get caught up

T
he days got away from
me and I looked back at
the last time I blogged
and that was like TWO
weeks ago!

 

 

The last two weeks have been good. Baby is still growing away.

We still don't know what we are having. We are all getting a little anxious I think.

The other day William told me that having the baby sure makes him tired.

I couldn't help but burst out laughing!

 

I decided I would just do a fun little post on what we've been up to around here the last couple of weeks...

 

William discovered that if I won't give him a band-aid -

 

 

stickers do the same thing and his heart is happy and it makes his ouchies feel better too!

 

Here I am proudly displaying Pauly's artwork so he could take a picture of it. He is a really great drawer - he makes amazing little people and he has been working so hard on his letters lately so that he will be ready for school next fall.

And here is a picture he colored recently - he is getting so good at it!!!
 

Here the boys are attempting to help Daphnie smile for the camera!
 

Pauly taking more pictures by himself.
 

He does a pretty great job!
 

About a week ago we made cookies!! The boys love to help in the kitchen!
 

YUM!
 

They were really good!
 

We usually make a weekly trip to the Library for story time and to get some new books.

The boys are so good during story time. 

 

We have gone through many a training to sit nicely with their hands together, keep quiet and listen to the librarian.

It's pretty fun to watch them as they try their best to be good.
 

One of the new flick the boys have been watching lately is PussNBoots.
 

This is William dressing up like PussNBoots. He told us his underwear is his belt.
 

He came out dressed like this when Aunt Jojo was here and we all laughed till we were rollin'

on the floor!!

Such a character!
 

Then he challenged Aunt Jojo to the dance-off, like on the movie. You should of

seen them doing the 'Litter box' back and forth at each other.

The kids got in a lot of fun play time. They played hide and go seek and at one point we realized that Birch had been hiding for about a half hour in the vacuum closet - behind the vacuum!
 

 Casi Jean, Jodi Dawn, Sami Jo

I love these girls so much.

sweet sweet 16

T
hankful today. Thankful for little
kicks inside my belly. Thankful for
my nice warm house. Thankful for
mega sweet boys that give great hugs
and precious kisses and they don't hold
back. Thankful for evenings with my...

 

 

...husband where we sit and visit ...

and dream about this little one.

 

Thankful for 16.

WEEK 16 that is.

Little baby baby bundle has now reached the "avocado"-size of this precious adventure.

 I still can't quite believe I'm already

FOUR MONTHS along!!

I'm getting more and more excited and more and more thankful that I get to

experience this beautiful joy

one.

more.

time.

We went to yet another doctor's appointment today.
We got to hear the baby's heartbeat again and it is going strong!
So thankful.



These last two pictures, I totally took in my doctor's restroom because I didn't want to forget to take some cute pics of my fun outfit I was wearing. My hair-ja-bob was from Casi's wedding!
Isn't it cute?

Yeahhhhh... I'm a goob.

No shame though.

My boys are getting so funny about the baby coming. Doing things like getting out an extra table-setting when it's dinner time and such.

It's so precious. I just adore their thoughtful, little hearts.



Pauly has come up with some doozy names. For a boy, he told us a while back he liked Pringus (if you are slowly tipping your head to the left or right - then you feel our pain) and then for a girl, he told us last night, that he likes Brella.

You read that right - Brella.

Now you can join me in the never ending singing in your brain of Umbrella by Rihanna.
Brella, Brella..... ugh.

That's all that keeps going through my head since he told us that he likes that name.

Thank you, Pauly!!

William is still adamant that it is a boy and yesterday at lunch he said he was full and that he was going to save the rest of his lunch for the baby. lol!!!!

Yeah... whatever can get you away from having to eat the rest of your lunch there big kid.


So yes,

16 weeks.

My next doctor's appointment is the first part of February and that is when we find
out if the nursery shall stay baby blue

or

if it shall get a whole new shade of girl <3 p="p">

beautifully spoiled

S
now is fluttering down from the heavens
perfectly coating everything as if God
sent it all just for me. I'm from a part of
this country where there was a ton of snow
every winter and this girl's heart has been
missing it so. very. much.

I would be lieing if I said I haven't been peeking out my curtains

every.

single.

morning.

for the past several weeks -
 eager to see exactly what I saw out my window this morning!


 It was snowing and HARD!
AND
it still IS snowing!

Everything is getting so very snow-covered!

 To add to my beautiful excitement of the snow, look what I got in the mail!!!
Right after Christmas I ordered these cd's from JJ Heller's website. She was having
an awesome Christmas deal - two cd's for $10 and no shipping!

 So - I woke up to beautiful snow,

 then I got two amazing cd's in the mail that totally blessed me,

drank delicious coffee from this beautiful, fun cup,
 

 that somehow got into all the wedding sctuff when we were packing up so if it's yours just holler - I've been taking really good care of it. ;)

 

 and finally I got to read over my notes from our message yesterday at church -
that so gently, yet boldly reminded me
why I exist and how I should live.

