My new style

You know you need a new style when your scrubby husband wears more product in his hair than you. It's always really hard for me to get my hair cut when it's so long, but today wasn't so hard, especially when I saw the final product. My friend took a whole 45 minutes to style it, using a few tools and many products (a whole 42 minutes longer than it took me to do my hair on my wedding day). When Arthur saw it he loved it, which only made me cry because I'll never be able to do this on a regular basis. Or any basis for that matter, since the only thing I own is a blow dryer I bought at a garage sale.

We'll see what it looks like after I shower and don't do it, but I'm beginning to seriously think about getting a hair straightener.

I've been indulging

For those of you who don't know, I have a gluten allergy. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley and rye, the components of basically all foods, or at least all good foods. I've been eating a gluten free (GF) diet since December and I've never felt better, but as the months pass, I'm starting to realize that I've also never been so depressed about food. I can't eat anything regular, like pancakes, waffles, doughnuts, bread, pasta, tortillas (flour), cake, brownies, cereal, ice cream with brownie or cookie chunks--in essence, everything worth eating. It's been really hard to get used to eating GF bread, pasta, pastries (which taste like cardboard), going out to eat and not being able to order what I really want and settling for a crappy salad (without croutons and asking if the dressing has wheat in it), and giving up my favorite fast food, Taco Bell. IT SUCKS. Additionally, the pregnancy has turned me into a feisty, mean, gluten-craving woman. About a week ago I caved in, knowing well the repercussions, and ate a McDonald's egg mc muffin. AND IT WAS SO GOOD. I actually didn't suffer too much, maybe because I didn't have much gluten in my system yet. But this caving in led to more, like a pesky bad habit that you keep telling yourself you'll change but never do because it is just so dang tasty. Since the egg mc muffin, I've eaten: two more egg mc muffins, the awesome rolls at KFC (with butter and honey), a tres leches cake from Cafe Rio, a burger from the Training Table, sourdough French toast, pancakes, Cafe Rio salad, and yes, my ultimate favorite, a turkey sandwich from The Dodo. And then I got sick. I have to admit that I think it's been kind of worth it. I hadn't eaten my most favorite foods for more than 8 months. Think about giving up your favorite foods. It sounds impossible. It isn't, but by doing so, you also give up a lot of happiness and sanity. Ask Arthur.

Is it crazy for me to be so driven by food? Please, especially now that I'm pregnant???

I'm trying to go back to eliminating it but can't seem to totally commit. I feel so conflicted. I'm writing a whole entry about this to show that this dilemma is constantly on my mind, torturing me. My days, sadly, are totally dictated by my diet and what I do and don't eat. If I eat GF I feel physically good, but very cheated. If I eat gluten foods, I feel physically bad, but so satisfied, fulfilled and happy.

Why do I have this curse?

This is me at 22 weeks. Arthur is the brilliant photographer.

I'm feeling really good--good enought that I was actually able to make it to the top of Timp on Saturday! Arthur was so protective and helpful the whole hike, I don't think I would have been able to make it without him.

All in all the hike was awesome although we got off to a pretty bleak start. We woke up to rain in

the valley, which meant that it was probably pouring at the base of the mountain. I had thought about packing waterproof gear, but it had been so hot that I decided against it. Despite the rain, we geared up and started trekking up the mountain, all 11 of us, me, Arthur, Sarah, her boyfriend Ben, Kristina, Mike, Doug, Scott, Hugh, Meg and Drew.

After about treeline the weather started to clear up and we were able to dry off a bit before pushing up the rest of the way. And then, just as we were summitting we saw a cloud of rain rapidly coming over us. We had to book it up the rest of the way to avoid getting completely soaked although you can see in in the pictures from the summit that we got pretty wet anyway. We waited in the shack until the storm passed over us and then we started our decent, which was, and always is, the worst part of a long mountain climb. I'm still recovering today.

I think it will be at least another four years before I have the energy to do that climb again, but I'm so glad that I made it up.

WE SUMMITTED!

And too tired to write anything.

I'm scared for tomorrow

Tomorrow Arthur's siblings and I are hiking Mt. Timpanogos as a birthday activity for Arthur's sister Sarah and I'm having serious doubts as to whether I will be able to summit or not. I've done it once before (remember Autumn, when I went with you and Barrett-it was your first date-and everyone had someone to cuddle with at the freezing top except for me) and have had a couple of other failed attempts, which I'm sure tomorrow will be as well. It's a long hike; about 9 miles up and 9 down. Although I've been running a few miles every other day, I don't think it will be sufficient training for 9 miles of uphill. I'm a little bummed because I'd really like to summit. I remember how awesome it felt to be at the top and see the valleys below while the cold air froze my face. I want to be able to sign in on the tattered log in the little shack where people huddle for some warmth.

Who knows, maybe I will make it up. I think of the indigenous women of Peru who do hikes like this everyday-with a kid strapped to their back. Why can't I be as hardcore as them?!

Anyway, wish me luck. I'll need it.

It's a...

GIRL!!

I got suckered in...

...to the world of blogging.

This blog is dedicated to my dear friends and family.

All our love,

J & A VanWagenen