Happy Birthday Babe!

My dear, sweet husband turned 28 today! I can't believe it! The past 5 years and 3 months with him has been the best of my life. I look forward to getting to know him even better than I already do in the years to come. I couldn't even count the number of times he has made me laugh. He truly is my best friend. I hate being away from him, but now is the time in my life that I need to be self-less. Eventually I will get him all to myself (sorry ladies... he's mine!). =0) Happy Birthday Babe!

A busy week with some Hope

This week was a hopping one for our family. We were busy with something every day! Sometimes it took right up until dinner to finally get everything done. Most nights I slept horribly and didn't get the rest I was hoping for. Last night I got the most sleep I was able to get all week! It was wonderful! At first, I thought that it wouldn't happen with children who passed out by 6:30pm. They woke up a few hours later and I thought they might not go back to bed. They did and Heavenly Father blessed me with some really great sleep. I even had a dream! Can you guess what it was about? I am so excited about this.... I had a dream that the baby I am carrying is a BOY!! So, we'll see if my dreams can tell the future. I will keep you all posted when I get my ultrasound.

I treated myself to JOANN's yesterday. I bought fabric to make the girls' Easter dresses, fabric for a few baby blankets (all generic colors of course), and a few odds and ends that I didn't have yet to round out my sewing stash. I have projects to do! I am so excited! I'll post pictures of them as I finish.

It's finally here.....

THE FIRST DAY OF SPRING!!! I'll be visiting Rita's today. For those of you calorie conscious ladies, grab a sugar free treat (complimentary on the first day of spring). I will be trying one of those today. I will post later with an "update" letting you know what flavor I chose. I hope you beat the bleak weather and feel a touch of spring sometime today!!

UPDATE:: Sorry it took me a day to post, but I got the sugar-free Pineapple (really quite yummy)flavor at Rita's. My girls tried the Mystery Flavor. They seemed to like that one too.

ONE of the best days of the year....

I got this pic from the Rita's Website!! Friday is the first day of spring which means a FREE regular Rita's!! They have some great flavors, I hope you all get the chance to stop in!! The one around here is located off of 21st street. I'll be joining all you Tropical Smoothie lovers for the first day of Summer too! If you get in to try a Rita's, leave me a message and let me know what flavor you got!

Happy St. Pattys!!!

Since I am part Irish - I need to respect my heritage and put up a nice greeting for St. Patrick's Day. Since it is a Holiday in Ireland. Don't forget to wear green so you don't get pinched!! Hopefully there will be a pot O gold at the end of the rainbow that comes after this dreadful rain passes!

Here is a recipe for those of you that want to add a little Irish to your dinner tonight:
IRISH POTATOES
Ingredients: 8-10 medium potatoes (peeled and cooked), 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese (softened), 8 oz. sour cream (low-fat), ½ cup butter (melted), ¼ cup chopped chives, 1 clove garlic (minced), 2 tsp. salt, paprika.

Mix and mash everything and place in a lightly buttered casserole dish, then sprinkle paprika over the top. Place in the frig overnight. Bake @ 350 uncovered for 30 minutes. (Yields: 8-10 servings)

A Few things I've been doing lately....

As desperately as I try to sit down and "craft" I just haven't been able to do it yet! In lieu of the Visiting Teaching Workshop (being held today) I had an excuse to craft a bit. Here is what I have. The crowns are little magnets for your fridge with a fitting quote and the box I decorated to transport the handouts for today. I think I will get some uses out of it since Spring is on its' way!


Sorry the picture is a bit dark. The design showed up better without the flash.

3 weeks down

Hooray! We've made it almost a month now that Jeremiah has been away. I am SO grateful I've had help and had friends to visit with and things to keep me busy. Being busy really is the cure. I've been blessed enough to hear from him a few times since he's been away. It's always a comfort to know that he is safe and doing as well as possible. Thank you everyone! I may not have asked you for help yet, but just knowing you are there if I need anything is SUCH a comfort and relieves any stress I might feel!! I will have plenty of OB appointments - so you may get your chance to keep an eye on the girls!

got SOAP?

My Julia just loves to "wash her hands". Her favorite soap is the Kandoo foam. This morning was her latest adventure. She started out by saying "I need some soap", to which she plopped some soap on her chin to make a beard.... and shortly... a mess! My little sister took these pictures (the flash on my camera takes a bit at times... so these were the best she could get). No doubt this girl loves to get clean!

