Eight Years...

or at least that's which anniversary I think it is if I did the math correctly.

It's seems longer, but in a good way. We're great compliments for each other. He's laid back. I'm high strung. He's slow with everything. I'm at ninety miles an hour. He's an early bird. I'm a night owl.

He stops in stores to say hi to people he knows....I hide and pretend I don't see them.

He loves country music. I'm more rock and roll.

Around the house, I'm very vocal. He's very not.

But we have alot in common. We love to laugh. We have a strong faith. We're conservative. Our goals are the same. We work well together on projects. We make amazing kiddos. We've been together long enough to complete each others thoughts and sentences. We put up with what I call each others 'weird stuff'. You know, our proclivities.

The best part about D, and I've said this since I've met him, is he accepts me just the way I am. He has never tried to change me. And to be married to someone like that is a pretty good place to be. If fact I could never fathom why you would marry someone and want to change them. I even mentioned that last year.

If you want to read about our wedding HERE's the post from last year. It really was a perfect day.

(Oh and guess how I'm spending my anniversary? Going to see New Moon with my mom and sister in law. Hehehe....D has to work.)

Almost forgot to mention the BLOG CANDY.

Silly little things

My goal is that one or more of these things will make you smile!



I recently told my daughter to stop licking the bath water because it has pee in it.



I was actually disappointed when Little m was making too much noise for me to catch the dialog in The Santa Clause 2.



Number of times during this pregnancy that I have completed my shower and started to get dressed only to realize that I forgot to shave one of my legs? Twice.



I became absolutely giddy to find out that they make stand-alone shower kits in 60 inch widths not just 48 inches. So happy in fact that I am donating part of my closet in the new house to accommodate the bigger shower. Here's an example of one.

Okay gotta go for now...hope you had at least one smile in there somewhere!

Don't forget my BLOG CANDY.

Blog Candy and Prayer Request

Okay it just hit me how to give away this pile of blog candy! I found out yesterday while blog surfing that Kelley is battling cancer. I hadn't checked her blog all week and was completely shocked to learn of her news. Take a minute to read her story, and if you feel moved to do so, leave a comment of encouragement and prayer for her.

Here's the requirements to win the candy. If you have a blog, post a link to her blog for believers to visit it and say a prayer for her. If you don't have a blog, say a prayer for her yourself. That's all. Then leave a comment here, letting me know what you have done and I'll enter your name in the drawing for the blog candy. Does that make sense? Oh and she doesn't have a clue I'm doing this, so you don't need to mention it to her.

I know that most of you would say prayers for her regardless of whether or not there was a prize involved, so that's not why I'm offering the blog candy. And I know that those of you who don't believe in God would even likely stop by her blog and let her know your thinking of her. But I thought, maybe this would be a little like an organized prayer chain. And I had a few of those prayer chains going when I was facing my biopsy surgery, and I know from personal experience it is possible to feel God's love and peace through people's prayers. So my hope is that there will be so many people praying for her, she will have no choice but to feel God's peace when she has her surgery Monday!

Here's some pictures of the blog candy. It's mostly paper, stickers and a few odds and ends. If I find more to throw in the box, I will.

Lots of alpha stickers. The brown ones on the left are epoxy.




Here's a few cards from me.



12x12 pages of stickers. Very thick stickers.

Miscellaneous stickers.

More alpha stickers.

Paper. Here's a sample picture. I have almost THREE INCHES of 12x12 paper stacked up.

Some odds and ends. Paintable Christmas ornaments, battery-operated flickering tealights, chipboard slides, golden bee clips, and a gently used stamp set. There is only slight blue tint on one of the small stars. I don't even remember using it??

More stickers.

Okay that's what I have so far. It's all being packaged in a Huggie case box. (we go through a lot of wipes with kids AND stamping!) So after I get it all in, I may find something else to throw in. I'll update if I do.

I'll close the date for this candy Wednesday December 2nd, 2009 at midnight central time. If you are posting something about the blog candy on your blog, feel free to use these pictures. I will only count comments on this post for the drawing, so each day I'll post a link to this entry.

Have a great rest of the weekend!!

