Large

Recent comments include things like..."Oh wow, you really look pregnant now" or "Woah, you're huge!" Yes, I had to explain to one of my guy friends the other day that while I may be able to handle it gracefully (ahem), it's probably best to leave the word HUGE out of any sentence used to describe a woman. :)

Here are a few pics from our little photoshoot the other day. To see more, hope on our new photography blog. http://www.burntexposureblog.com/

P.S. Christmas was perfect. Loved it. Will discuss in more detail when I'm not falling asleep typing. Nite!

2008

1. Getting married last December
2. Honeymooning in Hawaii
3. Living right next to the beach in California
4. Traveling all over the place: Victoria and Whistler, Canada, Mexico, Santa Barbara, Virginia, Texas, San Francisco, Catalina Island, Oregon, bla bla bla
5. Deciding to continue traveling for a few years to "live it up" before kids
6. Making awesome Europe and Egypt travel plans
7. Being humbled and getting pregnant five months later
8. Cancelling trips and saving for a house
9. Kris getting his sailing license
10. Cathy learning how to cook
11. Sailing a lot and cooking alot...together
12. Mountain biking a lot...together (pre-pregnancy)
13. Working on Passing Prop 8 and succeeding!
14. Working with CP80 to help protect kids from internet pornography
15. Working a lot at work
16. Taking way too many pictures of beautiful weddings...together
17. Playing a lot...together
18. Laughing, crying, bla bla bla

We hope 2009 is just as wonderful! And look forward to Baby Sundberg wreaking havoc and taking over the place in February.

Love to you all! And most of all, gratitude to our Savior for His perfect life, love, and example. We "stand all amazed", all the time.

Weak

I know, I know. It's been a while. Maybe it's the two short months til the baby, maybe it's trying to find a place to live, getting ready for maternity leave with my boss, becoming more and more immobile (Kris has to tie my shoes now), or just plain old laziness but I've been a slacker about posting. Sorry!

I've had requests for prego pics. I ALMOST put a pic of my big old naked stomach right on here, but I remember as a child how traumatic it was to see the bare stomachs of pregnant women on the beach so I figured maybe I'll spare you all.

And just FYI - this pic hides how big I am, but just so you know I am growing at an increasingly alarming rate. I gained six pounds this month. I have two months to go and I'm quite frankly not sure where this baby is going to GO! Last night at the Christmas devotional he kept doing something way up high in my ribs...OOW...so Kris pushed down on my stomach to try to alleviate the pain and the baby kicked him. Haha. Funny.

Ok pic time. So here I am, on our one year anniversary. This is the most recent prego pic I could find on our hard drive. I promise I'll have Kris do a full on photo shoot and get some more up here. I'm slightly embarrassed because it looks like I'm striking a pose. Blame it on Kris. Also, if it looks like I don't have a zit in the middle of my forehead it's because I removed it. No wrinkles? Very soft light. It's nice being married to a photographer.

Lucky girl

So that is the super hot, rustic man I spent the weekend with. Enough said.

P.S. One more thing...this is the latest wedding we shot. I just really liked a lot of the pics. Go ahead, take a peek.

http://burntexposure.com/SlideShows/Mia&Nate_Wedding/index.html

Non-Traditional

And what will WE be doing for Thanksgiving this year??
Well, our one year anniversary is December 1st (wow, time flies) so we decided to celebrate over the holiday. Nothing quite like a night at the St Regis...

And I am excited!!!! (Even though I'm waddling around 7 months pregnant).

P.S. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Dreams

So when you're pregnant you have all these vivid dreams. It's so interesting to see what comes next. Two nights ago, yea, I dreamt about food. Hahaha. Go figure. I woke up starving and ate a bowl of cereal at like 6am.

Last night? Rachel McAdams was in my dream. For the record, I think she is completely adorable. Where has she been? Four years ago she was in a movie that made me cry my eyes out. Love her.




"I am no one special. Just a common man with common thoughts. I've led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but in one respect I've succeeded as gloriously as anyone who ever lived. I've loved another with all my heart and soul and for me that has always been enough." ~Noah~

Helpful

The photog business. Well, after we almost died with six weddings in August we decided to scale down a little bit for our own sanity. We now try to average just two a month. It keeps it fun and interesting. And as always, I'm a vital part of the team...ahem.




Yes, that's me sitting on a bench with the reflector shading my head from the REALLY hot sun, while Kris was busting his butt taking pictures. I'm sure he appreciated the thumbs up. Incredibly helpful these days. It's true.

