New High Score

This is one of Akahige's favorite sayings so to put it to good use today I will give you a baby update. I am officially past the half way mark. This is big for us since our last pregnancy ended at 18 weeks. I have until the end of the month and if everything stays good then I am cleared for monthly appointments until 30 weeks.
Yesterday was my 20 week appointment. The baby, to be known as Akachan from now on, is measuring slightly larger then normal but that is to be expected with us as its parents. It is also continuing with its stubborn streak. If this continues we will have a surprise. We have our big ultrasound on the 31st. We will see if this streak holds true.
I am starting to feel like a blimp moving around and my work has become a little more difficult. I am experiencing some major sciatica. The Dr suggested a support band and it seems to help relieve some of the pain. Many people ask why I don't just getg massages and to be honest because they hurt. I haven't been able to take a muscle relaxer for months and it will be a years before I can take them again. This being said with all the hormones and things relaxing I experience some intense spasms. In the last 5 months I have only had one massage that hasn't increased the spams. This is not normal at all. This is just me being special as always. I still try massages in hopes that it will change from week to week. So far it is a no go. Below is my belly to date. I have put on 6 pounds which is more then wanted but hopefully the max that I will see. My blood pressure is still running high even with the meds.



We have the upstairs bedrooms framed and waiting drywall. We are in need of a easy place to store the things in those rooms so the drywall can be hung. This may be a few months down the road.

The yard is coming together. The trees all seem to be showing signs of life, which means they lasted the winter. My bulbs have mostly come up. There are a few that were duds and it helped me narrow down the catalogs in which to purchase from. Brecks is a winner on everything that I planted last fall. The deer seem to think so as well after they ate half of my tulips. We are looking at doing a small veg garden and getting a couple more trees in this spring. Though time is running out. We also hope to run a drip system to the far corner to feed these new endeavors.



Our first cleanup weekend went great. We manages to almost clear out the larger of the three thickets. Though it was the easiest to access, which means the easiest for hoodlum children to start fire too. We also managed to do the pre prep on the area for the garden and trees. Now just have to find a few hundred bucks to buy trees with. Normally we would wait but our neighbor planted some cottonwoods on the property line and we want to hide their horribleness asap.

The fun times of our lives.

Track day adventure

Last Saturday, I took part in the Utah Sport Bike Association’s Sport Touring Advanced Rider Training (ST-ART) at Miller Motorsports Park (West Course). It was a paradigm-changing experience. I have been a licensed motorcycle rider for around 15 years, and I thought I had learned a lot about riding. That turns out to only be partially true.

The class had only 5 students. It was probably due to the lingering cold, damp weather, but that meant that we would have a chance to get more individual coaching from the three instructors. They spent a little time becoming acquainted with us, our riding background, and goals. We learned the proper etiquette for entering and exiting the track and discussed the basic techniques for riding around corners. We were scheduled to ride for 20 minutes each hour, taking turns with 2 other groups who were associated with a different, more racing-oriented organization.

Our first time out on the track was a slow parade lap (speed limit: 45) to familiarize us with the layout. Then we followed the instructors at a gradually increasing pace, working on the techniques we had discussed. After our 20 minutes were up (in about 4 laps), we returned to the garage and discussed the session. This became the pattern as we continued to go out for 20 minutes at a time at 20 to the hour until lunch time.

It became apparent that I was a bit faster than some, so one of the instructors pulled me and another student aside, giving the rest of the group some space. He told me to “ride your own pace” and followed me onto the track. I felt like I was really moving and getting a flow going. Until turn 7. They call it “Demon”. The track goes just a little uphill and then down, just enough to slightly obscure the road surface from view. At the slightly higher pace, it was unexpected and a bit frightening to have the pavement disappear, even momentarily, while I was looking for my line. I stayed safe, but I admit that I panicked a little bit. On the next lap, the instructor took the lead. It helped me get back some confidence by following his lines around the track. Then, he had me lead again, and I was a bit more steady and comfortable. During the coaching session after that, the instructor told me that I was too stiff at the controls. This advice is not unfamiliar to me since I have similar tension problems in my martial art training as well.

After lunch, they told us that we would now be allowed to pass each other on the front straight. That would allow us to practice at a pace that we found to be personally comfortable. I received some very good feedback about my body positioning after the 5^th session of the day.