Black Friday from home

I don't do large crowds. Especially large, crazed to fight for the latest toy, crowds. But I did get some online deals today. And technically in my book they are really good deals if they involve the phrase 'free shipping'.


I got a pair of black boots for myself. My current black boots are 12 years old and the inner lining is starting to tear out. So-time for a new pair. Here's the ones I desperately wanted. (and had we not been building the dream home, probably would have purchased for $310.)



OH and if I could have thrown $600 at shoes I would have picked it up in this color too!


Divine, right?


But I settled for these. I still really love them and, get this, they were only $34! Cool right?!? Plus I got...say it with me...free shipping!!! Sorry I had to post a link, since I couldn't get the picture to copy...



I also got Little d and Little m the Barbie Dollhouse. I am not posting a link or pictures because if my daughter accidentally stumbled across it, how would I explain that!!?! I found it at Amazon for $99 plus FREE shipping! Originally it was just for Little d, but the more I thought about it I realized they will play with it together, so I'll just get them their own Barbies to play with separately. I am so excited to see their faces on Christmas morning!!

I had a wonderful day yesterday. The only thing that would have made it better was D not working nights. But at least we all had our turkey meal together.

Now to figure out if we're buying a real tree this year or not. It will be a first for us if we do...

Nothing to eat?!?

How is it possible that there is nothing in the house to eat on the day before Thanksgiving?? I mean all the fixings are here, ready to go, and even some prep work is being done. BUT there is nothing we are allowed to eat yet. So here I sit, starving, smelling rolls rising, stuff baking and contemplating if I will eat peanut butter and jelly sandwich or beefaroni. So sad. HA!

Also I have to say that I didn't mean to give you all a fright with the heartbeat story...that was not my intention!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving all!

My little stinker (baby news)

We had an appointment today for a heartbeat check. First, I've gained three pounds since last month, so my weight now is 133.2. But who counts the ounces, right? ANY way. I'm sure some of you could care less, but I am using this as documentation for me.

We went in for the check. My doc always asks if anything is going on or if I have any questions and most of the time I don't, like today. He joked 'just doing time then.' We smiled. When he was about to use the dopplar he said that he has to be careful who he says that too. Once (when he was doing his work with a program catering to low income patients), he made that comment and the woman's boyfriend popped up and said "no, I'm already out."

So he tried to find the heartbeat and tried and tried. Nothing. I started getting nervous. He said "this is the hardest time during the pregnancy to find it..." Not feeling comforted, I just bit my lip while he keep listening. Occasionally it would pick up the heavy thumping of my heart. I was not fooled. I've heard it too many times to know. Still we listened.

Finally he said, 'try straightening out your legs and I'll try it a little lower.' So I did. And instantly we heard the quick soft swishing that caused my lungs to fill with air. Apparently the little stinker was hiding somewhere in my pelvis! Already the little toot is giving me heart attacks.

Next stop we went to a local clinic and D and I got our H1N1 vaccine. I am so glad to be done with that nagging worry in the back of my mind.

I am very much looking forward to our Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for this year. God has truly blessed us and I hope that you all are feeling His blessings as well!

(Oh and I'm going to forget that I turn the big 3-5 on Thanksgiving day!) I'm kidding, I LOVE it when my birthday falls on the holiday!!! The turkey feast is my all time favorite meal!

The rest of the Christmas card order...

I got them all finished today. Which was no small task considering Little m took a short nap, and then when they played in the scrap room with me they completely annihilated the room. Uh, and no, I haven't cleaned it up yet.

Five of this one...

Five of this one...(you can't tell from the poor lighting, but this has a gold embossed star.)

One of each of these (six pounds of Prisma Glitter included free of charge.)

Details: all CTMH. The exception is the colored pencils I colored the nativity with, they are EK Success.

Did I mention in my spare time I am reading the Reid Health care Bill. I'm on page 50 (of 2000 something). Lots of bureaucracy so far. LOTS. Oh and I get a kick out of every time it says something like "$5,000,000,000 to be appropriated from the treasury". As if there is actually that kind of money hanging out in the nation's treasury.

