Haul out the Holly...and the pink...and the bows...and the ribbons and curls...

The verdict is in. Our baby-on-the-way is indeed a little GIRL. A Mini Me Drama Queen to join our family. We are excited, and know this is just as it should be.

With that said, let Tim be warned. We already got this chill, laid back, sweetheart of a boy. The Mini Me Tim. Are we now in for the Drama Queen girl? The Mini Me Candice?

Have you ever seen the movie Dan in Real Life? Do you wonder why my parents love that movie so much and laugh and laugh as they watch it over and over?

It is because they can relate to it.

Do you remember the middle daughter? The one who screamed to her father "YOU ARE A MURDERER (sob, sob, sob) OF LOVE!"

Yeah. That was me. Drama queen.

Yikes.

We don't know what to do with a little girl! Or with a drama queen.

Here's to figuring it out!

Losing Faith

Tim and I have had this plant growing in our archway for a few months now. It is suppose to be a flower bulb. What kind? Don't know. Threw away the package. These pretty long leaves have been growing longer and taller for some time now. But now they are drooping. All this time, no sign of any new growth or flower. No sign whatsoever.

Tim says we need to have faith. I don't have any.

To have faith? Or to trash the flowerless plant? What should we do?

Tim has always been the one with more faith between us. I have more faith in this beautiful flower arrangement he gave me for V-day.



For one of our Valentine's Day's activities this year, Tim and I were invited to a private Kalai concert with a few friends. I have always loved Kalai's music, and think he is especially great in concert, but until we were there reveling in his amazing acoustics, sense of humor, and vocals, I didn't realize just what a treat it would be! The night was amazing.

Here I am drinking an orange cream soda. I mistakenly didn't avoid the appearance of evil in this pic.



Our new friend Kalai.



Gettin' cuddly, cause this is V-day after all!



Good peeps.



Here Meradith and I are sitting on Kalai's stool! (We did this in a hurry whilst he was around the corner. I just hate to admit when I am idolizing.)



For our other V-day festivities, we also attended our ward's Valentine's Ball! It is a little different to think about "cutting a rug" around those whom you worship with and whom you don't know too well just yet. The activities committee did a great job, and I love to have dinner catered. I made eclair cake and got rave reviews! Just cater me dinner, I will bring the eclair cake! :)

Tim and I actually made a trip to the mall on February 14. Lots of people are there to buy their Valentine's cards at Hallmark at 6 pm before they pick up their dates. We saw 'em! Tim got a new wardrobe. I visited the Mac counter, and stayed strong about waiting until my black boots were more on sale to buy them. Tim's deal shopping sisters would be proud! I'm turning into a deal hunter after all. Then Sunday Tim made me a gourmet meal, and I read a book! What! I read a book while he cooked! It was amazing. I loved it.

Every mother has a saving grace. And mine right now for Trent is basketball. He loves it! And he plays it all day.






He looks!

He shoots!

He scores!!!

Yay!!!




This basketball obsession also includes putting things in or out of the basket, that aren't necessarily balls.

Like mommy's laundry...



...daddy's childhood treasures...



...and himself!



Here's a great pic of Trent with Grandpa Calder.



Now in case you were wondering why I didn't tell you all about my wonderful night with Celine back in November, especially after divulging the deeply hallowed obsession (if you missed my great confession you really missed a big one, find it here), it is because Celine's World Tour promoters decided to reschedule her concert (because of an illness) on a Sunday...That means I can't go with my daddy, and I won't go at all.

So now Tim and I have tix for the Denver concert next Tuesday. This time, the Celine and Candice reunion must happen. And then I will tell all. So be waiting!

To Be Venezuelan

(As you'll read below, these kids were getting away with murder. That's me in the back.)

Indulge me, or indulge yourself if you will, as I share with you this list of crazies that I found today in my mission letters home.

If you've been on a mission, I am sure that you can relate, to learning to love and laugh about the idiosyncrasies of the people you serve. For me, I served the Venezuelans, and I LOVE the Venezuelans. Still, I think they're crazies in a few chuckling ways.

When I had been out on my mission for about a year, I sent home to my family a letter of the crazy things that the Venezuelans believed and would say. I have wanted to find this list for years! And today I did!

Thanks to Grandma Maw who saved all of my letters I wrote home, I have been reading all of my letters home in sync with how long my brothers have been out on their missions. I wanted to read letters of my progress in the field at the same time I was reading how my brothers were doing. Needless to say I got behind, so today I was catching up.

Here's what I wrote:

Let me include here a list of the crazy things that these Venis think (they might not be funny to you guys but I will try to relate them so you can see the craziness involved here):

1. We saw our friend outside with her little two-year old boy the other day. She told us that she was outside with her son today because "yesterday he got wet and so today I have to keep him out in the sun." What?