In the last two sessions, my confidence really came up. The body positioning really helped me with the tension problem. I relaxed. I was loose (comparatively, I’m still no pro). Without making speed my goal, without trying to go fast, I was lapping far more quickly than when I started. I was riding through the turns at speeds that would have frightened me on my first lap. I was leaning over farther than ever. I also conquered the Demon. I found a way to enter the corner with confidence and ride through steadily (at a noticeably higher speed than when I panicked earlier). I lost count, but I think I had 8 or 9 laps in the final 20-minute session. It felt fantastic to have such harmony with the motorcycle. I can hardly wait to go do it again.

And lest you think that I have become cocky and prideful… The riders in the other two groups, the racing-oriented riders; I’m still not ready to share the track with them. I’ll be humbly returning to the novice class to continue to hone my meager skills.

Crazy May Days

We are gearing up for the warmer weather but need some help.
Weather permitting this May 7th, May 21st, and May 28th we are inviting everyone over to help us on a few projects. Food will be present and fun hopefully had by all.
The two major tasks we need you for are:
1-Clearing weeds and the thickets, then burning the gathered stuff in a controlled way. (Joseph says bonfire-we will see)
Items needed- gloves, rakes, chainsaw, shovel, weed whacker, and
handsaw
2-Gathering more cobbles. Kim estimates we need at least 6 more wheel barrows to fill the remaining areas properly. (Creating little shifting in rocks so people don't fall or twist ankles)
Items needed- gloves, buckets, hand shovels, and wheelbarrows

By accomplishing these two tasks this year we are hoping to be able to reduce noxious weeds from spreading. Reduce likely hood of brush fires. have a new home for a vegetable garden, and plant some nice flowers, shrubs, and fruit trees on the lower property.

True Joseph could do a lot of this with Kim helping a little. But we would like to have vegetables growing before October sets in.

We set aside that many Saturdays in May to give us time to work with the crazy Utah weather. We are not expecting help on all of those days. But in order to plan food needs Kim needs to have an idea on how many will plan on being present.

Thanks everyone for continually helping us with our massive projects.

FAQ part 2

I have been informed that I missed a few questions. So here goes round two:

Q: How far along are you?
A: Well, because you will be reading this at different stages in my pregnancy, I can't really give a solid answer. Instead, in the upper right corner you will now see a ticker that will tell you exactly what week I am in.

Q: How are you feeling?
A: CRANKY, extremely irritable, sore, tired, and most of all, I just want to be left alone. I have not been nearly as sick this time, meaning that I have only lost my cookies 3 times instead of not being able to keep anything down. I am extremely sore all over because I have had to stop taking the medication that helped me with the muscle spasms.

Q:How will this effect your work?
A: Well right now I am working 4 clients 5 days a week. This is a full time load for an LMT. I am trying to work down to 3 clients 5 days a week, but that is hard since I have had a full load for months. I need to do this for the integrity of my work and for the safety of the baby. I can't carry loads like I used to with out causing pain.

Q:Have you had any cravings?
A: BBQ sauce, anything that is spicy, vinegar, and sweet for the win. Dairy and meat are out; unless consumed in minimal amounts these makes me sick. (Sorry, no pickles and ice cream here.) Fresh melon and cucumbers have also been a favorite. Grandma H's cottage cheese dip has been yummy. Potato chips, fries, and fresh bread are divine. Pinapple BBQ hamburgers, Subway Italian BMT's and Arby's regular roast beef sandwiches have been on my fast food list. (mostly comes down to vinegar flavors I suppose)

Q: Have you put on any weight?
A:This is actually a big concern for all parties involved. I have been losing weight over the last 9 months. I was down 15 lbs from my peak. I have been using SparkPeople to count calorie consumption and calorie expenditure. My doctor wants me to try and pull through these 9 months with no weight gain. I also think this is best for me and the baby. Thankfully, Spark has a sister site that tells me how many calories to take in during the pregnancy to be safe for baby and still accomplish this goal. It also gives me great exercises to help strengthen parts of me for this adventure.

Q: May I touch your belly?
A: Unless you are the one who helped put this kid in me or the one who will help take this kid out of me, you may NOT touch my belly! In fact, I would feel a lot more at ease if you didn't touch me at all. Yes, this means no hugs, by anyone! Sorry, but refer to the previous question. I am extremely cranky and do not want to be touched. We get that you are excited for us, but seriously, give me some space.

