A post about siblings

Well, Sam and Tonya, your requests are coming true. Both of them asked that I post about how much I ah. . .look up to them and their families.

For a minute I thought about doing a completely sarcastic post, but maybe these pregnancy hormones are making me a little mushy so I've decided to actually be nice and talk about how much, indeed, I do look up to them.

In a nutshell: My family is awesome.

Oh sure, we are just like most families-sometimes I just want to wring some of their necks because they are driving me crazy, but that always passes and we end up laughing so hard we're crying at some inside joke. We Whittiers are pretty hilarious. Ask any of us!

I actually like the idea of posting about a couple siblings at a time since, you know, there are so many of us. Not gonna lie, sometimes growing up in the thick of 7 kids fighting over the last cookie, or getting furious because someone broke the lock on my diary and read it, or knowing that when Mom had to run some errands that meant babysitting for free (which usually ALWAYS meant every one was on their worst behavior because just a sister was watching them), made me wish that my family was smaller. But that has changed as I have grown up. Now I really do love being able to spend time with all of them.

So, today, because it was graciously requested, you get a post about Tonya and Sam.

Tonya-

Waaay back in 2007! Aw.

Most anyone who knows me now knows that Tuna and I are pretty much besties. Seriously. We chat weekly and always end up laughing at our own hilarious jokes. We really think we are comedians. If anything obnoxious happens to me, she's one of the first people I think to tell about it, knowing she'll appreciate the laugh- and vice versa. I love having her tell me about being a parent-she just lays it all out-doesn't sugar coat anything.

Yet growing up we were not really the closest. I have memories of her and a friend tricking me into thinking there was a secret door that opened up on the wall next to her bed on the top bunk, she and a friend (probably the same one) sneaking into my closet and eavesdropping on me while I played by myself with my stuffed animals, etc.

Then, somehow, we became friends! And stayed friends! And are still friends!

And now here's where it will get mushy:

We're best friends because I look up to her. Tuna has been through a lot and yet is still one of the most amazing people I have ever known. She's kept a positive attitude when life has thrown some way not awesome curve balls her way. She's real. She tells it how it is and I love that about her. She has a beautiful family and the cutest daughter that I love with all my heart. I'm so blessed that not only are we besties, we're family, which means we get to be together forever.


Sam-

Oh Sam, where to start. Almost the same tale as Tonya, we were not the best of friends growing up. Being the closest in age out of anyone in the family, we definitely had our share of bickering. The diary reading incident was him, I was always so mad when we would be playing together along with younger brothers  Cory and Alex and whenever we fought Cory and Alex would take his side only because he was a boy. It drove me nuts!

Yet through all that fighting, we still schemed together to do things, especially when Mom wasn't around- like watching him get on the roof with our bean bag chair and jump off onto the trampoline, put pillows against the wall at the bottom of the stair and ride down in either a box or a random giant piece of wood, lay under a swing that Cory was in thinking it was so cool and then sitting up all of a sudden expecting Cory to magically stop and instead both being hit right in the head (Sam took the worst of it, getting butterfly stitches on his forehead, I just got a giant bruise).

There were days after days of friendly water fights in the backyard, building rivers in the sandbox, playing game after game of "City" or "Doggie Town" or our personal favorite "Suck Up" (all of these will take too long to explain). And yet there were also times of him shooting boogers out of his nose that landed on my forehead, of endless teasing that once resulted in him chasing me to my room where I locked myself in and somehow jammed the door and Dad had to get me out of my room by a ladder outside my window, I could go on because most of my childhood memories involve that guy.

Pretty sure he is not as innocent as he seems in this photo. He probably just burped or something nasty.

What's nice about growing up is we have become great friends. I admire his ambition, and how well he cares for his family. When we are together with the family, I feel like he is one I reminisce with the most, since we did so much together growing up. We chat, I can't get enough pictures of his cute little girl, and I love his little family too with all my heart.

And there you have it- a nice post about these two.

I better hurry up and write one about Jodee before she leaves on her mission. . . .

I'm still here

Yep. Still puttering around.

I haven't posted much lately because well. . . I feel like I'm boring right now.

You know, I don't have any new fun trips to blog about, and I feel like it's summer and I should! All I have to say about my life right now is I go to work, eat what sounds good, read Harry Potter, (the goal is to read them all again before the pregnancy is done. . I'm already halfway through book 4, so I don't think that will be a problem.) or watch reruns of "Whose Line is it Anyways?" on Youtube with Paul.

See??? Boring.

I know I am in charge of my own life and I should be doing more things, but right now nausea and tiredness are playing a major factor in the boring category. I'm not telling you this to feel bad for me, or to give off the impression that I'm whining about my life, I'm just telling you how it is. I know I'll feel better in the next week or so (HOPEFULLY PLEASE!) and then I'm sure I'll be super cool again and have all sorts of neat things to  brag blog about.

To help me get back in a blogging groove I've tried looking up "post challenge" ideas but haven't really found anything that interesting or doable. So, here's where I'm asking you 5 people who read and sometimes comment on my blog- what do you want me to post about? I'm willing to do anything as long as it's, you know, appropriate. 

If you leave a comment below asking me to post about something, I pinky promise I will do it as soon as possible. It can be anything, I mean, anything. From "Tara, tell me who your favorite Harry Potter character is and why" to "Tara, tell me about your most embarrassing moment" to "Tara, tell me about mountain goats". I'll do it. Whatever it is.

I need to get back in a groove, and therefore need some inspiration. So help me out, will you?

An announcement, if you will

Well, some of you know, and some of you don't. Might as well spill the beans to everyone who cares I guess. . . .

Yep, it's true. Baby Siddoway will make its debut sometime next March! It still doesn't seem real. . I don't know when it will. All that seems real right now is the constant nausea and fatigue that I am seriously so done with. Two weeks ago we went in for our first appointment and got to have an ultrasound done and hear its heartbeat. It brought some tears to my eyes to know that there really is a baby in there! It is such a miracle and I am constantly in awe of how amazing the whole process is.

The "morning sickness" really hit hard around week 6. Working full time while constantly feeling nauseous is a real treat, let me tell ya. NOT. It's like a horrible game I get to play every day. . every hour of "hmm. . . what can Tara eat? A banana? Ok." Two bites later. . . "Nope, looks like a banana was a bad idea. Let's try something else. . . " over and over again. I really hope that this is the first and last time I have to work full time while being pregnant. I'm about 10 weeks along and am just praying that I really will feel better in a couple weeks when this first trimester is over.

We really are beyond excited though. It is crazy to think about and I am doing my best to just have peace and faith that all will be well with this little nugget. Paul has been a real stud, taking really good care of me (and the house!) while I just lay around like a slug. He's been patient putting up with the hormonal craziness where I've had a few meltdowns already ("I'm so sick and tired of being sick and tired!" or "I'm the worst wife because you're doing everything and I feel like I do nothing! Wahh!" You get the idea. . . ). He really has been a trooper and it is so cute to see him so excited about this baby too.

Now you know why I've been slacking in the posting department! No energy whatsoever. Blogging has kinda been one of the last things on my mind. . but now you all know, so I hope this counts as a good excuse!