2. Everything that goes wrong is a direct result or consequence of the "change of climate" (cambio de clima).

3. After having a baby, you must go on 'la dieta' or "the diet" for 40 days. The diet means that you can't go outside, go up stairs, see anybody, READ anything, and a bunch of other crazy stuff...or you'll die! 40 days! If she doesn't die from depression before the 40 days ends!

4. EVERYTHING can be cured by drinking a hot drink of lemon.

5. Vinegar on a rag on your forehead will get rid of your fever.

6. When you ever feel the slightest discomfort, just go outside and find a weed that smells good, pull it out by its root, boil it on the stove, and make a tea out of it (I hate to admit it, but I have made tons of weed teas. I doubt they work, but every member sends me home with weeds.)

7. If you feel sick, you need an injection and you need to go to the hospital.

8. If you get your haircut by someone with "a good hand for cutting" or on a full moon, your hair will grow faster.

9. You fail at being a cook if you don't do it with 'carino y amor', "love and caring." For example, I have asked for the recipe of things before, but at the end they say, "but not just anyone can make this. I have the hand, and do it with a lot of love and caring. If not, it doesn't turn out." They are funny crazy!

10. If you are sick, you must get in your bed for 7 days without leaving. No matter what! You have a cold = 7 days in bed.

11. The world stops if it is raining.

12. You CANNOT go outside in the rain. If you get even your feet wet, you will become gravely ill.

13. Every dream you have is a vision for your future.

14. My least favorite thing they do. The Venis would say, "si Dios quiere" (If God wants it/wills it) to try to get off the hook of any commitment. I would say, 'Are you going to church with us this Sunday?', 'Are you going to read that chapter of the Book of Mormon tonight?', and they would reply, 'Si Dios Quiere.' And I would always reply, "Si claro! Dios quiere!", "Of course God wants it!". No no no. They are not getting off the hook with me with that one!

15. And finally, can you see what is odd about this picture?

These things are fun to remember, but in the end, there is no people I love more than the Venezuelans. They are kind, compassionate, caring, loving, humble, and the members are full of iron clad faith. They truly inspire me and I hope to be near them in the world to come.

In reading my letters home, I also found this statement that my Aunt Cindy sent to me. At this time in my mission I was feeling especially stretched.

"Achievement and success can't always be written on a piece of paper. Sometimes it is an 'inside job', like your achievements and successes are being recorded inside because you are improving inside instead of what is seen. We can't do great things all the time, but we can do small things in a great way. Life is a roller coaster and the trick is to enjoy all phases of the ride. Relax and enjoy. A grateful heart at all times gets us through."

Isn't that great?

Read your mission letters. It will be amazing!

Love,
Candice

Who am I?

I've been thinking. I don't want to be one of those bloggers that just posts pictures of her adorable child. But I'm pretty sure I am. And while I'm totally okay with that because I of course am obsessed with my offspring, and my offspring is pretty much what I do, I want to be an exciting blogger too. But does that mean controversy?

So sometimes I post a little about politics...but do I really want to make enemies? I mean, I want to kindle excitement! Yes! But I want every one in the world to agree with me, and think I am just oh so right, and why didn't I think of that before, and have every one with me...well not really, I actually really like hearing what other people think...but I DO love to be right.

And sometimes I post about my deep thoughts on Oprah. I was serious about that Oprah.

And sometimes I wonder what I should share or not share, when it's going too far, ya know, the feelings thing. The "love confession" posts, which is just not really natural for me. Or maybe a testimony post, which is natural, but I just don't know about doing it on a blog.

But hey! It's my blog! (And my poor husband's, whom I represent, so I guess I can't be entirely selfish. I do still want him to think highly of how I represent us.)

And hey again! I'm private! So pretty much, I've only selfishly invited those people I love and whom accept me and my weaknesses...namely family, and friends who are pretty much family.

So hey! I guess I'll just keep posting whatev. Whatev I want.

...


And now I post this: A temple post.

I had the most wonderful experience in the temple last week. Thanks to Tim's sister Natalie who tended baby boy for us, Tim and I were able to go to Stake Temple Night. That meant we were in the temple after all the sessions had gone through, in the chapel, being instructed by the Temple President.

(Oh boy. Now I know why I don't post about this stuff. It's because there are no words.)

Our temple, which is the Mt. Timpanogas Temple, has an all-white chapel. The ceilings are vaulted about thirty feet. And there are piers in front of you, behind the podium, backed by endless windows with beautiful stainglass placings.

Here we were, all dressed in white, entirely surrounded by white, with temple recommend holding members of our stake. On the stand were our local leaders, and the temple presidency all in white. The Temple President and then the Stake President instructed us in this setting, talking of eternal things, and sacred things we only talk about in the temple.