That's what I call...

beautifully spoiled.


⁸ If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.
Romans 14:8

a french fling

M
usic, for me, is an escape. I
adore just sitting in a chair, and
listening to music with my eyes
closed and the places it takes me -
well... I won't be telling all my secrets.

This day has been a blah-of-a-day.

 

I woke up and got going but about half way through my morning I got extremely tired and

I got a pretty big headache. So I started my boys (and my niece - I'm watching her this week) a nice little movie. I snuggled up on the couch with my husband's most divine best blanket to have when you not feeling so hot and I got a really nice nap in.

 

I get that most people can't just do that with their kids and be able to trust them not to get into anything but that's just the kind of kids we've got. They are good kids but they also know what consequences come if they do not behave themselves... ehem! So they behave.

 

We did get outside today to get a little fresh air. I can't believe how cold it is. The temperatures for this whole week are below freezing. I don't ever remember it being THAT cold here in the winter but I could be wrong, I guess.

 

It's amazing what a little fresh air will do for you. My kids are near conked out right now (8 p.m.), watching a kids show in my bed and usually they are still trying to wind-down for the evening at this time. My dogs are also both sprawled out sleeping. I just love it! I also am thinking it is going to be an early bedtime this evening. I'm just zonked!

 

Right now, as I'm typing away, I'm swaying my head back and forth and bouncing my big toe up and down to my French Music channel on Pandora. Hellllllo! If you've never just sat and listened to french music - well may I be the first to invite you to do so!

 

 This is exactly the kind of music I am talking about! The kind that the moment I lay my head back to rest on my chair and close my little peeps I am strolling down a beautiful cobbled street that has really exquisite shops and they all beautiful window scenes set up. I would of course be having one of my best hair days ever, be about 50 lbs (or more) lighter and would be of course, wearing something fun and flirty! And there would be high heels! Not because they are my favorite but just because they add to that Paris/Romantic/Dreamy flare, don't you think??

 

Of course there is music playing softly constantly throughout this walk and for the entire day. I can hear it now as I continue to stroll and peek at windows. Then maybe at some point I'll stop at a sweet little cafe and there I'll sit (outside of course) and read (I don't really enjoy reading but I'm dreaming here) and there I'll sit for a while, maybe sip a little coffee and have a nibble or two of some croissant or maybe some tarte tartin -- whatever it is, it would only be a couple of bites because well, this is France where they don't hardly eat much, right? 

 

My evening will end with meeting up with My Love at nearby fountain where he'll have a picnic basket filled with wonderful cheeses, and breads, and other fine foods from a nearby delicatessen. Somehow in this picture I have a whole new dress on - but hey, like I said, it's my dream and it can be any way I want...

 

*wink*

 



2012

2012 has come and gone.
From the way this blog reads
you might not realize that a
whole year as passed and you
haven't even moved an inch.

Yes.

2012 is gone and we are now on the 2nd day of 2013!
 

I decided to take a break from blogging for an entire year. This gave me an opportunity to focus on other things but I completely missed being able to journal about our daily life here, thus why I've decided to try and make a "comeback" ... but making a comeback would have to mean I had some sort of following and well... I don't think just your mom reading your blog is a following. Although I do love that she reads just about every post and leaves a comment. What can I say, my mom rocks.

But yeah... it was a really nice break but let's be honest - I adore blogging. Writing was something I didn't know I loved to do and I found this out through blogging. This is the place I can let my creative juices flow. This is the place I can journal things I know I would forget otherwise. This is the place where I can post fun pics of my rascals for my family and friends. That way all y'all can see what kind of trouble we've been getting into.

I've decided it would be a good idea to compile a short list to review all of the things that happened in 2012 so that years down the road we can remember what happened. Cuz the Lord knows I have a terrible memory and I WILL forget!

So here goes:

2012

January:

1. Spent New Years with Casi and Brian and Macarti Rae - we started what we hope to be an annual event where we all spend time together, playing games and snarfing down bucket loads of hot wings. Yummm!

2. Started my first Beth Moore Bible Study - Mercy Triumphs (on book of James) Loved it!!

February:

1. William started his short and sweet potty training. That boy rocked the potty training!!

2. Aunt Jo and Uncle Brian and kids came to town!

3. We all got wonderful loving packages for Valentines!

... and I made us heart pancakes!

March:

1. Casi quit working for the construction company and got a job as a secretary for a transportation/limo service. The Lord showed us, yet again, how faithful he is through his timing, his mercy and protection over our family during this challenging time.