Christmas Card Order

I finally cleared off the scrap table of craft fair stuff. Yes, it's been that long since I've done any cardmaking. D's aunt wanted me to make her 15-20 Christmas cards and I thought I better get off my tail and get crack-a-lackin'. I decided to make five cards in each design. Here's the first one.

Her only stipulation? Put something on the inside so she doesn't have to write. Can do! I really want to finish these by Tuesday at the latest. Wish me luck!

Details: all CTMH unless noted

Paper: Evensong Creative Basic, colonial white cs

Ink: Olive

Stamps: Christmas Melodies

Other: scallop punch (SU!), coluzzle, liquid glass, sparkly red ep (HL)

Picture Perfect Day

Yesterday was truly a wonderful day. We were scheduled to have the piers drilled and and then filled with concrete. My brother took off a day from work to help D move the electric fence. So we made a day of it and spent the entire day out at the land. I packed everything under the sun and we headed out.



D and I bought a travel trailer shortly after we were married. Well actually we traded in his 'well used' trailer in for a new one. We almost had to trade it in, we couldn't just sell it to pay off what was left on the loan. It wasn't actually worth that much. There have been times when we've wanted to get rid of it (and the payment) and other times when it's been a lifesaver (Christmas at the in-laws.) We have moved it out to the land and now once again I am thankful we have it. It's going to be our home away from home...



As soon as we arrived Little d said "I'm ready to go in the trailer and color." And it was a beautiful day out...not to bright, with a cool breeze. But mom, me and the girls went in and set up shop. D, my dad and brother worked outside moving the electric fence. We are moving it to just enclose the house pads and driveway so that the cows can roam the rest of the acreage. See my post on ag exemption if your curious about the reasoning.

Little D said "It's like a vacation" and it was!

But soon the cement trucks arrived and we had to go document the first pour ever in our new house. The girls, obviously, shared the momentous emotions of the day.

Fortunately the day was shared with Mimi and Pawpaw. Here's my dad and brother with the girls.




Here's the truck that (surprise!) didn't get stuck. It was touch and go for a minute there.




This is a pier filled with concrete. There are 42 of these. They are about six feet deep with a three foot bell at the bottom.




And in case you were wondering what they looked like before the concrete...I bravely got close to one and took a picture. You can tell from the un-centered photo that I was not paying as much attention to photography as I was to my footing!!



The orange nail there tells them where to fill to. The next step is trenching the beams and filling those with concrete. But alas, after the worst Texas drought in 50 years, we now have rain. Droves of it. So things are on hold for now.



Thanks for stopping by! Oh and guess what? I got started on putting together my blog candy. Finally. Lots and LOTS of paper involved. And stickers...so far.

Birthday Girl {Two year old Little m}

Wednesday we had a very small party for Little m. We did it during the week when D was off because with all the house stuff going on we really didn't want him to have to take days off unneccesarily.

It was a wonderful day.

First my cake. Huh. I wanted to make a dog cake and my cousin was able to supply a Blue's Clues cake pan. Blue was turned into a brown puppy with pink spots. What do ya think? Did it work? Or for that matter, does it still look like a puppy--HA!



Here's the princess posing right after her nap, before the party. We blew up the balloons while she slept and she was so excited to see them when she came downstairs from her nap. I think that may have been her favorite part of the party.



See? Look at this face. I told you it was a wonderful day!

I'll try to post later about our great day yesterday at the land. Truly this has been a busy, but awesome week for us!!

Checklist

I think my days are about to become a series of checklists.

Call this number, check.

Meet so and so here, check.

Pick up this, check.

Today's list went something like this:

9:30a go to land, note that nothing's been done.

9:45a run errand with dad.

10:45a back to land to wait arrival of port-o-let.

11:40a back home. eat. nap.

2:30p get truck inspected. (just noticed yesterday it's been out since October)

3:00p out to land with D to meet with contractor. end up meeting with foundation guy and supplying him plans to mark off beams.

4:00p return home.

laundry...blah blah blah.

Aren't you happy that this is what I'm updating about?

How exhausting is it going to be...

To build this house while carrying this child? Pretty exhausting. And I'm not even doing any physical labor!

