Holiday Open House

Don't miss this fun shopping event! Bring a friend and enjoy some girl time, coffee and shopping! Hope to see you there!!

Surprise! My world is now BLUE!

As many of you know, we are expecting baby #2 in April. Today I am 21 wks and 5 days...almost 22 weeks along!! For me, this is a little sad. I am not your text book pregnant woman and I LOVE being pregnant. Aside from the first trimester nausea and negative zero energy, I love the experience of growing a little person. I love the experience of trying to figure out the personality before he or she enters the world. I love the fact that I am the only one, for 9 months, who has the baby ALL to myself! I love the first kicks and movement that only I can feel. I love that I am the only one really getting to know this little person before I am obligated to share them with the world.

Monday was our ultrasound to measure the head, bones and make sure all is on track, and to find out BOY or GIRL! I wanted all 3 of us to find out together and we couldn't take Aubrey. So, my amazing friend Sarah, who does photography, and is signed to me for life to do our family photos until we die, came up with this awesome 'baby reveal' idea. I had the ultrasound and asked the tech to put the gender picture in an envelope because we wanted to know, but didn't want her to tell. So when we arrived at that point in the ultra sound she had me close my eyes. It was done and over. The verdict was in the gold envelope and I had to restrain myself with EVERY ounce of energy to NOT peek! I had two very important people waiting to be surprised with the news, and I wasn't about to ruin it!

So I drove to Sarah's house, handed her the envelope and off she went to the store to get pink or blue balloons. She then took the bundle and headed to the park to fill the 'surprise' box with the verdict of balloons. When she was all set up, Justin, Aubrey and I met her at the park. I can't begin to describe how nervous and excited we all were! And we pulled it off perfectly! Pulled the top off the box and our world was filled with blue balloons! For once in our lives we were speechless! Our world has been pink for 4 years, and now blue has entered the picture! What in the world do I do with blue?!

Aubrey's reaction? 'I told you it was a brother!' and she jumped up and down holding the bundle of balloons! Yes, she deemed him brother about 2 months ago.

Sarah captured the moment of surprise PERFECTLY! I am SO thankful I did NOT peak!
Now to plan for a world of blue!

Such is my life!

Many of you know, some of you do not know, our house sits on 6 acres. We have plenty of woods, fence and room to run. Along with all of that space comes the ability to own multiple animals! My husband is in charge of the animals. Granted neither of us grew up on farms. He grew up on the South side of Springfield in a neighborhood, I grew up in a 'farm town', but only on 1 acre with a cat or a dog. Everything we have learned about 'farm' animals, we have learned from experience!

We have on our 6 acres; 2 goats, 1 miniature horse, 10 chickens, 1 cat and 1 calf. Yes, all very interesting and they all serve a purpose, or Justin would not allow them to take up residency on our land. He has been wanting a cow for years. I finally broke down and agreed. Now that he has a cow, he wanted a pig! I WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH A PIG, NOR DO I WANT IT ON OUR PROPERTY! They stink, they root and they destroy. I don't care that a pig will eat all of your table scraps...I don't want one!

Conveniently, his brother bought 2 little pigs, but can only keep 1. Guess who has the one he just couldn't keep...that's right! US! So last week we drove to Niangua for our Nephew's birthday party, knowing that on the ride home we would have an extra passenger. Mind you we drive a Mazda Tribute, medium size SUV. While partying, my brother-in-law says to me 'sooo, the pig MIGHT have a friend riding home with him'. My reply - 'what kind of friend? Is it living and breathing?' B.-in-Law 'maybe....it's for Justin's birthday...it's a Turkey and it's big enough to eat as soon as you want!' WELL THAT'S CONSOLATION!

2 hours later packed in the back of our SUV is a large dog carrier and a plastic tote. Large dog carrier contains the turkey, plastic tote with holes contains the pig. We set off for home, a turkey, a pig, Aubrey, Justin and I. My nausea of pregnancy has let up, but probably not enough for a 45 minute ride with 2 farm animals in the back! We made it to Springfield, intermittently rolling windows up and down for a breath of fresh air now and then. I was feeling pretty good. 15 min from home I assured Justin I was feeling ok, but he didn't need to take any sweet time driving.