2. The Mr. coached boys Rugby! He SO rocks it.

3. Our little farm in the city got new baby chicks to enjoy!

4. We enjoyed a wonderful Easter.

We all went to church together and
 

then the kids enjoyed a fun Easter Egg Hunt after church.

April:

1. Got with a friend and started working out with her once a week and she put me on a workout regimen. I was so thankful for the time this friend put into helping me and educating me on health and exercise.

May:

1. Ugh! I turned 31! lol!

2. God was really working on my heart and our family. He's so good to us.

3. Made lots of new friends through our new church family!

 

June:

1. Sweet Pea turned 5 years old!!

2. Pauly boy got to go on his first camping trip with daddy up to Boy Scout camp and he did so good! ... So did mommy. lol!!!

3. Auntie got something sparkly presented to her on Father's Day .... let the wedding planning begin!

July:

1. 4th of July was a grand time. First we went to the parade

and then we went to some friend's house for swimming, bbq and fireworks (and the sprinklers turned on when we were lighting fireworks!) Awesome memories. <3 p="p">
2.Watched the London Summer Olympics. My boys loved it! This is them trying to do gymnastics on the couch!

3. My beautiful cousin, Aubrey, got married. It was a really fun wedding and great time spent with family.


4. Family from North Dakota came to visit. We had LOTS of fun!

5. Pauly boy started swim lessons. He was VERY attentive and did so great! He can't wait to have more lessons

and William is excited to start up next year!


August:
1. I decided to try and fly down the stairs which ended up in a trip to the Emergency Room. Nothing broken just terribly bumped and bruised. My shoulder still hurts.

2. Our church got a new Worship Pastor!

3. Became best friends with my glue gun making decorations for Casi's wedding.

It was so much fun planning and plotting for her wedding with her.

Photo by: EMZ Photography

 

4. I found a sweet little stray dog in a parking lot and he ended up being the sweetest thing. Ben's mom ended up adopting him to surprise Grandad. They named him Lad. We all really love him.
This is before his haircut.

 This is after his haircut. Huge difference, huh!?!

September:

1. Pauly boy turned FIVE! Can't hardly believe it.

2. Casi and I went to a Beth Moore event. It was amazing. I could listen to her speak all day - everyday.
3. Sweet Pea started Kindergarten!

4. My two boys got to go and spend a week with Mimi and Papa while we finished up wedding decorations and tied up loose ends.

 5. My sweet sister married an amazing man and Sweet Pea got a new daddy <3 class="separator" nbsp="nbsp" p="p" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
photo by: EMZ photography

 

6. Ben and I celebrated our 8th year Wedding Anniversary! Ben made us the most wonderful sushi dinner to celebrate!

 

October:
1. Casi and Macarti officially moved out. Bittersweet.

 

2. Ben got an amazing bounty from his garden.

...and our little chickens are doing great!




3. We found out we are expecting our 3rd baby! So excited! This will be the last baby from this mama-body so we are VERY curious if we are having a boy or a girl. We still have about a month till we find out.

4. Attended the Bridgepoint Harvest Party. Pauly was a NASCAR race car driver and William was an airplane pilot. Macarti dressed up Queen Esther. They were all so stinkin' cute.

5. Mama slept through some of this month - I wasn't really SUPER sick - just nauseous! But my sweet boys were super helpful and would play nicely and let me rest when I needed to.

6. We got to go to our first baby doctor appointment. We had an ultra sound and got to see that our little one was doing great!

November:
1. My sweet William turned 3! Geesh. Where has the time gone?


2. We voted to elect a President of the United States. ... Obama won, again.

3. We all enjoyed an amazing Thanksgiving dinner at Aunt Louise and Uncle Brad's house. There was great food and fun!

4. New love for Duck Dynasty! Hilarious!!!

5. Lots of sleeping for mama on the couch. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

December:
1. Got a new pickle obsession. Love all things sour and tangy right now.

2. Paul got to be involved in his first Christmas Program! He did an amazing job!


3. Went to second doctor's appointment and we got to hear the heartbeat!!! Praise the Lord!!

 4. Got into my second trimester and I feel like a whole new woman... It's amazing how that works that way.


5. Blessed. Blessed. Blessed.


6. We went to my nieces Christmas Program and got to listen to her sing. She's amazing.

7. Got a doozy of a sliver out of Pauly's foot.


8. Made my first dolls to surprise my boys for Christmas.

9. We all got REALLY sick with colds, sinus infections, tummy aches. boooooohooooo!

 

10. Stayed home for Christmas. It was very nice even though we were all sick.






This year was full of blessings and surprises but it also brought traumatic events throughout our country that brought us all to our knees. I'm happy, as I'm sure you all are, to see 2012 be done and over with. I'm ready for a fresh slate and a blank calendar. I have hope for 2013 to be a year of life,


living and loving.
It's going to be good, my friends.


Stay tuned!