Heartbeats and Other Wild Things That Come Along With Pregnancy

Today we are exactly 14.5 weeks. My pooch is protruding out past my belt line and it is a little hard to get used to. I have 2 pair of pre-preggo jeans I can still wear so long as I fasten them with a rubberband, but have started pulling out the maternity hand me downs this week.

Monday we had a great check up and heard our munchkin's heartbeat. It was 150, which is exactly average according to Dr. Knight. Our next appointment isn't until December 4th, and we are scheduled to have the "big" ultrasound. Hopefully baby Ragan will cooperate and spread their legs so we can tell the flavor.:)

This has been such a wild and fun ride so far. I can't begin to imagine what we have in store. I am pretty much over the nausea I had in the 1st trimester, but am now unable to fall asleep at night and wake up absolutely exhausted in the mornings. For a woman who loves her 8 hours and can't currenly recoop with a cup of coffee, this has been a struggle, but worth it in the end, I am positive.

Aspen has slowly lolled into off season, and things are pretty low key at work and home, and we are loving it.

The vacation calender is out and ready to be filled, so let us know if you want to come on a ski vacation to Aspen this winter. We have a guest room with a great view, at least through April.

Until the next adventure...

B,B & Baby

It's Official!

After 3 months of waiting to spill the beans, we are finally sharing the news that we are pregnant. Our official due date is April 23rd, but that really means, sometime in April.

We couldn't be more excited to meet the little one. So far, everything has been textbook, and we are continually praying for more of the same. We have another check up this afternoon.

I will be updating the blog regularly.

Best,

Becca & Bryant

 

After Counting the Sleeps, We Are Down to One!

After planning the big trip for nearly 5 months (which is about 4.5 months longer than Bryant and I usually plan trips), it is finally here. My mom arrived yesterday to watch Trev and Amy's kiddos for the week (bless her heart), while we bake on a beach and play hard for the next 8 days. Tonight we drive to Denver and we fly out tomorrow morning at 7:15.

I have always wanted to go to Hawaii and can't tell you how excited I am that we finally get our chance!

Until our safe return,

B, B, T & A

Let it Snow!

This morning I woke up at 6:00 and went downstairs to let Mali out and feed her breakfast. When I opened the door, I was totally taken off guard by a dusting of snow on our front porch!

Growing up in Bonney Lake, Washington, the first snow always accompanied a huge rush of adrenaline. Irregardless of how little or how much snow fell, my best friend Sarah and I would pull out the sleds and head back to the "sinking spot" on their llama farm and do our best to get a few runs in before our hands and feet froze off. That rush has carried long into my adulthood and it seems that no matter how unexcited I am about the end of summer, the first snow always excites me for the winter, and upcoming ski season.

Enjoy this pictures I took this morning. One is out my front door, the other is of the highlands bowl and the last one is the view from my office looking up at Aspen Mountain.

Many blessing and surprises to you today.

Becca

The view out my front door this morning!

The Highlands Bowl Covered with Snow (white peak in the background)

The View of Aspen Mountain From my Office

Pig Roasting

This weekend we went to Gunnison to send off 2 brothers, Leo and Romo who have both worked for Regan Construction as laborers for nearly 5 years. Leo spent the last year working at Rock House Ranch near Gunnison, while Romo stayed in Aspen working for Bryant and Mark. They will both be going home to Mexico City in about 2 weeks, and they will be missed.

The drive to Gunnison in the summer is much shorter than it is after the snow falls. We were able to go over McClure and Kebbler Passes (Kebbler is a dirt road that is also a cut off to Crested Butte in the summer). The conditions were great and the scenery incredible. The summit of McClure is over 11,000 feet and Kebbler is around 10,000 feet. After about 2 hours of driving, we made it to the ranch. Rock House Ranch is nearly 1000 acres and incredibly beautiful. I absolutely love being back on ranches and this was no exception. The main house was perfectly suited for this property with a huge garden in the back yard and beautiful view of the Gunnison Valley. The owner had several horses on site and immaculate facilities. The highlight of the entire day however, was the pig roast. The ranch hands put a pig in the ground and roasted it overnight. Bryant has been talking about doing this for a long time, and it was fun to actually go through the experience.

The pig was about 130 pounds and oh so tasty. We had pulled pork tacos for dinner and they were wonderful!

