Our New Obsession

Millie Layne McAdams

Here are some more photos of our cutie. She just gets cuter every day! Thanks so much to everyone for all the support and comments! Also thanks for the good advice- there were some great "words of wisdom" that totally helped. Someone told me that C-sections felt like an Elephant standing on your stomach- it was so true! I would have laughed had I not been so overwhelmed! AND thanks to my mom and sister who have been doing pretty much all the work around here :) We LOVE having Millie ! I'm so excited!!!

Millie is finally here!

Born October 24, 2008 at 9:17am, 7lbs 4 oz.
Here's some pictures...more info and pictures coming soon ha

Busy Week

This has been/will be a way crazy week! As if having a baby isn't enough to fill up a week, we decited to buy a house too! We closed on our first house yesterday! It felt like the time was never going to come. There seems to be alot of stuff that goes into buying a house, it of course turned out to be a little more drama than we were expecting (as many things do.) BUT- we're so excited to have our OWN house! I'm also way gratefull for my little sis. (Tracy) and my Mom b/c they will get to do pretty much all the cleaning and moving :)

p.s. Even though buying a house is exciting, tomorrow will be way better and MORE exciting! thanks to all of you who left me some good advice and comforting words about c sections! I'll test out all the tips tomorrow. Stay tuned for pictures of Millie!!!

Pumpkin Patch

I LOVE the fall, and untill the past couple days it hasn't really felt like fall b/c it's been so stinkin' hot! I love most things about fall, I love the weather, I love halloween, I love the "magical feel" and I have a strange love of pumpkins and gourds! Just looking at them makes my day better! Yesterday we went out to the "Priddy Farms" pumpkin patch and picked out some pumpkins for a pumpkin carving night at our friends house. I just couldn't get enough of the Pumpkins! I might be crazy but I love the sound of a pumpkin when you tap it, I love the bright orange color, I love the twisted stems, I love how pumpkins smell when you carve them, I love the feel of the seeds as you are scooping them out!

Trip to The White House

All the Beijing Olympians were invited to a tour/presentation at the White House. Josh got to go and spend 2 days in D.C. They spent a day at the white house where President Bush addressed them all (basically saying nice job, thanks for representing our country) and they also got a grand tour of the White House! Josh and his group spent most of their time looking for secret passage ways. It's been really cool that Josh has gotten so many great experiences from his hard work and talents!

Josh did not get to talk to or "touch" President Bush this time, but he did get to at the olympics.

Josh also got a chance to address the congregation... ha ha, not really.

I have a friend who moved out here about a month b/f us. She has titled her blog "Living the Memphis Dream (that means not getting shot)" so, this became reality for us as we pulled in from church on sunday only to see 3 cop cars parked- one in front of our house and 2 just across the street. The house directly across from ours had 2 cops in the front yard, one with his gun drawn and aimed. We were like "ahh! lets not get shot" part of me was surprised to see this, but most of me was just surprised I hadn't seen it sooner.

Of course we didn't want to get caught in the cross fire of what ever was going on so we went inside and spied on the situation from the window. Eventually a cop came out from inside the house and motioned the other 2 cops to come inside. Then we went and made dinner and an hour or so later realized there were like 5 cop cars and 8 police. As is customary here, the neighbors had pulled out their lawn chairs and set them up on their drive way and were just watching. So, we asked them what the deal was. Apparently a 15 yr. old broke into the house 2 houses down. Stole some stuff like lap top, and was trying to get into his guns (thanks you neighbor for locking up your guns!!!) Alarm went off so he broke into the house across from us (which is vacant b/c the "known drug dealers" moved out a couple weeks ago) and hid in there. Police found him in the closet with stolen goods. See... not as bad as it looked. why do you need 8 cops for that?

Pregnant Post

Sorry to make a pregnant post, but my sisters have been asking how big I am. So, here you have it. This is me at 37 weeks and 3 days :) Millie will be comming on October 24! less than 2 weeks! Despite Josh's coaxing and other techniques (ice packs on millies head- we read about it on the internet... sad huh?) she does not want to flip! she is still breach, hence the earlier Oct. 24 date for a C-section. I'm actually pretty scared about that, so if anyone has any advice or comforting words about C-sections I'd love to hear them.