Kris, however, is better than ever. I can say in my VERY biased position as wife that he is the best wedding photographer I know. I can also say, in my unbiased position as "assistant" that he is the best wedding photographer that I know.

www.burntexposure.com

Ashes, ashes...

California is burning to the ground...again. And yet, I choose to live in a state that has mutliple fires a year, earthquakes, and flooding. Hmmm...

Huntington Beach is probably the last place on earth that would burn since there are only a scattering of palm trees and an ocean; however, we still feel the effects. I couldn't sleep two nights ago because of the smoke. I had to shut all the windows and turn on the fan. It feels strange to be amid the destruction yet not exactly a part of it. Makes me wonder about the last days.

And I cried...

I'm REALLY over talking about Prop 8 for a while but I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who donated and prayed and called and helped us win. It is so humbling.

I took the day off on election day to help run around and call and etc. That night I went home and Kris was out of town so I literally just sat in front of my computer all night as the numbers slowly started pouring in from each county. I was so anxious, literally pushing the "refresh" button on my computer every few minutes for HOURS to see where we stood.

Finally, at about 3AM when 80% of the votes were in and we were still ahead, my heart stopped pounding as hard, and I just leaned back and cried. It was an intense yet peaceful moment. A moral victory for California and a moment in history for me.

Prayers are Powerful

Please pray for our country today. And please pray for California - we need help to pass Proposition 8. Prayers are heard and answered.

Classy

Recent conversation with Kris.

me: i luv u
Kris: not as much as i love you!!!
me: no WAY!
Kris: yep
i love you so much...
i would pop my eyeballs out
if i had to
and drop earwigs in my ears
me: im totally laughing
Kris: i'd snort tabasco sauce
and chew on aluminum foil
me: LOL
i would eat poop
Kris: ewe

And that folks, that is where the converstaion died. Did I win?

P.S. For those of my friends who have in the past, referred to me as "classy" I apologize for letting you down :)

The end is drawing nye

And here we are, the eve of election day in California. The anxiety has been present for weeks and is building. My husband is on a business trip in the East Coast and I am by myself with my fetus (haha) to stress about it.

I just want to say I am so proud to be an American. I feel so blessed to live in this country. God help us continue to make righteous decisions. If not, good ole conservative Texas may have to be my final resting place :)

P.S. One thing that has kept a smile on my face the past few days is my husband. I've always thought of myself as majorly even-tempered and laid back but Kris blows me out of the water. Whether it's sports, politics, me being completely obnoxious, or any number of things, he never ceases to amaze me with his kind, gentle nature. I have NEVER seen him lose his cool. It is very humbling.



Hahaha. And this pic says it all, right? Very collected and easy going psycho farmer man, huh? Hahaha. But truthfully, he is. He really is.

Obama Candy Tax

Nothin like the good ole ER

Dear friends and fam, here is a prego pic as requested - 25 weeks along.

Dear friends and fam, use a "bagel cutter" when you are being nice and making breakfast for your husband or you might end up with four stitches. Who knew a finger could bleed so much!

Good practice for the hospital trip when the baby comes. Kris passed.

Discrimination?

I'm confused.

Anti-Prop 8 campaigns label those who support Prop 8 as discriminatory and their token slogan is "stop spreading hate".

Strangely, as I've been helping support the "Yes on Prop 8" campaign the past few weeks I've run into more "hate" than I've ever before felt -more foul language, more hysteria, more rage than imaginable.

This Saturday from Long Beach to San Clemente hundreds of people peacefully lined PCH holding signs and showing their support for Prop 8. One of those people got jumped on his way back to his car. Spreading hate? Who is spreading the hate in this campaign?

For the record, it's OK for me to LOVE gay people while at the SAME TIME believe that the homosexual lifestyle is immoral. That is my opinion. It doesn't make me hateful. It doesn't make me a bigot. It doesn't make me close minded. I think taking drugs is wrong. I think incest is wrong. I think a lot of things are wrong and I don't want someone teaching my children (school or society) that they are right.

I am allowed to disagree with someone else's lifestyle choices as they are allowed to disagree with me being LDS and my lifestyle choices. Many, many, many people have in my past and will continue to do so (I went to high school in the Bible belt, for crying out loud).

I should be allowed to stand up for what I believe in without being discriminated against. As I feel like I'm a sympathetic person who truly tries to love other people, it was a hard day for me to feel so much hate for standing up for what I believe and then being labeled hateful. Ironic.

Side note: For every raging, hysterical person we saw that day, there were ten supporters. I was buoyed up by their cheers and honks and waves.

Baby Stuff

One of my favorite people came over yesterday to bring me a little gift for the up-and-coming ruler of the Sundberg home.

That's right, baby Vans. Hahaha. Kills me.