Mali also came with us and spent the day playing ranch dog. It was fun to watch her run around playing with other dogs and getting into mischief of one kind or another.

After a long day of hanging out at the ranch and saying goodbye to both Leo and Romo, we drove home in pouring rain and snow at times.

Sunday we helped Trevor and Amy move their family into a beautiful home near Basalt with absolutely breathtaking views of the Rocky Mountains. We are really excited for their adventures ahead.

We only have 3 sleeps until we drive to Denver and head off to Hawaii for a week! I am so excited!

Until the next adventure!

B,B & B

How Great is Our God!

Bryant and I had a really nice weekend around the house. Friday night we went out to dinner in Carbondale with Trevor and Amy, and on the way home, we stopped by their new house to see where they are moving next weekend. It is a really nice area above El Jebel, about 20 minutes down valley from Aspen. They have incredible views and a nice home. We are really excited for them.

Saturday we went into Aspen, had lunch with the owners of the Ski Haus, and Bryant went to the gym. While he was working out, I went to tour the new OB unit at the hospital with my good friend, Emily who is 20 weeks pregnant, and just found out they are having a BOY! Saturday evening I headed to Glenwood solo to go on a much needed Target run. On my way I stopped in to see our good friend, Jackie and meet her sweet little baby, Alexa. She was born 2.5 months early, but is now home after spending quite a bit of time in the hospital in Denver.

Yesterday I went to a baby shower for a friend who is having a little boy and is due mid November. Baby showers always warm my heart, not only because I love being around excited new moms, but because I really appreciate when women gather together to support another woman. If you have read the book, The Red Tent, you will understand what I mean. More often than not, the amazing tradition of woman surrounding each other in support is lost in our hectic and crazy world, which makes me appreciate these experiences more and more.

Sunday afternoon I hiked Smuggler Mine with Mali while Bryant rode his mountain bike on the Smuggler/Hunter Creek Loop and again, stood in awe at the top as I soaked in the incredible view from Independence Pass to Mt. Sopris.

But despite all of that excitement, the highlight of the weekend was church last night. Bryant and I have been intending on trying our Sunday evening service for quite a while, but last night, we finally made it happen. Much to our surprise they were showing a movie that many people have told us we should watch. Pastor Louie Giglio is featured in two movies that piggy back each other. Last night we saw, "Dare to Dream: Indescribable," which is sort of the prequel to "How Great is our God." We were blown away by the message and in absolute awe of how great our God truly is and how small we, and our petty problems truly are. If you haven't seen the movie, I highly recommend it.

Our weekend experience was perfectly culminated this morning as I drove to work over McClain Flats. I looked over at Snowmass and the Rocky Mountain peaks behind it and saw an amazing scene of orange and yellow leaves capped in snow at the peaks. Our God truly is great...and we feel so blessed to live in an area where we get to enjoy the beauty of his greatness on a regular basis.

Love and Blessings,

Becca and Bryant

Union Oyster House Clam Chowder, Modified Everett Style

As promised, you will find the recipe for my mom's clam chowder below. To be fair, she found this recipe at the Union Oyster House while traveling in Boston when I was a kid. She has modified it, and I have modified it further. As I mentioned before, this chowder is worth the effort and perfect for a fall day. Enjoy!

1/4lb salt pork or bacon (I have used both and prefer the bacon)
2 small onions - diced
1c butter
1c flour
1 large (51oz) can of clams
3 8oz jars of clam nectar
20 fresh clams (or however many you prefer)
2 pints half and half
2lbs potatoes, peeled and diced
salt and pepper to taste
dash of Tabasco
dash of worcestershire sauce
dash of Tony's Creole Seasoning

Brown bacon, and onion and cook until glassy. Add butter and heat until melted; add flour a gradually, stirring constantly with a whisk. Do not brown the rue. Add half and half, clams and juice. Stir slowly to avoid lumps. Add potatoes, Tabasco, worcestershire, and Tony's. Simmer until potatoes are soft. Add the fresh clams 10 minutes before serving and cook until they open. Serve with bread or in a bread bowl. Garnish with a dash of Tony's. ENJOY!

*I like to cook my potatoes on the side while prepping everything else so you don't have to simmer the soup as long.

A Few of My Favorite Things...

Fall, family, friends, Aspen, getting great news, a great Sunday sermon, hearty soup made in a slow cooker, the anticipation of snow, ski season and the holidays, hiking through golden yellow aspen trees on a cool fall afternoon...and on and on and on.

