Finally!

I am really sorry that it has been such a long time! I have been so busy. I know this is always my excuse, but trying to graduate, being pregnant, senior project, Thanksgiving and so much homework to do has made me a very busy person. So, I have a lot of pictures to share!

My senior project show of Twelfth Night went really well. We had a really large audience and so many professors told me how surprised they were by how good it was. Professor Stoddard told me it was the best understood [by the audience] Shakespeare play that had been done at SVU. I consider that quite an accomplishment, as that was one of my goals.

Here are some pictures taken by Mariel Kunz during the show:

Kyle Nielsen as Feste with Olivia played by my own sister, Jessica Messman.

Viola played by Mikaela ByrdMaria (Jessie Jolley) and Sir Toby Belch (Michael Taylor)

Sir Andrew (Chanson Hardy), Feste (Kyle), and Sir Toby (Michael)

Orsino (Bruce Fuentes) and Viola (Mikaela)Malvolio played by Nathan TaylorViola and OliviaMalvolio and Olivia

End of the show with me on stage--cause they wanted me to go up...

I am so glad my show is over, but also had a lot of fun doing it and am so thankful for the actors that did such a wonderful job.


Tyler and I went on the Historic Virginia trip over Thanksgiving with the school, because we needed to use our travel vouchers and I have always wanted to go to Williamsburg.
Here are some pictures from the trip:

Berkeley Plantation (Wednesday-24th):

By the James River on the Berkeley Plantation---so much happened on this one plantation! Revolutionary War, President lived here, signer of the Declaration of Independence, used by the North as a camp during the Civil war and so much more!

Here I am at 37 weeks!

By the River

On the plantation grounds

The Main house on the plantation

Williamsburg (Thursday-Thanksgiving!):

Governor's Palace in Williamsburg

Tyler walking the historic streets

Jamestown (Friday-26th):

Indian VillageMe inside an Indian house

Tyler inside James Fort

Recreated ships of the original three that landed in VirginiaTyler sitting in one of the bunks on the ship

We loved the recreated Jamestown Settlement. It was really well done and they had people there doing things like cooking, butchering pigs, running a ship and Indians tanning hides. I really liked watching the Jamestown ladies cooking over a fire--I like cooking and they had to put in a lot of work to make a pie or whatever they were making.

Williamsburg (Saturday-27th):

We were back in Williamsburg on Saturday and saw so many neat buildings!Tyler and I trying to get a picture of ourselves.

We really enjoyed Williamsburg and going to such a historic place. We learned about Colonial jails, courthouses, coffee houses, gardens, politics and so much more. It was a wonderful trip and we feel so lucky that we were able to go.

On our way home we got a Christmas tree with Jessica and Ricky at a Christmas tree farm in between Lexington and Staunton. It was a lot fun and a really cold, sunny day. We have our tree up and our house all decorated (pictures will be up soon, unless I have the baby before then). I am so excited for Christmas...especially since our baby will be here! I am feeling great, but am getting anxious to meet our baby. At the same time, I really need to finish all of my school stuff so I can graduate. Whatever the case, she should be here within the next 2 weeks or so!!!!

I am so sorry that it has been so long...

We have had a few difficulties with internet and our computers and I have not been able to blog. I am really sorry and I know people have been waiting for some belly pictures. I have two:

The first one was taken at 28 weeks and 4 days.


The second was taken this past Sunday at 29 weeks and 4 days.

I cannot believe that I am already 30 weeks! I only have 1o weeks left! I still have so much to do to get ready for the baby and finish school stuff as well. I am so thankful that this is my last semester.

Tyler and I are always busy it seems... At least, I seem to write that a lot. My senior project directing Twelfth Night is going really well and I have a great cast. Tyler is getting near the end of the soccer season and is busy with that, school, studying for the GRE test, and applying to grad schools. He is trying to apply to grad schools before the baby comes, or I am saying that he has to, as he won't have very much time once she does come (and they are due in January anyways). :)

Yesterday, we were able to go up to DC to go to the temple, which was lovely (as we did not have school). We also went to Ikea, got a few baby things there, and also got a great changing table I found through craigslist up in DC as well. It was a productive trip. Once the baby's room is a little more put together, I will put up some pictures.