It's about time we joined the Zoo!

Last year I decided we should get a membership somewhere fun to enjoy what Norfolk has to offer. We started with the Botanical Gardens, and got quite a few chances to play and have fun (although the main attraction was the water in WOW - but what child doesn't love to be soaked to the bone?).

This year my adventure is joining the Zoo (since you've all seen the title).

Yesterday was in one word: Perfect. Everything about it was just beautiful so we decided to venture out and join the zoo (since we are all wild animals at our house anyway). It seems as though everyone had the same idea. The line wasn't too bad and the girls really enjoyed it. Melanie seemed to enjoy life a whole bunch more behind the lens of her camera. I watched her "creep" around with her camera trying to get a good shot. What could be better than that??

New "Do"

I decided to get a new "do" yesterday. I've definitely needed a cut for a LONG time!! Jaesi's sister, Julie, cut it for me (and hopefully Nancy will be around long enough to help me maintain it). I pretty much told her to have fun with it. It turned out looking similar to a few cuts in the ward - which is totally fine. I just wanted something different and I love it! It makes me want to go crazy with highlights now!! Maybe closer to summer though. What do you think my hubby will say?

Who needs Cali??

When you have the beautiful weather we had yesterday!??? Today is supposed to be just as beautiful followed by a beautiful Sunday! Hooray! Last Sunday we had some terrible rain, so I think this one will be a nice change!! Our beautiful yesterday just happened to be the first day that the Rita's on 21st street opened for the season! We went there to get our first Rita's of the year and look forward to going back many times! The lucky new flavor is Island Fusion and it is fabulous!

First Snow Accumulation

My husband is so funny when he can correctly predict things that don't really matter. He's pretty good about the weather here. Maybe it's because he lived just across the bridge most of his life. Who knows? His prediction? That it would snow in March... and... what did it do? IT SNOWED MARCH 2nd!!! Ok, ok.... we got a few flurries this winter, but nothing actually stuck until this one. We got so much snow schools didn't know what to do. The roads were completely dry by lunch time.... better watch out school buses!! My apologies... I grew up in a northern state and have gone through many a snow (and blizzard). A half foot of snow or more constitutes a school delay, half an inch does not. Right on the nose with that prediction honey... now... maybe you can predict when you'll come home to us!?? =0)

Baby!?

I had my appointment this week and was able to get my first ultrasound as well! Yay! I've been having this fear that since I've been asking for a boy so much, that maybe Heavenly Father in His good humor, would send me twins (one boy, one girl) to appease my pleas for a son. Gladly, I have only one little person growing inside of me. It has a head, strong heartbeat, arms, legs, and is VERY active. Sucking its' thumb is apparently already a favorite past time! Haha. Big sister Melanie will be proud.

One Week Down

Who knows how many more to go!? Well, we are one week down in the countdown to see Jeremiah again. Hooray! What a week it has been too!! We've been so sick the house was in shambles, that not much sounded scrumptious enough to eat, no homemade cookin, then was feeling great for the wonderful weather we had just yesterday and the day before, and back to the cold dreariness! I think the girls have been through every emotion imaginable. I have another OB appointment this week and I think I will get some wonderful pictures of my little baby this time around! HOORAY!! I'm excited. Seeing the little life inside of you on the screen always makes the pain and suffering a bit more bearable. My mom and little sister are going to come out too to give me a little peace of mind. That way I can hopefully tackle some "bigger" organization projects that I wouldn't be able to do without the girls tearing up the other part of the house. So, I will have their help later on this week. Hopefully we'll be able to get a lot done during their visit so that I can really be prepared for what may lie ahead. I am really looking forward to feeling better and have some big time energy and opportunities to help others and be productive! I have so many goals for myself during this pregnancy!

A BIG SHOUT OUT TO ALL WHO WERE ABLE TO MAKE THE PARTY LAST NIGHT.... I had a great time visiting with all of you and I hope you all enjoyed the chance to get out too! I'll have to have little get togethers over at my place more frequently so that I can visit with you all more often and give you all an excuse to have your husbands watch the children for a few hours! =0)

Final count for Pampered Chef!