This week and weekend brought quintessential fall days to our lives. Over night Aspen went from a warm summer destination to a crisp and gorgeous fall getaway. The leaves changed so quickly this year that it surprised us all, and best of all, the golden leaves seem to be staying around longer than ever too.

Last week I made my mom's famous clam chowder and Bryant and I had Dave and Emily over to help enjoy it. It was so yummy and brought back a rush of memories from my childhood. For the most part, I stuck to the recipe, but changed 2 things: I added 2 more jars of clam nectar and about a tbs of Tony's creole seasoning in addition to the Tabasco sauce called for in the recipe. Because we don't keep many family secrets on the Everett side, I will try to remember to post the recipe for you to try. It is worth every minute of effort you put into it!

This week was pretty slow at work, so I continued my intense studying for my real estate exam. So far, I have passed all quizzes and practice exams on my first try. Everyone I have talked to (who have taken then test in the last 10 years) says it is the hardest exam they have ever taken, so I am a little nervous. My goal is to finish the entire exam process and have my license in hand by the first of the year. Please pray for me and my efforts as test taking has never been a strong point for me.

On Friday night Bryant and I met up with Trev, Amy Jo and the Bridges family at the Basalt homecoming football game to watch Karsyn Jo and her best friend, Gracie Bridges perform with the dance team at half time. With no Aunt B bias, I have to say, Kar Jo was the BEST dancer out there! :) She did a great job, and both mom and Aunt B were so proud of her! Amy Jo and I are both having a hard time getting used to the fact that neither Basalt nor Aspen have cheerleaders, only dance teams. At least their dance programs have a lot of talent. However, I think it takes away from the Friday night football experience.

After the game, we enjoyed a night on the couch with Mali. As Bryant watched college football, I cuddled with Mali and watched the Sex and the City movie on his laptop. I have to say, the movie was so good! Every woman should watch it. Have your girlfriends over for a girls night and laugh and cry together.

Saturday we got a late start getting out of the house, but took the dogs (we were watching Mali's boyfriend, Hudson) to Glenwood Canyon to hike the Hanging Lake trail. I have wanted to do this hike for sometime, but alas, as soon as we had the dogs out and on their leashes, a group drove by and let us know, to our dismay that dogs aren't allowed on the trail. We decided to let them play in the Colorado river for a while, which was a blast for them, and hilarious for us. They are so competitive with each other that they would almost drown the other dog in an effort to get the stick to shore first. They are just like little kids. Because we couldn't hike, we took the dogs to town and did a smaller hike up Smuggler Mine Road. The fall colors were breathtaking, and because we were in Aspen, we had to stop by Paradise Bakery and get icecream too. Yum.

Sunday we went to church and again, met up with the fam. Church was so great. One of our staff pastors spoke (as Steve was out of town) on the vine and branches. No matter how many times you have heard those verses, they are always powerful. Sunday afternoon we hiked to Cathedral lake with the whole family. Bryant gets the Bruncle of the year award as he carried and listened to Khloe Gabby nearly the entire hike. We don't call her Gabby simply because her middle name is Gabriel. That girl can talk. And talk. And talk... The hike is 7 miles round trip and all of the girls and Tait did awesome! I was so proud of them!

The fall colors, again, were amazing! We got to the lake and the guys tried to fish, with no avail. I think the water was too cold for them to move! We passed people coming down as we were hiking up who said they got snowed on at the lake. Brrrrrrrrrrrr. As much as I love the snow and look forward to it every fall, it is also hard to say goodbye to not wearing coats and boots every time you walk outside.

So, that is our weekend in a nutshell. So many of my favorite things. Thanks to those of you who read our stories. We sure love sharing them with you, and would love hear yours too.

For pictures of our exciting weekend adventures, see the photo album links on the upper right hand side of the page.

All the best...and happy harvest season.

Becca, Bryant and Mali Burger

An Amazing Week!

We had an incredible experience in Cabo last week. The resort was like nothing I have seen or experienced. Bryant knows a great couple who bought a house he built last year. They offered their 4 bedroom condo to us for a week at Esperanza Resort. Our good friend's Dave and Emily were able to come as well, which made the condo feel a little less huge. Despite 2 days of a tropical storm (housekeeping had to put sandbags at the base of the door leading out to our deck due to the rain) we had an incredible time. The spa was the best I have ever visited. They have outdoor showers and the treatment I got was amazing. We met a great group from Arkansas and hung out with them at the pool bar several afternoons.