Q: Why haven't you accepted our offers to help?
A: Well, thankfully, if this is the case, it means that Akahige and I are doing well enough on our own. If you don't realize we are independent by now, then you need to go back and reread all of the previous posts on this blog. Know that this is not a reflection of our feelings or relationship with you. It is just how we do things.
Please don't become offended if we don't call on you for help. If you do become offended, then please get over it before contacting us. :-P

Q: Why do you refer to yourselves by funky nicknames?
A: For privacy. Still trying to come up with a new one for baby.

On a side note. My flowers are really looking nice! Especially since all of the horrible weeds are gone. There will be pictures to follow.

Let me know if you have any other questions either via these comments or Facebook.

Answering FAQ

Close up of the baby's face

So for those on Facebook and any others that we had to call or text: yes, we are having a baby, yes for real, not April Fools. And to avoid a thousand calls with a thousand questions that just frustrate the snot out of Aoi Tonbo, we are posting answers to the more frequently asked questions on our blog.

Baby FAQ

Q. Are you excited?
A. hmmm... we are cautiously optimistic

Q. What is your due date?
A. Probably September 24, 2011

Q. What is the baby's gender?
A. I don't know. Do you?

Q. Will you be finding out?
A. Yes, at some point it will become obvious.

Q. How long have you known?
A. We found out the weekend of our birthdays.

Q. Why didn't you tell anyone?
A. We did, yesterday, on Facebook.

Q. Why didn't you tell me sooner?
A. We wanted to avoid prying questions, because they cause Aoi Tonbo stress.

Q. Why is stress bad for Aoi Tonbo?
A. Stress may be a factor in her medical condition.

Q. What is her condition?
A. Her cervix dilates prematurely and without warning, causing premature labor and loss of baby.

Q. Isn't there something the doctors can do for that?
A. Yes it is called a cerclage. She is currently on twice monthly visits to observe the situation. So far everything looks fine.

Q. What about bed rest?
A. Don't know yet. We will inform you as soon as we know.

Q. Where will baby sleep?
A. Probably anywhere if it manages to sleep at all.

Q. Is this why you are finishing the attic and not the basement?
A. No.

Q. What can I do to help?
A. Don't cause Aoi Tonbo stress! Please keep phone calls and questions to a minimum. Don't ask for important decisions to be made. Let Aoi Tonbo be. Service is welcome if these guidelines are applied. Things like collecting cobbles, weeding gardens, mowing the yard, etc will always be welcome.


Because of the masses of our families and friends, we will be updating mostly via Facebook and this blog. No one is receiving special treatment. Those we have to call are actually the last to find anything out. We are sorry if this is slightly inconvenient for you, however this reduces Aoi Tonbo's stress levels greatly.

If you have any other questions please ask via comments or facebook.

No longer missing

(these are some of the early bloomers that we are hoping to see in out gardens soon)


Lets be honest, life is crazy. We knew that buying a house would be big; we would be spending a lot of free time now working on said house. We knew that building a house would be bigger. We knew that the yard would take some work, no matter the lot size. And truthfully we love it. We love everything about it. Everything except the never ending cleaning. I can spend a good few hours cleaning and not ten minutes later there will be a mess that I didn't create. It is starting to wear both of us thin, however it is the crap we are having to deal with for now.
All of our hard work this last summer (the reason I didn't post much) is starting to show. We will have nice thick and deeply rooted grass in the front. The sod in the back is taking nicely. The bulbs I planted are starting to poke their little greens up. If it wasn't slushing at this moment I would take pictures to show the blogger world. I was able to open my windows for two days this week and enjoy the fresh air and the smell of spring. Even with snow still on the ground it felt great!
On top of all of this house craziness my work has been abnormally insane. It usually slows drastically come January until May. People want to ski and there are small vacations to take with their children. May is when training begins hardcore for the cyclist and the runners are really gearing up for the big local races. So things pick up in the summer and last until September when kids go back to school and parents are trying to get back into the grove of life. So the fact that I have been booked for 3 weeks out since Christmas has been a huge blessing and just a little exhausting.
The reason I am now able to update this blog is because I have a week off to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Akahige and I have been married for 9 years come Monday. It was been a ride full of adventure, which is exactly what I signed up for. Looks like this year will be no exception. To start it off Akahige turned 31 and I turned 30.
Next Wednesday we will be hosting a Japanese student for a week while they explore Utah and get to learn American culture. *fingers crossed for nice spring weather and blooming flowers* He will be attending some schools here with his group and then on Saturday and Sunday he gets free time with us. We have some ideas for Saturday that we will run past him once he arrives. On Sunday we are hoping to take him for a drive up to the valley and then to a family gathering on my side. Poor kid wont know what hit him. We requested dutch oven cooking and I am going to bring a strawberry cake from Cold Stone.
This summer we will be using our tractor to move dirt from up the hill to down the hill, hopefully creating a flat ground for fruit trees and clover fields to be planted come autumn. We are both anxious to get this under way.
It also looks like we may be finishing the attic bedrooms instead of more work on the basement. There are many factors leading to the decision and things could change once more but that is where we are leaning currently.
I hope that this March find everyone in good health and enjoying the spurts of green that are starting to show. I know we are. And expect more house building posts to come.