This is my new favorite candy... if you haven't tried it, it's delicious. NOT! One of the worst pregnancy maladies I've had is "heart burn" or "acid reflux" (Josh says I should call it acid reflux b/c it doesn't sound as much like a grandma) I wake up almost every night at 2:30 am and get to munch on one of these. blah. Really, being pregnant is just like being old (weight gain, discomfort, heart burn, tiredness, loss of breath, sore back...)

YUM

We watched conference, over the internet, with some LDS friends down the street. We were sad that we were so far away from it all! I've been missing Utah at this time of year... I love Utah in the fall- and the feel of everything around General Conf. time! Everyone is excited to plan their girls nights out or their dinners b/f preisthood session, or what treats they will make and eat during the sessions. We did do a fun girls night during preisthood session, which cheered me up a bit. A bunch of the LDS Southern College 1st year students wives went downtown to this delicous cheesecake place!

We shared 4 pieces between the 6 of us, and could barely finish them... we got white chocolate raspberry, chocolate raspberry, maple pecan, and my personal fav. Chocolate coconut almond! If you come visit, you will want to try their cheesecake. $7 /slice, but so good.

I appreciated this sign

Though my mother is probabally so embarassed and apauled by this picture... but we appreciated the sign so much that we took it's advice :)

Grandma Sycamores Homemaid Bread

Perhaps there are some of you who feel the same as I do? I can't live with out this!

A month ago when we went back to Provo I got 4 loaves and smuggled them back here. We've been alternating between grose loaves and Granny Bread! Nothing can compare with this delicous cuisine... please Leland Sycamore, sell your bread here!

Race Day

Last Saturday Josh ran an 8k race at Shelby Farms. It was with several local/semi-local colleges. He's been training once and a while with Rhodes college down town. He, of course, won. Nice job Josh!

THEN, a few hours later there was a 5k sponsored by Southern College. We BOTH ran that. Josh, again, won and set a new course record. wa-hoo! I was finishing about 1.3 miles and he had finished the race :( BUT- I won my division... the 8 month pregnant devision (which I made up myself to make myself feel better about the experience) I found my competition to be a little bit different than the usual. I really wanted to beat Josh's 65 year old, non-runner, professor. I just couldn't compete with his mean kick and he beat me by 20 seconds... ha ha. I really have to say though, I was a little bit proud of myself for "running" my 35 min. 5k

just pretend I don't look way scary!

To Satisfy 2 Tags... and show you that I have issues

I was tagged by Erin and Bonnie (Erin's said tell 6 quirks about yourself, and part of Bonnies was 4 random things) This should be both quirky and random enough. I even have photo evidences for you to enjoy.

1. I firmly believe in the 10 second rule. I am VERY paranoid about meat germs, but not other germs for some reason. Below is me scooping up my spilled jamba juice from the floor (this was in H.S. I'm not quite this disgusting now).

2. One of my favorite jobs was in H.S. working at "Tube Rental" at Seven Peaks. Before the park opened for the season we had to patch & scrub all the inner tubes- they had bird poo on them from the off season. It was disgusting but fun!

3. I had a serious thing for bald guys, red-heads, and freckles (this guy satisfied all 3 of those!)

4. I enjoy dressing up like a mental and embarassing myself? wow- I should be REALLY embarassed to post these photos!

me during my last year of college. I dressed up like a hunch back with a broom and with a nylon over my face and ran around differnt apartment buildings like Gollum.

I went up to Campus (USU) like this one day and jumped off the High Dive? (spandex, long blue and white striped sox)

I wore this outfit to school (BYU) one valentines day.

5. I'm obsessed with Budgeting (Sorry to Josh for this one, I'm sure it's annoying to have to live with!)

6. I LOVE taco bell mild sauce. I will even eat it plain!

p.s. sorry for the bad photo quality, I had to scan them in.