P.S. It's helping me recover from losing out on a $700 Pottery Barn crib for $150 on Craigslist. Painful, I know.

What do you use?

I feel like I've used EVERY product for your face that you can imagine and I'm always on the hunt for good stuff.

Every now and then I find a total winner and hold onto it, which means now I have a COMPLETELY random mix of things that I like to use for this or that. Here are a few of my favorites. Tell me YOURS!

• Cetaphil Daily Cleanser - I've had at least two esteticians tell me they can tell when someone uses this cleanser because their skin is so smooth (ahem, pre-pregnancy, I should say). Best part? $8 - not kidding.
  

• Laura Mercier, Secret Finish - Put a TINY bit on your fingers and tap under your eyes/on your cheekbones when you've finished with the whole makeup routine. Gives you that great "Julia Roberts dewy look".
  

• Lancome Definicils Mascara - Have used it for years. Love it. Can't find anything better.
  
  

Bobbi Brown, All Over Bronzing Gel SPF 15 - Gives your face color without smelling like nasty self-tanning lotion or ruining your face in the sun

Philosophy, Hope in a Tube - Eye cream you can use after you wash your face and before you put on any makeup. I actually really like the sets you can buy from them too with their peels etc. "Make-Up Optional Kit" or "The Miracle Worker". I think the set was one of "Oprah's Favorite Things" a few years ago.

Now tell me YOURS!

The MOST Important Thing

Helping us pass Proposition 8...
may be THE MOST IMPORTANT thing this generation ever does.

• Unless Proposition 8 passes, California society will soon undergo a profound change in its basic understanding of marriage and family life. That will affect everyone in numerous ways. Over time, greater acceptance of nontraditional marriage will be demanded of all people. This could impact the ability of any religion to teach and practice its beliefs.
  
• Proposition 8 will not hurt gays.In California, the law provides for marriage-related benefits to be given to civil unions and domestic partnerships. Proposition 8 does not diminish these benefits.
  
• Failure to pass Proposition 8 will hurt children.If gay marriage remains legal, public schools will put it on equal footing with traditional marriage. Children will likely receive “age appropriate” information about sexual relations within heterosexual and homosexual marriages.
  
• Failure to pass Proposition 8 will hurt churches.The court’s decision will inevitably lead to conflicts with religious liberty and free speech rights. Society will become more and more hostile to traditional beliefs about marriage and family.

Oh this is SO important. The First Presidency called a meeting last week in California and asked us to give ALL WE CAN to help pass Proposition 8.

http://www.preservingmarriage.org

Please pass the link along and encourage your Californian friends to vote! Stats say we are 50/50 so EVERY vote is so vital.

Scrounging

The house hunt continues...

For my California friends (many, many of which are "looking to buy" next year since prices are dropping...just a few tips cuz I love ya). Sorry for boring the rest of you.

DISCLAIMER: I don't know anything and could be hideously wrong. Just a few things we experienced with our recent attempt (some tips are short-sale specific).
A. If you're going for a short sale don't bother unless it's "pre-approved" with the bank. And sadly, if it's a really great deal some jack-a investor will probably come in and offer the bank cash and steal it from you (no, i'm not bitter at all)

B. People think FHA loans are great because you can get one with only 3% down...trouble is...you will be charged monthly mortgage insurance, a mortgage premium upfront of THOUSANDS that tags onto the price of the house (close to $8K for the last one) and closing costs are a beast. Mortgage rates are also A LOT higher. Not to mention...if you are having a bidding war against a conventional loan, you will probably lose.

C. Do everything you can to save money for a conventional loan. You can get a 10% down conventional loan until Dec 1 for a jumbo loan (look it up) and after that, it's 20% again...and that's A LOT of money. Maybe the gov will step in and extend it.

D. Try to find an agent that would be cool enough to "clue you in" on the short sales before they hit the MLS so you can make an offer to the bank before it hits. Once they are there and if they are a great find, good luck.

E. Even though they can only lock a rate in for you for 45 days, if you are serious about buying, try to have everything ready when you are looking - pre-approval from the lender, etc. - because another big bonus for the bank is just being able to CLOSE quickly.

F. And finally, thinking that raising the offer price will help you win a bid, isn't ALWAYS the case (but sometimes is). Because CA is ridiculously inflated you may bid OVER the appraisal price (which is still much below the market price) however, the bank won't finance you for it and it causes problems. Best to just be able to close quickly with a decent down payment.

Just opinions...

P.S. Kris and I are now in the scrounging stage. We even have a "saving" game going on to see how fast we can save up, which is another way of saying...what can I sell?