Why and other trandom thoughts.....

This post will be full of random thoughts and rhetorical questions. I have been able to formulate the answers to many of the questions but would like to hear others' thoughts. So, please comment.

• Why is it when people state their opinion on a matter we assume there is something more? some deep dark secret why they feel that way? If we stop trying to evaluate them and really listen to what they are telling us, we will hear their reasoning.
• Why is it when we have a conflict with someone it is easier to involve a third party to discuss said conflict instead of talking directly to the first party? And you end up not discussing anything with the party involved but make false assumptions and end up getting more hurt than if you would have been open and up-front in the beginning; or causing more hurt to the first party...
• When others don't think, behave, or conform to what we consider "normal" or "acceptable" behavior, why do we feel obligated to find out what is "wrong" with them instead of what is right? Why do we desire to label them "handicapped", "ADHD", "Autistic", etc? (I am not saying that these conditions don't apply in some situations, but leave it to the professionals) I am familiar with high-intelligence individuals; People who can recall a great deal of information and solve problems far beyond my grasp. We used to call them "geniuses", but now we need some medical label for them because they are too smart. They don't conform and blend in. We often don't grasp their idiosyncrasies, well here is news for us "normal" thinkers: They don't get us either. Fortunately, these wonderful brains aren't seeking for labels for us. There are many times I have to talk things over with my husband and inform him, "that is not how 'normal' people see it." Not once has he called a "normal" stupid, idiot, or dumb, Yet we "normals" want labels for others who think on a higher level. GRRRR!!! Before calling one handicapped, pick up a mirror! Or maybe, here's a better idea, stop thinking the world is centered on you and realize just because the person isn't solving their issues the way you would there isn't something "wrong" with them.
  
• When we have the true gospel of Jesus Christ on the earth, how can we justify removing others' agency as acceptable? (Especially when that person is a capable, intelligent, functioning adult) Even denying a child their right to choice is not acceptable in the gospel plan. Everyone is different. We will make our mistakes; we will learn; we will grow. Forcing conformity upon other people is going to end in heartbreak, and possibly push people away from the gospel. Can you blame them? When your religion preaches agency and you deny agency, who would want to be a part of that? Now, Akahige and I both have strong testimonies of the truthfulness of the gospel. We just strongly disagree with certain traditions which choke budding testimonies.
• Why do we seek for offense when none was meant?
  

Now enough of questions. On to random thoughts....

Our yard is slowly progressing. We have some flowers growing, and we found some Japanese maple tree saplings at my brothers house. *fingers crossed* We really hope they take. The ferns are looking a little sad, but hopefully they will come back strong. We also ordered some clover seeds to help us with weed control in our meadow. We would rather have that growing instead of dyers woad and thistles. Our trees are all cotton. We were hoping for one variety to be cotton-less but both are combusting in full fluff right now. So, we are back to the drawing board on what trees we want where and to replace what. The maples are definitely a huge step towards what we want my office entrance to look like.

3 months until my youngest bro puts in his papers.

Older sister had #7 named him Stephan, pronounced SteVen and not like the Bible name SteFan. Since Older Sister has been insisting on Bible names, this is an incongruity that Akahige has found amusing. His bro just welcomed in #3, Owen, in May as well. Family keeps growing with adorable babies.

I have a second sibling now living in our basement. No additional EVIL pet this time.

Said evil pet is still chewing on walls if not tethered.