREGNANCY:
1. Tiredness. I've been pretty lucky so far and haven't had morning sickness, just your average toothbrushing gag. What I can say is that gestating takes a lot of work- I am so tired all the time, no matter how much sleep I get. (Note to self: don't hike Timp 2 months pregnant ever again, even if you are unaware that you are carrying twins...) I just want to sit, which is working out well because for the past month my doctor has asked me to lay around and pretty much do nothing.
2. Fear. (you know, mostly of complications, but also of fat) Literature and family keep telling me to eat more. I love this freedom, yet simultaneously fear the inevitable truth that I am going to be giant marshmallow woman in a matter of months. Twin bellies are just scary huge. I know, I've seen many of them. Yes it's selfish, but it's still scary. Honestly I'm bugged when I'm hungry because I crave stupid foods like mac n' cheese, hot dogs, and soft pretzels. I should just live at a baseball stadium since I can't seem to enjoy the "finer foods" while using my guilt-free ticket to eat more.

BRAD'S LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT PREGNANCY: He hasn't exactly told me this, but I'm certain it's my crazy pregnant lady emotions.

Outerbanks, NC

This month we had a Hagen family reunion in Nags Head, NC:

We visited the Wright brothers museum:

I'd never really done the east-coast beach thing so I had to get used to beaches like this:

After the reunion me and Brad drove down to Ocrecoke and stayed in this cute little B&B:

We ate delicious, fresh seafood and saw cool lighthouses like Cape Hatteras:

This was a little walk to where the famous pirate Blackbeard was captured:

I also loved going to Roanoke Island and seeing "the lost colony"

Good times!

man and wife

We actually have a real anniversary today! The first 6 months of marriage we semi-celebrated each month anniversary. Our first "month" married I got up and made Brad breakfast and told him it was our month anniversary, we went out to dinner and that night and talked to our parents who were all like, "didn't you get married on the 13th?" Apparently I had a lapse in my knowledge of our calender system of days and decided 4 weeks from when we married on a Thursday was one month. (I guess it was from each Thursday saying "oh we're married 1 week, 2 weeks..", and I thought 4 was one month.) Sweet little Brad went right along with it until our parents called us out.  I didn't mess up this time and think our anniversary was like Thanksgiving to be celebrated on the corresponding Thursday yesterday. I guess we're not newly-weds anymore!

In part for our anniversary we spent some time in Outer Banks, NC last week and had fun exploring little islands, but I will save the trip for another post.

This morning Brad got up and made me breakfast, I was very proud of him. Notice the artistic drizzle of syrup? He said he searched all over for vanilla to put in the french toast and settled on almond extract. We watch iron chef and the next food network star, I think it helped him get into the presentation and creativity. :) I layed in bed and tried not to walk in the kitchen to help. It was so fun to start my day off with a yummy breakfast prepared just for me!

I was a little jealous that he got to be the first one to try out the new oven, we just got it set up last night. Check out my prized possession that my parents got me for a graduation gift!

Lets get back to what we're celebrating now. Here's to one fantastic year mi amor!

Anyways, I'm in love and being married is fantastic. The end.

Pioneer day at Timpanogos

For the 24th we went with some of my family to hike Timpanogos. I really like hiking so I was excited! I have hiked up mountains before, but never such a gigantic one. We're talking the Timpooneke trail- over 15 miles total and gaining 5,000 ft in elevation. We made no time records, that's for sure. On the way up we kept a slow and steady pace w/ my nephews: (it only went downhill from there, literally and figuratively.)

After we had gone many miles we got to a point where you could see the tip- it was still high above us and looked impossible to get there. I never thought I'd make it to the top, I just concentrated on whatever hill happened to be in front of me at the time. About 1/2 way through the hike up my thighs were burning. We actually made it all the way and it was incredible! We could see from Draper to the South end of Utah County.

We had passed meadows of wild flowers and gorgeous views.

Although it felt pretty triumphant being on the tip, the idea that we had to go back down began to creep in. What goes up, must come down... How badly we desired a helicopter at this point, but we could think of no one we knew w/ a chopper.

I went through several phases on the way back down. The first couple miles were surprisingly easy and having gravity on our side felt fantastic. Slowly the adrenaline from getting to the top began to wear off and my legs stopped working. Brad continued to take large, fast steps down the hills. I tried to mimic but my legs weren't cooperative, they would only take slow, small steps. I probably did about 5 miles like that and ended up going down slower than we had gone up. We brought 9 water bottles which we thought was plenty, but we drank almost all of them going up. I was sunburned, exhausted, and dehydrated on the way down.

I went way past my physical limit getting to the top and getting all the way back was more than my body could handle. I told myself it was all mental, but my body wouldn't listen. We asked strangers if they had any extra water, they were not obliged to help. Small children walked right by us. I had a couple breakdowns. During one Brad found some snow and I got a couple sips of water, at that point I didn't really care about the possibility getting sick. Brad was fantastic and quite patient with me, I seriously felt like this little day trip stregthened our marriage.
We continued on our way and I knew I couldn't make it. I began mumbling incoherent prayers asking for help because I couldn't go on, or letting me get an injury just bad enough that we had to be rescued. Suddenly this wonderful lady came running by us. (Several people were running and looked like they got up every morning and ran to the top of timp and back, seriously people, who are you?) Brad asked if she had extra water, she said she used a camelback and also brings an extra bottle with her in case anyone needs it. She probably thought we were idiots as she poured us water and looked at my tear-filled eyes, I was dying.

Brad mentioned this was a fitting experience to have on pioneer day, he couldn't be more right. I come from pioneer stock, you know, the kind that travel from Europe and cross the plains blind, the kind that leave their luxurious southern mansions to pull a handcart across the country and live in a log cabin with a dirt floor. I wasn't made to be a pioneer. I guess they probably felt that way too though. I know being a pioneer was way worse than our hike, so they probably hated it way more sometimes, but they kept going.
Unlike the pioneers we went straight to Cafe Rio afterward. I hobbled in, limping, covered in mud and hunched over. I awkwardly walked up to take out and was informed it would be at least 20 min, I said that wouldn't work. He took a second glance at my pathetic appearance and said they could get the food right away.
I'm glad I accomplished the hike, but moral of the story is that I'm a wimp and I don't think I can do something that intense again. Unless of course I am in fantastic shape and it feels like a walk in the park, maybe then.