Needless to say, it was hard to come home and get back to work.

I have posted the pictures from my camera on the list to the right, and will put Emily's up as soon as I get them from her.

Buenos Dias!

B,B & B

Esperanaza!? What?!

Over the past few weeks I had a feeling my husband had something up his sleeve for our anniversary. He was acting a little fishy, but I just couldn't put my finger on why.

Yesterday at lunch he started asking me about my schedule next week. I said it was the same as any other, a few appointments, but it isn't too busy.

The he dropped this bomb shell..."Good, because we are going to spend the next week at Esperanza Resort in Los Cabos!" What?! Are you kidding me?

I am truly the most blessed wife on earth. I didn't think he would be able to top last year, but he did it again.

So, tomorrow night we head to Denver with our good friends, David and Emily Garaffa, and we fly out Sunday morning to paradise...

Time.

Today, my youngest niece started kindergarten. It seems like yesterday, it was the summer I was living in San Diego and working at the Sheraton and Khloe was born. So often children wish their youth away, I know I did at times. They can't wait to get out on their own so they can start "doing whatever they want." (quote from Khloe Everett last week) But, then you get to an age when you realize that time goes by faster and faster every year...can you tell I am approaching another birthday?

When I reflect on this last year I can't believe how fast it has gone. Bryant and I are just over a week away from our one year anniversary. This time last year, we were planning all of the last minute wedding details and welcoming family and friends to town.

This year has been an absolute adventure. We went to Italy and Croatia for our honeymoon, road tripped to Washington for Christmas and played hard in Colorado this the rest of the time. I love being married, and I especially love being married to Bryant. I feel so blessed to have met such an amazing man who daily reminds me of how exciting life can be.

So, as I embark on my 27th year, I am grateful for where I am in life right now, for where I have been, and for where Bryant and I will go together...

Crested Butte or Bust 2008!

Bryant and I had an incredible weekend hiking to Crested Butte from Aspen with a group of friends. Despite discouraging weather early Saturday morning, we were blessed with an incredible day. It was absolutely perfect.

We met at 6:00am and drove together to the Maroon Bells trail head, about 20 minutes outside of Aspen. We loaded up our gear and headed out of the parking lot around 7:00am with high hopes, but the weather looked pretty gloomy. About 100 yards out of the parking lot, the lightening was so close, you could feel the electriciy in the air and the thunder rattled into your bones. We decided to wait it out for a little bit. On our way back to the shelter, the hail pounded our heads and backs. We waiting about 20 minutes until we had a window of opportunity and gave it a second chance. By 7:30 we were on our way! About 1/2 mile into the hike the hail started pounding us again, so we took shelter under a big tree. After this storm let up, not a single drop of hail or rain fall the rest of the day. It was really amazing.

We hiked through some of the most incredible country I have ever seen. From Crater Lake to the exposed saddle on top of West Maroon, the views were spectacular. This was by far the most amazing scenery I have even seen on a hike.

The wildflowers deserve their own paragraph. Due to the huge snowpack we had last winter, the ground is still pretty soggy in areas, but the wildflowers are absolutely incredible! We were surrounded by meadows of color almost the entire hike.

Emily Garaffa (who is preggers) offered to pick us up at the trailhead on the Crested Butte side. We made the 45 minute drive into town and found our little Victorian house in town. I found this house on www.vrbo.com, which is my new favorite site for vacation rentals. It was very quaint and only 1 block from downtown Crested Butte.

Sunday we walked around the farmer's market in CB and made the 3 hour trip home.

We had such an incredible weekend. You can enjoy our pictures by clicking on our picture gallery on the right.

Squeaky Clean

I was walking to the post office yesterday and stopped by Bryant's office to say hi to him and Mali. As I walked into the office, Mali came out from under his desk, covered in dirt and filth. We had company coming in from Chicago, so I took her to Barking Beauties, 2 doors down from Bryant's office. These are pictures of how beautiful she looked when she was finished. Squeaky Clean.

Cleaning Up and Cleaning Out...

This weekend wasn't as adventurous as most, although Thursday night I went to see Mama Mia with my good friends Emily and Lindsay. It was such a great movie! I think it is the Grease of our generation.

