It's Official

So as you can see from the not so well picture of a picture. We went in today for a sonogram to see our new baby girl or boy to make sure the due date is in fact July 4th 2009. For those of you who don't know yes we are pregnant. That is our new peanut above. :)

Sneaky, Sneaky

This is what kids will do when you are checking email. All it takes is some "not so cheap" lotion and a few minutes. :)
ENJOY! :) Oh, and only a mom would say "we don't do that", then turn around and tell her to wait before cleaning up so she can grab the camera to take a pic! :)

Christmas Fun. . Thus Far

I thought I'd add a few pics of our holiday fun so far. We are Tucson Zoo members so every year we go to zoo lights on the member preview night for hot chocolate, cookies and lights. The kids had a good time, but always wish the animals were out.

Last Thursday was our sweet little girl's first ever preschool program. I must say she was the cutest one there, but of course I am biased. She is carrying hay and as they came in each child put hay in the manger up front. She looked great, but didn't sing a word. We knew this might happen as she hates standing up in front of people, but that is okay, at least she got on stage!! :)

And this is our gingerbread house we created last night. It was the first one we have ever done and I think the kids enjoyed eating the frosting and candy much more than putting it on the actual gingerbread house. Nevertheless, here is our masterpiece.

"D" for Done

We have a common phrase in our house that daddy uses most of all. It is "D" for done. We refer to it when we are done playing outside, done with dinner, done playing with objects from the kitchen that are hazardous, etc., you get the picture.
So I am officially calling "D" for done with nap time at our house for Lauren. She won't take them, no way, no how. No amount of bribing, laying down with, yelling, or other coercing will do the trick.
I am sad and tired. :) I think sadness doesn't even describe the feeling. More like terror at times. It was so nice to know that I could count on at least 1.5 hours to get certain things done or watch some ridiculous reality show on the DVR from previous nights. Or even nap myself. But those days are gone. Maybe this is how kids feel when you take away their blankets or pacifiers? It is definitely a sense of loss.
I now know what my mom was talking about all those years when she said you'd be tired for the first 10 years of each child's life. . .whew. .I have many more years of tired.

Encouraged

So I received this wonderful "blogger" award from my good friend Meredith at Therapeutic Ramblings Of A Mom. We have been friends since college and she is an amazing person and mom. Oh and a great blogger. . .I could only wish to be that good!

The rules for the Encouraged Blogger Award are:1. The winner may put the logo on their blog.2. Put a link to the person who sent you the award.3. Nominate 5 blogs.4. Put links to their blogs.5. Leave a message for your nominees.

1. My sister Katy at The Outlet an another site that you can link to through the Outlet. Amazing writer, even better sister.

2. Dana -A wonderful woman from Michigan. Who has a heart of gold and a creative ability I could only covet.

3. Jobey - A amazing woman I know from HS who has a heart for the Lord.

4. Kim- A strong, courageous woman of whom I have known for years and recently reconnected with.

5. T.J.- A man with a wicked sense of humor who married by wonderful best friend from HS.

Just What I Needed

Don't you just love it when things come just when you needed them? Some call this a coincidence, I call it God.
Let me tell you about my night. I went to bed not feeling well, and awoke to a crying, vomiting 3 year old at 2 in the morning. Poor thing, as we all hate throwing up, she does too and cried her way through it with me holding her and rubbing her back. Let me tell you, with a nauseated stomach of my own it was all I could do to not toss my own cookies. But we made it through the night with a few more visits from her insides and then she & I slept in her bed for the rest of the morning.
I did cry this morning, wondering how I was going to take care of my wonderful girl with the stomach flu, upon getting sick myself and entertain my 2 year old boy. I cried to God to help, help me somehow because I know that today would not fall upon my own strength.
Then, I opened up my email box and read my verse of the day. . .It was
"I took my troubles to the Lord; I cried out to Him, and He answered my prayer."
~ Psalm 120:1, NLT
I know the Lord hears me and I have already begun to feel less tired and a bit more myself. And as you can see I have had some free moments to write this blog while the kids watch Super Why on PBS.
I know we will make it through the day, but I definitely know it is not on my own strength alone.

My First "real" Cake!

Okay, so first, I know it has been a long while. My baby has now turned 2! I can't believe it, as he still has that pacifier and I am not quite sure how to cut that cord, but one thing at a time right?!?
For his birthday party we decided to take the trip to Phoenix and celebrate at a park next to his grandma and grandpa's house in Fountain Hills. It was a nice day and the kids had fun. For this birthday I promised myself I'd make a nice cake. No easy store bought cake, I would make it and decorate it. Well, I did half of it. I made it from a Duncan Hines mix, BUT I decorated it all by myself. Here is a picture to prove it. . .

So that was my labor of love for my little boy's 2nd birthday!