Merry Christmas

Hello everyone

We just wanted to let you all know about the best Christmas present ever. On Tuesday, December 23, 2008 at 12:17 am the Bishop Family welcomed our beautiful daughter. Miriam Jeanine Bishop weighed 8 pounds 7 ounces and was 21 1/2 inches long. We love her and are so excited that she is finally here. We hope you all have a wonderful holiday season.

Baby's First Christmas

Bishop Family Christmas 2008

Vanessa, Michael, and Miriam Bishop

40 weeks

I manipulated this post so it was in order. Here is a picture of me right before we left for the hospital. (Sorry it is blurry.)

Even though my water broke I still had to shower, get dressed, do my hair, and put on make-up. Apparently I get this from my mother.

Update on Baby Bishop

Here is a short, hopefully not too detailed, update. As you can see from our little countdown, today is my due date and we don't have a baby yet. I am not too surprised since my mom was overdue with all 8 children. I went to the hospital for a Non-Stress Test this morning. They do these twice a week once you are overdue. Everything looked good today, so no need to induce. I go back to see my doctor on Monday. If still nothing is happening I will go in for another test. If there is no reason to induce me Monday, then my doctor will schedule an induction for Friday. So, unless I go into labor on my own I am planning on being pregnant on Christmas. He said he won't let me go more than a week over my due date.

So... that is it. We just wait. At the latest we will have our little girl here no later than the 26th of December. We are all ready and very excited.

Baby Update, Internship Update, and the Excitement of the Holidays

I know it has been a while since I posted, so I will just give a quick update. I am due in 9 days and I am led to believe our little girl wants every single one of those days in the womb. The doctor thinks so too. So, we will just have to wait. My biggest fear is being in the hospital on Christmas. Right now that is the only thing I can think about. I really don't want that to happen. Michael is planning on being done with finals by next Wednesday, so I am hoping she wants to come between the 17th and 20th. However, I know that I really don't have any say in this. She will come when she is ready. I have finally come to peace with that fact.

Michael and I have accepted an internship with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Washington D.C. next summer. We are very excited for this opportunity. We will be out there from about mid-June to mid-August. If all goes well with the internship we hope a job offer will come at the end of it. Luckily, Michael's parents have offered to let us stay with them. We are glad to have family there to help us out. We hope to do some sight seeing while we have the chance next summer. It should be a lot of fun (and hard work). After this semester Michael only has 1 1/2 years of school left. We are looking forward to what our future holds.

We are done with our Christmas shopping and preparations. I really didn't want to have to think too much about it after Thanksgiving. I put up my holiday decorations a week before Thanksgiving. We have been trying to shop whenever we can. Now I can focus on resting a bit before the baby comes. This is going to be a great Christmas for us. We can't wait to spend some time with all of my family.

37 weeks

Well, we are getting so close I can barely stand it. Here are the pictures of me eight months pregnant. I know, I know... I am getting huge!


We took these pictures right before we went to a wedding reception Tuesday night, so I thought I would post one of both of us.

Getting Ready

We attended a prenatal class at the hospital today. It was a six hour class, but I think it was worth it. They covered everything from pregnancy to labor and delivery to newborn care. Although a lot of the information was not new for me, I do feel like it was a benefit. I really enjoyed the tour of the hospital. Overall, I think it helped ease my mind and feel more prepared.

One of my favorite parts was watching Michael. It was Michael's first time to view the infamous "birth" video. It was a long day to listen to all of this "exciting" information, but he was a great sport and handled it well.

Last Home Game

Well, we have attended the last BYU home game of the season. The weather ended up being perfect. By the end of the game it was about 60 degrees. We have seats that face the sun, so it was bright but the sun also kept us warm. Here is the last picture for this year.

Sixth and final home game.

(November 8, 2008 -- BYU vs. San Diego State)

Utah Weather and Football Games

Isn't it funny how the in last BYU pictures we were bundled up? Now two weeks later we were back to warmer weather... that is Utah weather for you. One more home game so we will have to see what the weather holds.

Fifth home game.

(October 25, 2008 -- BYU vs. UNLV)

Baby Fun

I have been doing a little bit of shopping in preparation for our new arrival. I have been on the lookout for good deals on clothes. We have purchased diapers and wipes. I have now promised Michael that I am done shopping until after the baby shower. Our most recent big purchase was our new stroller/car seat travel system. I asked Michael right away to get it out and put it together. I was too excited. I took the opportunity to take some pictures of Michael's effort. I think they turned out great!

