Week 23 and counting

My life is based on weeks these days and they seem to be flying by. I'm now plugging along at 23 weeks and besides hideous heartburn which requires insane amounts of TUMS smoothies, I am feeling good. I wish I wasn't craving gross stuff like hot dogs and potato salad so frequently. It's the blasted salt. Guess who's making deviled eggs for the first time in her 33 year old life because SHE wants them? Weirdo. I'll see my dr. again on Thursday..it's a good thing we like eachother. So other than tubby me, there's other members of this family who are screaming for a review:



KYLE: Mr. Man came through the other night with a rousing game of "Let's Go Fishin"-a family/cheating favorite. Poor guy never gets a break. If he's home at all he's smothered in any and all attention requests, which is understandable and slightly amusing. The snow storm this weekend was exactly what he needed to keep that chin up on thee 'ole house siding deal. It sure is a slow process when nights are...um, dark, and Saturdays are raining or snowing. The family rejoiced in celebration as he agreed to take Friday night off from the house and take us to dinner instead. I know my chips and salsa were exceptional that night just because he was there.

JACK: It's Spring Break around these parts and that means this guy is home all day. I love and adore him and am thrilled that he is mine, however-it also means that the volume level in my home has just increased 10 fold for the next 7 straight days. Big thrills for last week included driving the tractor with grandpa and receiving 3 birthday party invitations to be held in the next 2 weeks...are you kidding me? Now this week with his loving mother's help- he will master the art of properly blowing his almost 7 year old nose without being asked.

COLE and BRODY: It's getting to be so nice when these two play together...for extended periods of time. Brody talks like a 10 year old so they are really having fun...for the most part. Cole will be the big F-I-V-E next week and no one is more excited than me because....Kyle is taking the night off and it's family party night. If I don't have to make dinner, any night is party night. Cole is a sensitive soul and is trying his best not to cry at something......everyday. He is full on reading now and that makes me so happy. He just figured it out and is totally taking his FULL allotted time each night to read an ENTIRE book OUTLOUD. Needless to say, story time has also been extended for day light savings.

BRODY 's life revolves around fruit snacks, Popsicles, chocolate milk, humming the Indiana Jones theme song note by exact note, and blaming everything on Cole (he learns from the master).

The HOUSE: Our latest addition to the abode is Kyle's barn/shop/storage shed. It's shaped like a barn but it won't be used for animals (not yet anyway). All the tools and equipment he can think of will be stored out here and not in my garage. See, that's where a car should be parked. I've never known this phenomenon in all my life. I'm rather excited about the prospects. Oh and my bathtub was installed. Doesn't it look inviting? It's filled to the brim with ice water to check the plumbing and look for leakage. We're waiting for precious county inspectors to bless us with their presence and pass off our plumbing and electrical so we (ha...we) KYLE, and various hard working helpers can start...sheet rockin! Emphasis on the rockin!

toothpaste sleeves

So the mornings can get a bit crazy around these parts. This morning was no different. I was out of bread-no toast, out of turkey sausage-no protein and didn't want to open yet another box of cereal so... Cinnamon Toast Crunch for everyone (I do enjoy a bowl myself every now and then). My point is...cruddy breakfast=spazzy children.

I asked this particular child...yea, the almost 7 year old who got caught (after numerous reminders to the contrary) sitting in his 2 year old brother's OLD car seat because the 2 year old is too big for it, yea that one...TO BRUSH HIS TEETH. Is that too much to ask? Does it really need to be reminded 5, 6, 7, 8 times before it gets done? Apparently.

Fast forward to his morning pick up waiting outside. No shoes on, no coat on (dumping rain), no back pack, no snack packed, and 2 GIANT GLOBS OF TOOTHPASTE (gross blue) on BOTH OF HIS SLEEVES. WHY??......HOW??........GRRRRRRRR!

It was the Cinnamon Toast Crunch, wasn't it?

My FAVORITE birthday gal!!!

Years ago when I was around 10 or so, I had a most unfortunate hair do. It was shoulder length, permed to beat the band, and my bangs started waaaay too far back on my head and literally wrapped around my face like a rainbow or maybe a horseshoe if you will. It was bad. Fantastic Sams was not so fantastic for this gal. I remember being absolutely aware of its offensiveness and prayed each day that it would just grow out or something. It took a long time to recover from that mess.
The reason I bring up this ugly stage in my life was that I remember my older sister Kirsten actually making some snide comment about my "unfortunate do." I don't remember what was actually said and to be perfectly frank... she was totally justified in saying something, it was atrocious. The point was even KIRSTEN joined in the hair free for all...shocking. Now she doesn't remember doing this and that's all well and good. My point in sharing this little sister tidbit is that to this day, in all honesty, that is THEE only semi unkind thing my sister has ever said to me. She is the most genuinely kind person I know and IT'S HER BIRTHDAY!!!!!