Hey there ladies! I wanted to give a shout out for a final count as to who can make it. I've got Tara, Jaesi, and Kristy so far. Leann and Heidi, I will get you the catalogs. Anyone else? We'd love to have anyone who wants to come!

A baptism and life..

We were blessed to attend Jonah's baptism today. It was wonderful! He and his family were so happy and it was wonderful to share this day with them. Congratulations to Jonah!

Poor Julia didn't hold up so well after the baptism and I fear we won't make it to church tomorrow. She's already gotten a blessing and so we just need to exercise faith. Any prayers on her behalf would be GREATLY appreciated.

As a side note, Jeremiah's cruise ship departed for the world today. So... overall - it has been a little discouraging lately. We love him and wish him a safe trip!

Monday

Mel and "Koala" (how fitting)


Julia and "Fluffy" (suggested by Daddy)



Boy was I glad Monday was a holiday!! The Navy almost took it away from us, but we only lost a few morning hours before he came home to us! My family headed home after a nice weekend visit. We headed out to take care of a few things and have some much needed family time before the big "D" (departure). We ended up at the mall and stopped in to buy some overpriced but still cute Build-a-Bear hugables.

Our January... my little girl is growing up!!

Most of our January was spent with just us girls. Jeremiah was gone most of the month... so nothing too great to note. EXCEPT.... Melanie's FIRST EVER Primary Activity! That happened the very last day of the month. Here are some pictures...


Stop at the right picture Mel! We're routing for you!!


Looks like Bingo is your thing!!


She didn't enjoy being a Nephite any more than they did during their time of bondage it seems.


Pull, Pull!! Ahh, Shelby is such a great sport!

VERY much delayed Christmas Pictures

We got to spend a few days (VERY few) in PA visiting with my family. My sister and her adorable little family were blessed to be able to fly in for a visit. I got to meet her little girl for the first time, and see the TINY bump with what we have since found out is another niece for me! YAY for girls! I guess my Dad must really really love girls.... or he needs to love them some more. Hmm... no one will know for sure I guess. I promised my best friend, Erin, that I would post pictures of the girls and of her while she was able to come visit (also very briefly). I hope to visit PA soon and stay a bit longer than 2 days!! I look forward to seeing you guys! I miss you all!



My best friend, Erin and my super cute niece!!


Erin with my first baby! Golly I miss that hair sometimes.


Look at that little ham! This was how she smiled when prompted. TOO CUTE!


The grand babies! Just think... by October of this year, there will be 5!!


My beautiful little sister, her hubby Cameron, and little girl Cambri!! (plus one!)

Slacker

Ever looked up the word slacker in your dictionary? If you have, you'd find my picture RIGHT next to it!! A lot of things have been slipping through my fingers lately (card exchange, playgroup, cross stitch, etc) and oh boy... I'm getting behind. So many great intentions, so little energy. For starters, gearing up to send my other half (and at this point better half) off exploring the world without me. It's been kind of tiring. Getting the car fixed (well maintained is a better definition), sort of rearranging my house (meaning it's half done), getting rid of things, washing everything, trying to organize everything that needs to take the trip with him, plus having enough time together (which we never have), and coming to grips. Crazy crazy crazy. It's times like these I really am amazed by those other seemingly stronger women. Then again, each time he has left for a lengthy period of time - I've had the great pleasure of pregnancy hormones. haha. I guess it is Heavenly Father's way of keeping me weepy. Then, after all the praying I have been doing about the girls being ready for potty training and fighting my own "symptoms" of great fatigue with the occasional gag reflex, I had a break through! Why not potty train them WHILE I'm feeling yucky and have no desire to go anywhere (including the gym)? So... that is what I am doing - we are on day 2. So far today, one successful potty trip and no accidents. Yes, I am knocking on wood right now. I won't be at book club tonight, but my thoughts will be with you ladies!! I loved the book and look forward to reading March's.

The other way I am slacking is in updating (of course!). I have so much to post. Including from way back in December. I have family pictures to post, some funny clips of my children and my nephew running around my house, and a few things we've done in preparation for Jeremiah's big trip. Oh, and quite a few recipes for that recipe blog I've got going with my sister. I have a lot to do - my goal is to do it within the next few days so I can be caught up and get to do some of the other things I've been wanting to!