Lady of the Lake

No, I am not refering to "The lady of the Lake" from Tennyson's writings ... I am referring to the seemingly normal middle aged woman who has been showing up at one of the lakes at Shelby Farms park at 8:00 am. She stands on the edge of the lake, outstretches her arms toward the lake and sings "Hoy-yaah, Hoy-yaah" up and down the tonal range, at the TOP of her lungs. You can hear her from almost 1/2 mile away. I was very confused when I first hear her, but then it made me laugh for about 20 min. I think she must be summoning her powers?

Vandals of the Night

Each night when the sun goes down these vandals come out of their hiding places and begin their works of destruction, terrorizing all who lay in their path... I'm talking of course about the MOSQUITO'S! They are abundant here in TN. Each night before I go to bed I have to bathe myself in "off" in order to avoid these vandals! I wish I could say that "off" did the trick, but I always end up with bites anyway. Don't ask me how they get in our house, but they do! I find them lurking in strange places like inside the toilet, just and waiting for some un-expecting bum to take a seat and recieve a nice little bite in return!

BYU Football

Even though we live in Memphis, we were able to experience the excitement of one more game day in Cougar Town. I'll admit, I'm not a big fan of football, but as we were watching the BYU/UCLA game on T.V. a couple weeks ago (so many miles away) I found myself missing the hussle and bussle of game days... with the crisp fall air and leaves changing color on the mountain. So, to my excitment, Josh was invited to "Light the Y" before the BYU vs. Wyoming game this last weekend. BYU flew us both out there which was SOOO great of them!!! Josh was also honored at half time along with the other 2 BYU Beijing Olympians (Nick Aranius- Shot put for Sweeden, and so and so, who won a gold medal in Volley ball for the U.S.)

We got to go out of the field before the game started, and watched them warm up, then watched Ty Detmer run the flag out onto the field with the team following behind. And of course we got to be front row joe, as they got very serious about the "Hawka" (sp.) (the poly dance)

We went all out to make the most of this game day. I got a "cougar tail" which is basically 3 maple bars in one, as you can see. I ate most of it by myslef (well, millie helped of course.) We also had to indulge in a game day hot dog! Hot dogs are never as good at home as they are at a sporting event, or camping. (on my right, Josh's bro. Clint. We got extra tickets so we got to enjoy the experience with family)

Millie Moo

On our way out to Memphis we stopped and stayed with cousins in Bartlesville OK. It was really fun to see them. Our cousin Amy gave us the cutest baby gift for Millie! Thanks Amy!

Beal Street

Over the weekend Josh and I experienced a little of down-town Memphis. We went down to Beal street, where they have all the live music and stuff. It was way action packed/exciting. Please come visit so you can see for your self...

Video #1: We ate dinner at this place called Reundevous, a BBQ place. Memphis is supposed to be famous for their BBQ. It was really good, but the atmosphere was even better. The entrance is through this little back alley way, it seems scary, but once you get in it's packed!

Video #2: this doesn't need much explination, but please notice the following:

1. the guy is about 70 yrs. old with a cup of beer and a cigarette hanging out of his mouth

2. his shirt says 100- a nigger is a honey slave

3. old guy was dancing up there to the music, and girl decited to join, they didn't know each other

So Far In the South

So we've made the move to Memphis, and we've been here about 2 weeks. We've just gotten internet so this'll be my fist update on the move. We've had a good time so far. It's definitely the south here. Our house is nice, we're just renting till we find a place of our own. You'd go crazy to find out how much house you can buy with a little money. Tracy and I found a house on line for $2,000. If you put 20% down you'd just pay $14 a month! (forget abou the fact that it's in serioulsy bad shape and in a seriously bad area!)

Our ward is great and we've met a TON of nice people and got some yummy goodies from ward members! We really appreciate the warm welcome we've felt from the Ward, and from Southern College! We even have another S.C.O. /LDS couple about 4 houses down! It's been fun to hang out with them.