31 weeks

I am definitely on the countdown at this point. I am getting bigger by the day and sleeping is becoming more difficult. Not only can I not get comfortable, but sometimes I wake up with aches and pains. I have my 32 week visit on Monday. I am wondering if they can give me a weight estimate for the baby by then. It would be interesting to know how much bigger I am going to get. OH... I know I will get much bigger... I just wonder how much the baby could weigh. Michael was almost 11 pounds at birth (mostly length) and I was about 7 pounds, so the difference was quite a lot. It will be interesting to see how our children are. I can't wait to meet her.

Another Football Game Picture

I actually ended up leaving the game without taking a picture, so we took one afterward. It was the first cold game. We had to bundle up. Michael said I look like a linebacker with all my layers. We are ready for the next home game this Saturday.

Fourth home game.
(October 11, 2008 -- BYU vs. New Mexico)

Slacker

I didn't really take a good picture for my 6th month. The picture from my last post is the best I've got. I am going to have to count that for the monthly picture because I am so close to month seven. Part of me finds it hard to believe I am already 30 weeks along... but mostly I feel like this pregnancy has lasted forever. We are getting so excited.

This week's game

I have a goal to take a picture at every home game. So, I thought that I would share them each week. This week we decided to stand up so my pregnant belly would show.

Third home game. Another shut-out.
(September 20, 2008 -- BYU vs. Wyoming)

BYU and beyond

It is past due for an update from us. We are finally starting to feel settled from the move. Michael has been busy with internship applications for next summer. He applied to all of the Big Four accounting firms. Our first city choice is Washington D.C. and the second is Sacramento, CA. He has first round interviews the next two weeks... then we will see what happens. The firm he ends up accepting an internship to is most likely where we will end up after graduation. So, this has been a big choice for us. We are excited to see what happens. We will know about the internship by Thanksgiving.

I have finally reached a point of boredom. After resting all summer, I feel much better and want something to do. I decided to start working for Provo City Schools as a substitute teacher. This way I can earn a little extra money and have something to do some days during the week. I liked this option because I have the choice of how much I want to work.

Even though we are looking forward to leave Provo after graduation we are trying to enjoy the last two years of school as much as we can. We got all sports passes and have attended two football games already. It has been hot at the beginning of the season, but we can't complain too much when we are winning!

Here we are at the first home game. We look a little tired because we moved the same day.
(August 30, 2008 -- BYU vs. Northern Iowa)


Here we are at the second home game. We had a great time watching the 59-0 win.
(September 13, 2008 -- BYU vs. UCLA)

Daddy's Little Girl

The other day I came home with this cute little outfit. I put it on Michael's pillow and waited to see his reaction. It is the only thing I have bought for our baby. I am trying to melt Michael's heart. Do you think it is working?

22 weeks

I am now five months along. Sometimes I still can't believe I am pregnant. I look in the mirror and think, "Who is that girl with that growing belly".

Michael and I are so excited to be parents. We look forward to the challenges ahead. Most of all we can't wait to meet our little girl.

Ultrasound Results

We had our ultrasound yesterday. We are very excited. We are having a girl!!! We are so happy to know what we are having. We are excited to start preparing for the baby. We are excited to start shopping and thinking of baby names. A little girl is coming our way.

Baby Poll

I decided to start a poll. People keep saying either, "It's a girl" or "It's a boy". I just want to know what everybody thinks.

UPDATE: The results are in. 14 voted boy and 11 voted girl.

Waiting Patiently (or at least trying)

So, I went to another doctor appointment this week. Everything looks great. I was hoping to be able to find out by the middle of July the gender of our little one. The doctor says to wait until I am 20 weeks. So I have to wait until my next appointment. We will find out on August 4th what our little bundle of joy will be. Now that I am feeling better, I am getting really excited to find out. I am ready to shop and think of names. I guess I don't have a choice so I will patiently wait for the next 3 weeks to go by.

Baby Bump

I am now four months along. My belly is growing more and more each day. Mike says I look more pregnant now, rather than just looking like I have gained weight. I have been feeling much better this past week. Now I am trying to get used to being hungry again. I feel like I need a snack every 2 hours or so. I am excited for the next stage. I can't wait to feel the baby and find out if it is a boy or girl.