Friday night Bryant and I stayed in, and on Saturday we woke up and went into Aspen. I walked the farmer's market, while Bryant worked out at the gym. I found the cutest swim suit for our trip to Hawaii in October. I was walking Mali along the Cooper Street Mall and looked in the Helly Hansen window. Mind you, as many women will probably agree, swimsuit shopping can be absolute torture, a reminder of every single frappocino, and scoop of icecream you indulged in and shouldn't have. I spotted this great red bikini with white stitching. I went it and realized it was the last one in the store. I thought for sure it would be a size xxs or xxl since it was so cute. I looked at the tag, and it was my size, however, my scepticism still rose as swimsuit sizing is far from universal. I went into the dressing room with low hopes of it fitting. However, not only did it fit, but it felt like it looked great (I needed a second opinion). I got home and tried it on for BR, and low and behold, he loves it! YIPPY! That was far less painful than I ever imagined!

Saturday evening we went to Trev and Amy's for spaghetti dinner. It is always nice to go down and hang out with my munchkins.

Sunday, we woke up early and Bryant went on a bike ride, and Mali and I went for a run. We went to church and then down to Glenwood for an adventure at Target and the Vitamin Cottage. My eyes have been opened to the world of organic products. My family will probably protest this new finding, but I have been reading a lot about what we blindly put into and onto our bodies. So, if you look in our shower, you will find organic hair products, soaps and lotions. The next step is to get natural/organic makeup and moisturizer. It is a big challenge to rotate through all of our old stuff and replace it with the new, but we are almost there.

I read a great book this weekend, but hesitate to share the title as it could be considered inappropriate or worse, completely misinterpreted...I will give it a shot with an explanation...it is called Skinny Bitch. I know what you are thinking, "why would anyone EVER read a book with that title?" Well, I promise you I have not become a shallow narcissist. A girl at work read it and thought I would enjoy what the authors had to say...and I did. They admit in the book that the title was a mere attempt to sell books, and they did. It is a NYT #1 Bestseller.

It basically explains the function of the body and it's reaction to certain foods. I am not going vegetarian, but I am going to try to lay off dairy for a while...especially since cheese is a major staple in my diet. No cheese or any dairy for 30 days. Yesterday was day 1, and it was pretty easy. Surprisingly the stores around here have amazing alternatives. I will keep you posted on my progress/regress on this adventure. If you have read any of my previous posts, you know my natropathic doctor recommended that I avoid cheese anyway.

I forgot to mention that Bryant and I also cleaned out almost all of the closets in the house. When we moved in, we "cleaned" and "organized" by shoving everything we didn't want to deal with in a closet. So, in an effort to actually settle into our house we cleaned.

We have friends coming in from Chicago today. Big D and Caryn Blanke and their new baby boy, Daniel. We are really looking forward to spending time with them.

Until the next adventure,

B

The Latest

This weekend was such a blast! Friday night after work, Bryant and I went to Lulu Wilson, the restaurant where we had our rehearsal dinner, and enjoyed a wonderful dinner outside with Mali. It was so relaxing to sit out on the side walk and hang out in Aspen for the evening.

Saturday morning we woke up early and hiked the Lost Man Trail near the top of Independence Pass. It is almost 9 miles to do the loop. It was so incredibly beautiful! The upper half of the hike is so much like hiking in the Alps. You are above tree line and surrounded by high alpine meadows. It feels like you should be singing "The Hills are Alive," at the top of your lungs, except for that you are hiking at over 12,000 feet, so merely breathing is a major effort.

Saturday evening we enjoyed a wonderful dinner with Trevor and Amy Jo at a restaurant in Carbondale called 689. We ate outside on the deck under a string of white lights, drank too much wine and talked for about 3 hours.

Sunday we went to church and to breakfast with the Everett's. Bryant and I were worn out, so we took a long nap on the couch. That evening, our dinner group got together at Macky and Andee Morris' house on the Frying Pan River that Regan Construction recently completed. The guys got to go fishing and each of them caught 2 fish! What a spot!

So, we are now back to Monday again. Only four more sleeps until the next adventure begins. Although, living in Aspen, you never really know when the next adventure is around the corner.

I am working on updating some of the features on the blog. And, I still can't find the charger for my camera battery, so I apologize for the lack of photos. I hope to get our camera up and running soon!

Until the Next Adventure,

B, B & MB