Goodbye beautiful leather Lanvin boots.

Rock Star Baby

Every stage of life brings a WHOLE new spectrum of knowledge.

A few months ago I would not have been able to tell you ONE thing about baby strollers. Just like now, I can't give you one good reason why high school boys are wearing these hideous low-rise skinny jeans that suck to their ankles like spandex. How impossibly unflattering is that? Anyway...

I've fallen in love with craigslist - especially in Orange County where really rich people get sick of their seven hundred dollar "Rock Star Baby" strollers after a month and sell them for two. Never would have bought this stroller in a million years otherwise. Gotta love this place.

P.S. If you are not familiar with craigslist, do yourself a favor and spend some time on there. http://www.craigslist.org/
P.P.S. Next up...an $1800 stainless steel fridge for $350. Six months old. Unreal.

Vent

Today I despise real estate in California, shady real estate agents, and investors. I'm too frustrated to elaborate except to say we made an offer and because of shadiness and the absolute disastor of a market we have going on here, we will probably lose it.

Am I too old to egg a realtor's house?

Dear John...

My parents bought a John Deere last week so Kris and I went out to Texas to sample the ride.

Along with the John Deere they bought a house on 16 acres. Property? BEAUTIFUL - complete with horse stables, a pool, an orchard of fruit trees bla bla.

The house? A work in progress...but the first few weeks are always the most exciting!

1. Pepper, the resident Geigle family dog, won't even lay down on the old carpet


2. I had to switch rooms three times - for some reason creatures kept wanting to climb into the wall every night, wake me up with all their scratching noises, and then die - leaving a lovely odor around the house
   
3. The land, while beautiful, is full of noxious weeds. One of which, Kris and I got to bring home as a delightful souvenier called POISON IVY
   
4. The neighboring property is an exotic African animal war zone - people pay to go inside and hunt. We hear weird loud noises in the morning coming from that direction.
   
5. Last time my parents experimented with being ranchers my mom set the yard on fire and my Dad fell off the roof...and the horse


6. At the local military base, they build mock Iraqui villages to practice. The locals get paid $12 an hour to dress up and play the part. Kris and I were DYING to do this but didn't have time.


7. Fire ants...that's all I have to say on that subject.


8. Whenever my Mom talks to the locals she instantly breaks into a southern accent - totally throws me off. When I protested she said, "I HAVE to or they won't understand me..." Hahaha. Oh brother.

Side note:

When my parents got married they chose an adventurous lifestyle. They have moved 14 times, (including Rio de Janiero, Brazil and London, England). SOMEHOW everything they touch and everywhere they go is dusted with magic.

I consider them city slickers trying to pull off the ranch thing; however, while the house needs a bit of an update :) - their eyes were twinkling as the remodeling began. I see magic in the making and I do believe this will be their finest project :)

Let's be honest...

Maternity clothes...not cute. It's just hard to be adorable and flattering when you look like a whale.

And then came Isabella Oliver.

Please no freaking out when you see the price tags on these outfits. Every pregnant girl has the right to own something Isabella AND there is a 20% off sale online until midnight tonight. Tell your friends!




http://www.isabellaoliver.com/maternity-clothes

Strange Things

1. Eating a pickle you've been craving and then turning around and seeing Honey Nut Cheerios that you suddenly HAVE to have leaves a really gross mix of flavors in your mouth. I don't suggest it.
2. Craving something and LOVING the first few bites but wanting to gag by the time you are almost finished...weird
3. Watching your stomach and actually seeing it bump up when the baby moves
4. Waking up four times last night to go to the bathroom....ugh
5. Looking at my stomach in the mirror

Ode to Kris

I like to tease Kris on my blog because he cracks me up so often :) But on a serious note, I just wanted to send this out into the void.

Dear Kris,

Marrying you was the best decision I ever made. It would be impossible to find another person like you. I am so lucky. You mean everything to me.

Love,
Your Cath

Sad Truth.

When you live in a tiny one bedroom apartment three blocks from the beach...well, it's heaven for a newlywed, right? Definitely.

Kris has tried to convince me that the baby can just sleep in the ottoman or laundry basket and we can stay put (an opinion which has put him on baby planning restriction until further notice -jk).

So where do we go? Do we stay on the beach and rent a bigger place? Do we buy since the market is dropping? If so, where do we buy? Visiting my parents in Texas this weekend (blog post to come) was great but reminded us once again of the sad reality of California real estate.

Just a quick example to illustrate.

Austin, Texas area : $529,900

Huntington Beach, CA: $574,900

Not much else to say about that...

The Sundberg name lives on!