I will try to be a little more consistent and post more baby belly pictures in the future...

Until next time...

Tyler is Athlete of the Week at SVU!

You can read the little blurb that was on the Athletics page here.

The soccer team has been having a great season and Tyler has been playing really well. He claims it is only because he is wearing his number this year (he is #4, but had to be #26 last year).

The baby and I are doing well and I am enjoying pregnancy. I promise I will take a picture soon!

Soccer!!!

SVU played two games this week and Tyler scored in both of them! In Saturdays game against Bridgewater Tyler scored the 1st goal and the winning goal in double overtime. I could only stay for part of the game, as I am helping with SVU's play had had to get back in time, but I did see his first goal. His first goal was a header off of Dax Farnsworth's corner kick. It was a beautiful header and I was so excited to see him score! The whole team played really well and they are such an awesome group of guys.

You can read about the story here.

Besides soccer, we are busy with school and work. The first week of school was a lot of fun and I am going to really enjoy my last semester of classes.

Our baby is doing great and I love feeling the baby move around inside of me. It is really such a strange, but very cool experience.

Oh, and remember to vote for me so I can win the bike, you can vote here!

I would like to win a bike...

I am a finalist to win a bike online! Visit this website to vote for me: http://cycleandstyle.com/2010/09/vote-in-the-campus-cruiser-contest/. You can vote everyday from now through Sept. 13. Please help me win this bike!!!

I will do a real post soon, a lot has been going on around here in the Laurent family.... Such as Tyler scoring some awesome goals in the last soccer game.

Until next time!

23.5 Weeks Pregnant

Here I am at today at 23.5 weeks. I will be 24 weeks on Wednesday.

Tyler and I are doing great and life is just starting to get busy. School starts next week, soccer has already started and so has work for both of us. Tyler has a new soccer coach and he really likes him. We are hoping they are going to have a great season. He has a pre-season game tonight against Randolph College in Lynchburg. It should be a good game and I am excited to go.

I am doing really well, and have not had any problems with this pregnancy at all, which is lovely. I have been busy getting ready for my senior project and re-writing my advanced writing paper. They are both due before I graduate this semester. For my senior project I am directing a few acts from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night. The show will be on Nov. 10. I am trying to finish up my paper soon, before school gets crazy...

Well, that is about all that is going on with us!

A few more pictures from Oregon

I unfortunately did not take as many pictures as I hoped I would. I often forgot the camera and Tyler and I were sometimes separated as he went on work trips, and I went to Utah.

Here are the only two pictures I took in Utah... We had a great trip though and I loved spending time with the McKees! I was also able to make a quilt and bumpers for the baby with the help of my mom, Aunt Terri, Julie and Susy. Thanks everyone!

Me, Mom and Ian in front of the SLC Temple

Me and Ian with the original tabernacle behind us

Here is a picture of Tyler out on a boat for work holding a sturgeon:

Lovely fish, eh?-- He had a great experience though and this should hopefully help improve his chances of getting into grad school for Natural Resource Management.

A few reason why I love Oregon....because I feel like sharing:

-Although I am loving being back in Virginia, the weather in Portland is just so pleasant. It is is warm and sunny, without being too hot and it is not humid. Falls in Virginia are colorful, but not crisp and windy like Oregon falls. Sweater weather starts much sooner in Oregon, which is a plus.

-I do love being around family and all of our family is in Oregon

-Compared to BV, the grocery stores in Oregon are so much better, with so many more healthy choices and organic food.

-I like being close to a large city, yet close to the wilderness and some of the most beautiful country in the U.S.

I think these pictures show why I love Oregon:

The beautiful Columbia Gorge! This is on Dog mountain and I did not get to go on this hike because I felt sick that day...(Erik took this picture, which is why it is so good)

The view from my parents house

My parents house/my home/a really wonderful place

The end for now.

.....well, we are having....

A GIRL!!!

Profile! (sorry about finger prints)

Her little feet!

We are so excited about having a girl!