So I know I've already posted this picture of my favorite sister during MY birthday weekend extravaganza...but since it's now HER birthday and this is the most current display of sisterly love that I have........ I will display it again because..I can and it's her birthday~~!!!!

I guess we wear a lot of sunglasses.We like sunglasses. We like a lot of similar things. I think that's why we get along so well. Holding family rendezvous down at Disneyland for weeks of Mickey bliss would be high on the list. Calling each other numerous times a day to share something hilarious we just heard on Limbaugh even though we are both listening to the same broadcast. Sharing current favorite recipes our kids would enjoy or laughing about the latest "Psych" episode, you name it, I share it with Kirsten. I have always appreciated the fact that I can call and talk/whine/vent/cry to her anytime I need to and that I always feel better after talking with her. How lucky am I?

So on this special day, March 18th, I want to say Happy Birthday Kirsten, you are truly my favorite in every way!!

Would you believe that 3 cameras were going at once here?

Tagged...random 6th photo

Baby Brody

Heaven forbid my pictures be put in some functional and sensible order, noooo, so this is my humble offering...thee "6th file/6th picture." I think he's pretty dreamy with his giant milk dud eyes and soft cheeks. Brody is such a hilarious big 2 year old now that it's totally bizarre to see him as a wee babe, all snuggly and not moving. Currently this wee babe no longer is feasting on his PB&J sandwich (with the crusts pre cut) only eating till the imaginary crust. That's right, he still leaves an outer rim of perfectly good sandwich everytime...grrrr. I'm still debating if I'm ready for the 45 minute ordeal lovingly known as, "getting Brody to nap." I'll let him nibble his crustless sandwich a bit longer. He's such a perfect #3 and fit for our family. LOVE HIM!

Baby sister update: Just in case anyone was wondering on the status of this baby # 4...all is well for now. I went to the dr. yesterday and my blood pressure is totally fine and girly is sounding good and moving a lot. I go in next Thursday for an ecocardiogram on baby's heart and then another anatomy recheck ultrasound. So for the basic concern: my placenta isn't functioing normally and she believes will eventually not work well enough to support a thriving baby. Hopefully it will hang in there to get her big enough to be born with few complications.From here on out (till 30 weeks if I make it that far) I will have the pleasure of weekly appts. The 30 minute commute to her office/hospital I'm not looking forward to but that's what I'll do. I love my dr. and we both are very adamant about proceeding each week with optimistic concern and caution, I do what she tells me. I'll have weekly ultra sounds and non stress tests to make sure she is growing normally and my fluid levels remain normal (is that too much information?) Anyway, once 30 weeks rolls around and I pray it does, I'll go in 2x a week till she's here. My original due date was late July but we know that's not highly likely. I think sometime in June would be most wonderful...the later the better!

Reasons why #33 was THEE best birthday EVER....

Let's start at the very beginning....a very good place to start. I love having a birthday, that's all there is to it. This past weekend went far and above birthdays of the past so I had to list the reasons why turning 33 was so FANtastic.

We started off the day with:

-Subway picnic in the living room. I controlled my OCD ish desire to pick up every morsel that spilled till the partay was over. I still prefer table eating indoors.
-Receiving so many birthday wishes on Facebook was a hoot. It truly made my day. Thanks to all who took the time to do that..fun for me.

I requested a dinner out with Kyle-alone-and I wanted to be surprised on where we went. After dropping off the boys at my wonderful mother in laws, I drove down to meet Kyle at work. It truly must have been my special day because as I surfed radio stations I found :"Easy Lover" -by Phillip Bailey and Phil Collins..."She's an easy luv-a, she'll take your heart but she won't feel it....she's like no otha, and I'm just tryin to make you see...." So thankyou XM satellite radio for bringing that one down especially for me. Crab cakes, cesar salad, gigantor crab leg, steak, and towering dessert were all consumed on that blessed evening. The man came through with flying colors. Then, like another gift from satellite radio heaven above, "Close to you"-by Karen Carpenter comes on. What are the chances?

The cute cake lovingly made while I dined on everything I laid my eyes upon.