All I could think of, was how much I felt like I was plucked from the earth and placed in heaven, being instructed by one of the Lord's servants. The room was white, the people white, all having declared themselves worthy to be there, all having answered affirmatively to the questions in a temple recommend interview.

I was extremely moved by this glimpse into heaven. The temple president instructing us. It felt like this is what it must be like in heaven! Purity abounding, all having proven their testimonies in life, all wanting to move the work forward, here to receive instruction from a servant of our Maker.

No words. I fail.

I want to be in heaven. I want to make it there. I want to be able to answer affirmatively to the questions presented me by my Maker and be found worthy to be in the Celestial Kingdom in the end, to serve Him in the Millenium, to be surrounded by those who have endured to the end, to have Tim at my side, to be the kind of wife that Tim wants to still have forever, to have kids that are proud to have me as their mother, to have my kids there with me. I want that! Yeah. I want that.

I better be a good wife. I want Tim to want me.

I'm proud to be the daughter of Glen and Meridee. I want to be there with them. I want that.

Ya know what? I have figured out a little mystery. You know why Heavenly Father gives us full-time missions? Or full-time missionary siblings/kids? I have figured it out. Yep. This mystery solved. Cause man! After two years away from my family, or worse, them away from me!, why would I ever want to be an eternity away from them?

Can't do it. Motivation locked in. For sure.

My twin brothers come home in June. Is my sentence up yet? COME HOME!!!!!!!!!

And, after watching the President Monson Missionary Work Invitation youtube video (which featured one of my missionary brothers who is the one shaking hands with President Monson in the third frame!), I saw the Glenn Beck youtube video of him speaking about President Hinckley on CNN the day after he passed away.

Wow. I loved that. Tears. Tears. Tears.

Same thing happened when we sang Hark All Ye Nations in sacrament meeting today. Tears. Tears. Tears. I sang that hymn as a missionary! How can I not cry throughout? Tears. Tears. Tears.

Is it because I'm pregnant? Cause I feel pretty real about my tears.

In conclusion, let it be known. I know this work is true. I count myself as blessed beyond measure that I know.

Baby Gender Guess!

Okay, ya'll have ten days to put in your Baby Andrus #2 gender guesses before we find out what it is! You can document your guess in the comment section of this post. Then I'll tell you if you were right February 18!

Guess away!!

Dear Oprah

Dear Oprah,

You've lost this one. Lost.

It started a year ago when you told me Juno was the best movie ever made. Tried it. And you lose.

I gave you a few more chances, but ten strikes your out.

Last week, when you continued to asked the man who had repented of homosexual acts why he would deny who he really is, why he hadn't left his wife and accepted who his true self is telling him he is, why he would deny himself a full life of homosexuality, you lost me. You lost me for good.

Trust and respect for Oprah Winfrey from Candice Calder Andrus: Zero.

P.S. Before all this I was one of your faithful daily viewers.

Beating the Winter Blues and Bump Watching

I just had to post this pic of Trent climbing under the desk. This is how he gets my attention when I'm too busy blogging.

Tim and I beat the winter blues last Saturday at the amazing indoor pool nearby. What an awesome place! And they keep the water at 90 degrees! We are definitely going to become frequent flyers at this place.







They have these little fountains that Trent loved to play with, baby jumpers in 5" of water, baby slides, big people slides, lazy river, powerful mini lazy river, hot tub, water guns, and a big bucket that dumps loads of water so powerful it can pull your swim bottoms off about every three minutes. (See the bamboo structure below? See the big bucket at the top.) So so super fun. And so perfect for all ages, even a 1 year old!

They have a lap pool too, but since I doubt I can even swim one length of the pool, I opted to play in the "Leisure" pool.

The pool slopes like a beach, so sometimes Trent's crazy crawling speeds would get him into deep water.

Below Trent is drinking up the pool water. He does this in the tub too. Where in the world did he get that from? We didn't teach him that.

Playing with dad.



Some of you remember I had a "Bump Watch" photo album on Facebook for our pregnancy with Trent. There hasn't been much to watch so far this pregnancy. In fact, I've only gained 2 pounds on the scale. But the waist sure does look different. I started documenting this Bump Watch #2 and thought it appropriate to show the regular belly, and the "let it all hang out" belly. I am in that stage, ya know. The one where you still look normal, but a little pudgy, but not pregnant...but if I really push it out, then maybe, just maybe, I can look like it's a baby and not too many donuts. I do love donuts.

The doctor assured me I would be putting on some good pounds this month. Oh how exciting. I just love to watch the scale numbers go up. ;)

I can feel the baby move every day now, and in two weeks we will find out what it is! We are the kind of people that find out. The sooner the better. When I know what the baby is, the baby is real! And that's when I really start to realize my life is changing. So reality will hit soon.