TN. is a cool place, but the Weather is certanly NOT cool. It's pretty hot, but it's the humidity that gets ya. I feel like I'm in hawaii. It's really green and there is lots of cool wild life! there are lots of Herons, and turtles, and Armadillos that live out here. I've yet to see a live Armadillo, but you see them dead all over the freeway's. We have this really awesome park near by that we like to run in. It's about 5 miles by 3 miles with lots of different paths and lakes/ponds and there are even some buffalo's there! (inside fences of course)

Shelby Farms Park

I have this thing with mushrooms... and they have some really cool mushrooms here.

This Osprey almost took my head off in the park. (It flew about 4 ft. right over my head and gave me a fright!)

These trees are all over here, these balls are about the size of baseballs. We don't really know what they are but josh calls them Monkey Brains. They had them in Ohio and he and his friends would throw them at each other like snowballs.

Nashville

A couple weeks ago we went up to Nashville for the weekend. (Josh went to College there his freshman year and has alot of friends still up there) It was his friend Kyle's b-day so we went to celebrate and also got to walk around the city for a while. I LOVE Nashville, it's such a nice city.

This is Bellmont University, the school Josh went to. It has a way nice campus. We stopped by and walked around and talked to his old coach. Bellmont is a really small private Catholic (?) university. They have a good Basketball team!

Josh's friends from Nashville. Kyle, Alicia, Micah, Dana, Justin, Victoria, Josh and I after Kyle's birthday dinner.

Downtown Nashville. Lots of Bar's and Live music and cowboy boot shops. ( if you don't drink you may not have a lot of stuff to do in Nashville.)

Us and some of Nashville's own Honky Tonky-ers.

The Orient

Sorry, I'm still posting these pictures from they mysterious Orient... These are some photos of classic China...

The GREAT WALL. I wanted to let my runner girls know that I did indeed take the oportunity to sing "Be A Man" (from mullan) as I was wondering across the great wall. (I'm pretty sure we sang it better than donny osmond, given the circumstances.)

One of the buildings at "The Temple of Heaven"

We had a couple of tours, one night we went to an awesome acrobatics show and then went to a traditional chineese dinner, where we were served the famous "Peking Duck" this was our duck chef. (I hate to say it, but panda express has more enjoyable chineese)
Temple of Heaven

Traditional Dinner, Russ, Cindy, Mom, Tracy, Amy, Me...

Everyone rides around these bikes with their stuff in the cart behind. The roads were Crazy there! Way busy and Crazy Crazy drivers. Really no rules of the road, just finagle your way through traffic, right of way goes to the bigger object (bus vs. taxi, person vs. taxi etc.)

The Asians LOVED tracy. They were constantly asking her to be in photos. She even had a 30(ish) yr. old chubby asian man try to kiss her after he got the photo with her... well, he did kiss her, she was trying to turn her head and get away, but he still got her on the edge of her lips. It was probabally the funniest thing that happened the whole trip!

Fountains at the Summer Palace, they shot water out of their mouth into the mote below.

These dragons and other mystical animals were on the roof tops of important chineese structures (palaces and temples.) These are on a temple in the "Forbidden City" The more animals, more important the building. I think the max amount of amimals is 12.

Statue in the Forbidden City. The Forbidden City was an olden time city, fully enclosed by a 50 or so foot wall. The emporer would live inside with all the acompanying temples and luxuries. they also had the fair, or carnival inside the walls each year.

This is our crew, Including our awesome tour guide Tony (Tony spoke great english. He said he learned english from watching the T.V. show "friends") We are in the large courtyard of the forbidden city. This is where the yearly Carnival would have been held. The building behind us had the throne of the emporer.

Tony took us to a jade factory where we got the run down on this prescious stone. Before the tour none of us really cared much about jade, but after you learn all about it, and the processes that are used you really think that jade is the coolest thing. You feel like you NEED to have something made out of jade. This is what I would have choosen, if I hand the $. they were thousands of dollars.

Summer Palace.
Summer Palace

Of course we had to see the Classic Pandas of China. Very Cute.

Some delicous food the you can eat anytime when in the orient.