Weekend of Weddings

We had the opportunity to go to two weddings this weekend. The first one was on Friday. My dear sister Natalie married Ryan Hendricks in the Bountiful Temple. On Saturday we went to Mike's cousin's wedding in the Salt Lake Temple. Both were beautiful and I took the opportunity to take some pictures of us all dressed up.

Our Big News

We are going to have a baby!! We are so excited and can't wait for our little one to arrive. I am due in December... hopefully the baby comes before Christmas but not during finals.

Trip Pictures

Once again I didn't take as many pictures as I wish I did. We had a great trip. Here are some pictures.

Road Trip from Utah to Virginia

Don't judge me for not wearing make-up on a road trip

Arlington National Cemetery

The changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers

Vacation and Plans for the Future

Well, May has come and almost gone without a single update from us. Here is what is going on:

We are in Ashburn, VA right now visiting with Michael's family. We surprised his Mom and sisters last night and showed up after a 2 1/2 day drive across the country. We will be staying here until Tuesday afternoon to enjoy the Memorial Day weekend with them. We are excited to have a vacation. We will post some pictures from our trip.

Michael got accepted to the MAcc program at BYU. (I have to show him off because he doesn't like to toot his own horn. As you can tell from the lack of Michael posts.) It was pretty competitive this year for the stem he applied to, and I am so proud of him for getting accepted. This means we will be in Provo for two more years. Michael will graduate in April 2010 with a Masters Degree in Accounting.

We are moving next weekend. Then moving again at the end of August, before school starts. Sound crazy? Believe me... it will be worth it. I look forward to settling into our condo in August where we will be for the next two years.

We are alive and well. We are excited for what the future has in store for us. Stayed tuned.

Wedding Pictures

Here are a few of my favorite pictures from the day. It was really cold, but I am happy with how our pictures turned out. ENJOY!

Miracles Can Happen

Everybody brace yourself... ready? Natalie is on her way over right now with our wedding pictures. She went and picked them up for us. She is my hero. After what you all know has been 4 long months of trying to get our pictures... they are finally coming. I am so excited. I will post some very soon.

Our life seems so boring

I go back, read this blog, and wonder what people think. Our lives are so boring... right? My mom once reminded me that life, in general, is pretty boring. We wake up day after day and do the sames things over and over again. Every once in a while something different or exciting happens. These moments are like a breath of fresh air. That is just the way life is.

This semester (when will I stop marking time in semesters?) has been an interesting time for the Bishop family. Being newly married it has mostly been a time of adjustment for the both of us. Michael has been finishing the Junior Accounting Core program at BYU. I have worked at 3 different jobs trying to find something I want to do.

So, you may think that we lead boring lives... but you know what? I bet you do too.

Summer is upon us

Signs summer might just come after all:

1. Michael is in the middle of taking finals this week. Then he will be done until fall (hopefully).
2. The weather is slowly improving. We had 80 degree weather on Monday, a cold spell in the middle of the week, and today it is 70 degrees. There really isn't a Spring season in Utah.
3. I didn't wear a coat today.
4. American Idol is almost over. Only 6 contestants left.
5. So You Think You Can Dance commercials are on TV.
6. We are starting to take evening walks again.
7. Love is in the air.

The wedding pictures nightmare continues...

Let me start by saying I got an email last week from my photographer saying that our pictures and video are done. He said they are ready to be picked up. "Great", I thought. I emailed him to let him know that I couldn't get there during the week and told him I would try to get there Saturday morning. He let me know he would be there until 2:00 pm. Well, plans changed and I couldn't make it before 2:00 pm. I emailed him letting him know I would be busy and asked him if he could just mail the CD's to us. He said he could mail them, but it would be a $25 processing fee plus shipping costs. I am so frustrated. I feel like I am being taken advantage of. I feel like some new fee or process arises every time we are close to getting our pictures back.

I am done dealing with this. Michael said he would take care of it.

endless amounts of cards

We have been married a little over 3 months now. So, for these months I have been trying to finish writing all of our thank you cards. I have made it a goal to finish them this weekend. Right now it seems like the pile is endless. Will we finish? Stay tuned...

PS... no wedding pictures yet.

Still waiting...

We are getting very close to getting our wedding pictures back. Some of them have been posted and we are just waiting to hear from our photographer that they are all uploaded. I am really excited to finally get them back. Our videography should also be done very soon. We will share them with you as soon as we get them back.