So my mom has been telling me for weeks to plan on the Friday after my birthday for an afternoon together...lunch/shopping, the usual. I obediently obliged her wishes and had my little fellas go elsewhere so I could once again be the top priority. As it turns out, my mom was in cahoots with my sneaky sister, my husband, and my mother in law in rigging up a FANTASTIC SURPRISE SISTER VISIT for ME!

My mom shows up at my door to take me to lunch. She claims she needs to just "freshen up a bit" and proceeds to walk into the kitchen. The door bell rings again and who could it be but this gal..... none other than MY MOST FAVORITE SISTER IN THE ENTIRE WORLD who happens to have 5 children, an incredibly busy life and, oh yea.... lives in UTAH!!! So all along thanks to my wonderful and thoughtful mom, she arranged for Kirsten to fly in Friday morning for my surprise birthday weekend.

The famous "lunch date" with my 2 favorite ladies.

And then my birthday just kept getting better.
In the parking lot of this particular eating establishment I spotted this little beauty (or did he spot me?) Someone seriously drives this truck...do you think he could live in Forks?

More birthday good times with my youngest brother Jens at my mom's house.




You ready for craziness.....my sister in law Jen(far right) had her sister (Jamie) fly up from Utah on the exact same flight as MY sister......who knew??

Oh the birthday cake!

sweaty cousins








Saturday brought more fun lunches that I didn't have to prepare, lazy shopping due to leaving Brody with my wonderful mother in law, and a lot of good laughs with my mom and cute siblings. Just spending a short time with my sister was what I needed. I feel rejuventad and ready for the weeks ahead. Thanks mom for knowing what I needed and making it happen,....I'm still impressed.

Long over due review

So it's already Tuesday and I'm fighting the feeling to ignore the blog. But I love it so, and for that reason alone I will trudge on with a long over due family review.

Brody continues to be my constant little buddy and shadow. He offers me my towel after a shower, brings me my slippers, and if I train him right, will be making dinner on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Currently his mode of operation: chocolate milk. He literally brings me the chocolate syrup for a glass of the good stuff at all hours. On this special day he took it upon himself to go a little milk crazy, proceed to spill the entire cup, and then just look away. I had no idea of his guilt

Cole conquered his minor fear of large farm animals this week by realizing the total coolness of feeding grandpa's cows from BEHIND a fence. No human nor animal need to come in contact. Just toss in the hay and watch with glee. I was proud of him and he's becoming fast friends with the always hungry black Angus.

I'm realizing that Cole and Brody are wearing the same shirt on different days. Well, when I loved it so much they both got one. Anyhoo-the hard field laborers taking a breather/playing with metal chains- in grandpa's barn.

Jack officially became a "cowboy" on Saturday as he helped grandpa herd in 2 sets of momma/baby cows. I "being one of humble growing rotundness" watched from behind the fence as Jack followed grandpa's directions in how to herd them in. It was the cutest thing to witness. He walked behind them, talked softly and firmly and they literally were going in the right direction. It was a beautiful sight until his sad rubber boots got stuck in 8 inches of cow poo. So stuck that he tried to move and thus pulled his foot right out leaving the little right boot submerged in the stinky stuff. Luckily Aunt Lorri (in flip flops) held him steady till grandpa came and saved the day.

The newest baby born that morning.

He got a "Tommy Boy" style wash down and a new pair of socks and leg warmers from grandma to wear inside his wet pants and he was good for the rest of the day. The cows by the way...went right into their pin after he got stuck. I'm tellin ya, I love this kid and his desire to help his dad and grandpa in whatever they need done. His sincerely asked question of the day, "So grandpa, now that I got stuck in cow poo, am I now a real cowboy?"


The House
Dirt piles a plenty for all to enjoy.

Kyle spent a lot of time these last few weeks installing all the duct work, that my friends is complete. The electrician has been working all week and supposedly will be done on Saturday. Kyle and his faithful helpers started the siding last weekend. He works on that every night after a quick dinner and hopefully in the next 2 weeks or so the siding will be done.

Just a little glimpse into what brand new siding looks like.....oooooh!

I continue to feel happy each day, which isn't a shocker per say. It's just that I'm still so nervous about what's to come in the next few months that I'm continually relieved to feel peace in my heart. I pray each morning for a positive attitude and health and strength for the both of us. I've completely changed my workout routine which is a bummer but worth it a million times over. I purchased my 1st pair of Mary Janes.....small and squishy so they are comfy for a wee babe and get this.......Navy Blue Paten leather....UGH!!! I know!