That's right folks, we went in for the ultrasound. ALL fingers and toes are in tact! I think he's gonna look like his Dad (below).


We're so excited.

Have we forgotten?

I'm thankful for a country that allows me the freedom to enjoy "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness". God Bless America. God Bless our Troops and all those who have suffered and died for us and God help our people make righteous decisions so we may continue to enjoy these gifts.

Defending my honor

Well, Kris decided to take matters into his own hands (see old post "Limited Vocabulary"). Sooo....he came home from work last week with a suprise for me.

Behold the Pumpmaster 760 (bb gun).


Love that man.

Sunbeams Again

Well, the sunbeams are at it again :) They are so funny.

During sharing time one of the girls (Karis) asked Kris how Jesus died. Kris was trying to be quiet and drew her a picture while he explained. Later on when we were in our own little class Karis announced, "Jesus died on the cross-walk". Oh boy.

This past week we were teaching while we fed them yogurt covered raisens, since food seems to be the secret to keeping three year old's under control (yes, my children are going to be obese). While we were talking one of the boys decided to stick the raisens up his nose. So I went into my story about my sister sticking watermelon seeds in her ear, getting them stuck, and having to go to the doctor (yes, my children will be obese AND paranoid). He reluctantly removed the raisen from his nose.

At this point I should have taken it from him like a good teacher would have done but I was very curious about his next move.

He looked at the raisen for a moment and then non-chalantly popped it in his mouth. Hahaha. One of the little girls said, "That's DISGUSTING" - hahaha, yeah sure is, SICK! We got a good laugh out of that - even though things REALLY make me more queezy than normal these days ;)

Marriage Musts

As if I'm the wise sage at the top of the mountain with the secret of life. Yes, I've been married for only 9 months HOWEVER these have been good for me.

1. The Kitty - Every month we have an automatic withdrawal from our joint account set to send some money into two separate "kitty" accounts - one for him and one for me. This is just "me" money. So, at the end of the day, he never has to feel irritated about the random things I want to buy at any given moment or a nice dinner out with the girls.
2. On that note: Girl's night out. Tonight we went for sushi (precooked rolls for prego me). Something about going out and doing your own thing once a week, a day, a month or whenever you get the chance is just good. And I always miss him when I do :)

Intern

What exactly does an "assistant photographer" do? Well, I help pose the shots and use flashes or reflectors to fill in light when there are shadows. Sometimes I block out light when it's too harsh. I do a lot of talking since I can't help myself. I apologize for my husband when he sticks his foot in his mouth (which happens about once a shoot) e.g.,

Kris: Great pose. You guys look good together.
Guy: That's sick man, she's my niece.

I also carry stuff around, help scout out the locations, help photoshop the pics, and I even act as a second photographer. So I may not have Kris's natural talent but I've taken a few good ones.

All in all, I'm just kind of an intern...again. Even though I already did that in New York City a hundred years ago for John Stossel at ABC News. Somehow, this pic of me holding one flash and wearing three pairs of sunglasses on my head (props) during the shoot reminded me of the good old days with John when he had me go feed his parking meter.

Pregnancy Things

1. I ate a whole bottle of green olives in one day
2. I'm craving things with tomato sauce - salsa, spaghetti, pizza, etc.
3. Baby doesn't like red meat as much - but at least I can walk through the meat section in the grocery store now without gagging
4. I have vivid dreams
5. Extra hormones? I locked Kris out of the house the other day when he was irritating me (he had to climb through the kitchen window to get back in) Thankfully I married someone really patient with a fabulous sense of humor...
6. I'm big enough to look like I have a gut but small enough that no one would dare ask...hahaha. So funny.
7. I always want to drink juice. Last week orange. This week grape.
8. I think I'm feeling more sentimental in general
9. I'm really not liking onions lately
10. I heard the heartbeat today. Very cool. Hard to believe there is actually a little person in there!

Limited Vocabulary

I usually love living in Huntington Beach - so many perks, so close to the beach, such perfect weather. We sleep with the window open every night to feel the ocean breeze (and without air conditioning, you just kind of have to!) Unfortunately, I have LOST COUNT of how many times we've been woken up in a DEAD sleep to someone screaming some version or another of the f-word as they walk, skate, drive, or bike by our window.

Waking up two nights ago to some drunk mess of a person wretching outside of my window was the high point.

Classy people, really classy.

Cause for concern?

On our fourth or fifth date Kris and I went into a "Gene Machine" photobooth to see what our posterity would look like if we got married.

Needless to say, if I were a little more superficial, this may have been our last date. Ahem, does anyone else have children that look like gremlins? Just checking...



Should we be concerned?