Sunday Afternoon Walk

Today the weather was beautiful. After dinner we decided to go for a walk. I brought the camera along because I am always saying how we need to take more pictures. We eventually walked up where we used walk when we first started dating. Up the mountain, by Seven Peaks, there is an old abandoned building. When we were dating we would walk up by it and I would always say how I wanted to purchase it and fix it up. Well, because of all the great times we had up there it became special to us. This is eventually where Michael proposed to me exactly six months ago today. We had never been back to take pictures, so today we had the chance to snap a few shots of the place we got engaged.

Decisions

We are in the midst of making new decisions for our family. I am currently unemployed and in search of a new job. I decided it was time for a change. Michael is applying to the Masters in Accounting program at BYU this month. He has until March 31 to turn in his application. If he gets in we have decided to stay and have him complete the MAcc. We are starting to look ahead to the future. We are excited for what is to come.

Great Cookbook

We have been having a great time trying new recipes every week. We plan our meals on Monday night and grocery shop on Tuesday night for the week. A majority of our recipes have come from a new cookbook called Everyday Food. We have liked almost all the recipes we have tried out of this book. They are perfect recipes for us because most of them are for about 4-6 servings. We haven't wasted any leftovers.

Some of our favorites include:
1. Sauteed Chicken in Mustard-Cream Sauce
2. Flank Steak with Lime Marinade
3. Spicy Black-Bean Cakes
4. Beef and Orange Stir-Fry
5. Garlic Roasted Chicken Breasts
6. Tandoori Chicken with Yogurt Sauce

We think you should all go and get this book and try these recipes. However, I am going to post them on our family recipe blog if you want to try before you buy.

Wedding Pictures

We have been married for a month and a half. We are still waiting on our wedding pictures. I haven't worked with a wedding photographer before, so I am not sure... but is this normal? The only pictures I have to post are the pictures Mike's Mom took. If I weren't for her I wouldn't have any cute pictures to show. Thanks!

I Got Tagged

LOVEY DOVEY

What is your husband’s name?
Michael

How long have you been together?
Dated since May 2007
Married since December 28, 2007

How long did you date?
Started dating in May of 2007
Decided to get married August 28, 2007
Officially engaged September 8, 2007

Who eats more?
I used to think I could keep up with Michael, but lately he out eats me by a ton!

Who said I love you first?
Michael. I freaked out when he first said it. It was very unexpected. However, the next day I calmed down and assured him I loved him back.

Who is taller?
Michael, by over a foot.

Who has more speeding tickets?
We have both had one.

Who is smarter?
I think we are pretty equal in this category. We both get good grades in school.

Who is more sensitive?
Hmm... This is an interesting questions. I think we are equal?

Who does the laundry?
We usually don't have time until Saturday. So we both remind each other to switch it out. We fold and put it away together... cute huh?

Who does the dishes?
Usually I do, but this week Michael has done them almost every night. He always is a huge help around the house. I am a lucky woman!

Who sleeps on the right?
I sleep on the right. I decided I wanted to sleep on that side because it is the same side I prefer to sit by him on.

Who pays the bills?
Being newly married, we are both doing it right now. We are still getting the hang of things.

Who mows the lawn?
We rent. No lawn to mow right now.

Who cooks dinner?
We both cook dinner. We get home at the same time from school and work, so we are starving and work together to get it done.

Who drives when you are together?
Michael always drives. I don't like to drive if I don't have to.

Who is more stubborn?
We are both stubborn... but if I had to pick I would say me.

Who kissed whom first?
Michael kissed me first, but I saw it coming and didn't hold back.

Who asked who out first?
He asked me out first (after some convincing by his roommates).

Who proposed?
Michael proposed. No big story... just a special night with only us. It was perfect.

Who has more siblings?
There are 8 children in my family. Five in Michael's.

I am going to be nice and not tag anyone... but if anyone wants to do this one, feel free.

Will Michael Ever Post?

Mike wasn't excited as I would have hoped to be able to add to our blog. I hope I can talk him into posting soon. At least a short sentence or two? How about it honey? Please!

New Blog

I have decided to create a new blog for our family. I want Michael to be able to contribute. I think it will be fun to have a family blog.

I am keeping my own personal blog for posting random things about me!