About that time this HORRENDOUS, PUNGENT, TERRIBLE, BREATH-TAKING odor OVER TOOK ALL OF US! I said 'but whatever THAT was, I CAN'T HANDLE!' Evidently, when birds get nervous, they poop... A LOT! Thus the turkey in the back POOPED something AWFUL! We needed a gas mask! But unfortunately, our car is NOT equipped for that! I WAS IRATE! Mad at the whole situation, mad that we actually have room for all of these ridiculous animals! (even though Justin does all of the work) And then, the situation just turned funny. All we could do was laugh! The mix of the smell and laughing ourselves to tears, brought Justin screeching to a halt on the side of the highway. He jumped out and lost everything he just ate at the birthday party! Upon witnessing this, Aubrey pipes up from the back seat 'mama, i think I'm going to throw up!' I said 'no honey, no one else is throwing up, pinch your nose shut and breath through your mouth!'. OF ALL PEOPLE I, THE ONE WITH CHILD SHOULD BE TOSSING MY COOKIES! But I think my adrenaline was running rampant and I didn't feel the need. SOMEONE had to stay strong!

Needless to say, we flew into the drive way, hands on the door handles and as soon as the car stopped, we all piled out like the car was filled with a nest of bees!

Yes, the Turkey and Pig are living happily at our home. Hopefully the Turkey will be Thanksgiving feast! And one day, the pig will be in my freezer! Do I think it will be hard and sad to eat these beasts? NO WAY!

Such is my life!

12 weeks

12 weeks and THERE IS a bump! It may look small...but it's enough to make me winded walking to and from the car, I'm eating like food will be wiped off the face of the earth tomorrow and sleeping like I haven't slept in years! (I don't remember being like this with Aubrey at this stage...Justin disagrees.) Nausea? It has subsided for the most part. It only gets bad when I'm exhausted or EXTREMELY hungry. When this baby wants to eat...it wants to eat NOW!

Honestly, I'm not sure it has really hit me that there will be another BABY around! I have a job, a 4 year old, housework and a husband to keep up with. Not sure when it will hit, but for now I'm enjoying my bump. :)

BABY!

Most of you have probably heard by now... we're having a BABY! April 9 is the estimated date of arrival!

I've had a rough few weeks of nausea and tiredness, but Sunday I will be 12 wks! I think I'm coming out of they 'yucky' feeling part....for a while that is!

Aubrey is excited to be a BIG SISTER! Every day she changes her mind as to whether or not she wants a brother or a sister! We're just hoping for a healthy baby! Makes no difference to us. The organized side of me wants a girl, b/c I already have all girl stuff and SO MUCH cute little girl clothes I want use all over again! But the unknown side of me wants a boy b/c I have NO IDEA what to do with a boy! We'll find out after Thanksgiving if it's a girl or boy.

a little jar of heaven

That's right! These beautiful shiny jars are filled with SEEDLESS black raspberry jelly! HOME MADE by myself! Well, with a little help from a very good friend!

Let's just say it was a LOT of fun making it...and I will NEVER tell you how much sugar is in a batch of jelly! EVER. It's heavenly! Our berry bushes did not let us down this year!

Tomorrow and part of Tuesday I get to play 'camp nurse'. First time as camp nurse... with a bunch of Teenagers! YIKES! We'll see! I'll use this as a test run...to see if I EVER want to play camp nurse again! Wish me luck!

Decade?!

Last Thursday, June 16, was mine and Justin's ten year wedding anniversary! TEN YEARS! I remember thinking during the first year....'10 years is a long way off!' Boy was I WRONG! Time has FLOWN BY! Every year on our anniversary I want to get married all over again. Of course in a different location, different colors, different flowers, different dress each year. Just to mix it up!

Our wedding day was SO much fun! Surrounded by family and friends, I couldn't have asked for a more perfect day! Complete with violin music, smiles, tears, hugs, bubbles, a hay ride with the wedding party and a little bit of boogy on the dance floor! The only thing that went wrong? All of the groomsmen, ushers, minister and groom decided to shine their shoes moments before the event. There were tea-light candles placed in tuhle across the stage to give a 'soft glow' to the set. I bet you have guessed by now something caught on fire....NOT the tuhle! But the toe of the ministers shoe! He stepped back and flipped the candle over, igniting the toe of his shoe. Justin, myself and a few attendants were the only ones who caught this mishap! And we paid for a new pair of shoes for him! Not because we had to....because we felt bad! ;)

Below are a few pics from the day. Taken from our wedding album by Justin's Iphone. Not the best quality....but 'back then', digital camera's weren't popular and were way to expensive if they were around! this would be the quiet moments AFTER the ignited shoe!

YES, that is a HAY wagon we rode off into the sunset on! The entire wedding party and significant other fit on that wagon! My best friends brother was sweet enough to drive it down mainstreet to the reception! Maybe a little bit 'country', but a TON of fun!



Ahhh the memories. Wonderful ones they are of that day! I love reminiscing about the event and wish we could do it all over again every year! It's been a busy, educational, wonderful decade....we're looking forward to what the next decade brings us! (Hopefully a little more relaxation!)