Today we met with the foundation guys. They marked off the corners and strung lines along the edge of where the house will go. Tomorrow bright and early they are marking the area for where the piers will be drilled. Then once D takes a look at it, they will arrange for the person who drills them and the concrete trucks.

Baby steps, but that's how it works.

I am so very tired and I was only out there for a couple of hours. And I slept good last night. I'm looking for that second trimester energy boost I've heard so much about. Anyone seen it?

I know this isn't a riveting post, but I'm trying to document all the steps. You know, for my best-selling How to Build a Dream Home While Carrying Your Third Child and Not Go Crazy book. I may have to re-think that title...

Happy Birthday Little m

Today my sweet ball of fire turns two. What a year (oops she just dumped a cup of water on the floor) it's been. She definitely keeps me on my toes.

She's talking so much now...and some of it we actually understand. She follows and copies everything big sister does. (Much to the annoyance of big sister sometimes.) For example, every time there is a commercial on TV featuring a toy she yells "buydat" or usually "buydat now!" Which is of course the shortened version of Little d's "mom can you buy that for me?"

She absolutely loves playing with her da-da. And forget about trying to distract her from her PawPaw. Those two are thick as thieves. She also loves music and dancing around.

And strong willed! My BFF tells me it's 'second child syndrome'. I call it ornery. She has literally sat in time out for 45 minutes because she would not pick up the colors she dumped out. (Of course it was PawPaw who finally got her too comply.) And let's talk about her fighting going to sleep for a minute. I can wrestle with her for over an hour trying to get her to sleep. Which considering my lack of patience (thank you hormones) is the most taxing thing I deal with.

But she's also incredibly loving and sweet. She gives hugs and kisses, grins like nothing you've seen, and helps out when you least expect it. She makes life an adventure for us and we love the ride.

Happy Birthday little bit--we never knew it was possible to love as much as we love you and your sister!

Little of this, Little of that...

House news...

Surprisingly, we signed the paperwork as scheduled. Not surprisingly there were even more hoops to jump through. My bother and his wife had to go re-sign that one piece of paper that was wrong due to the bank's error before the loan could get funded. Fortunately that happened by the next day. We then opened an account with the contractor for the draws to be deposited in. That took three times as long to do as the closing signing. And no, I am not exaggerating.

But moving on. Sunday the foundation guy is going out to start 'blocking' the house area. And then Monday, he says, they can start drilling for the piers. (The foundation has a 'pier and beam' base. I'm not exactly sure what that means except that it's more concrete in the ground and it's supposed to make the structure/foundation more stable in shifting soil.)

Then we got an awesome deal on the termite treatment for the soil since my dad has a friend in the business and totally hooked us up. Yea! More money saved!

Kiddo news...

Little d is doing wonderfully on her daily dose of Miralax. Little m is celebrating her second birthday tomorrow, and we are having a little party for her next Wednesday for family.

I also scheduled their H1N1 vaccines for next Tuesday. I know there is controversy about this vaccine, but there is controversy about vaccines in general and I am firmly planted on the side of get the vaccines for those diseases. I have looked through research regarding vaccines and autism. And I am simply not convinced there is a link.

Here's where my decisions fell. Could I live with myself if my kids got the virus and died because I did not vaccinate them? No. And as for me and my baby? Well, if it becomes available I will get it. I saw the story this summer of the pregnant woman who got H1N1 and was in the hospital on life support. They kept her alive until her baby could be delivered, but then took her off of life support and she died. I don't want that to be me and my family.

What helped convince me this vaccine was safe, was a doctor (on the news) saying that this vaccine is like the regular flu vaccine in that they take out the seasonal flu virus and plug in the swine flu virus. I'm sure this is an oversimplification, but it made since to me. Also, my doctor, my OB, and our pediatrician all recommend it.

Baby news....

I'm 16wks and according to my week-by-week book I can no longer lay flat on my back. Silly but I have a hard time with this. When I sleep at night I have to shove a pillow in my back or I'll wake up during the night, flat on my back! With this pregnancy though, so far, I'm not having a problem with it.

Everyday life...

I am still not doing anything crafty. I didn't even make invitations for Little m's party! How horrible. On the up side, part of the reason I was too busy is because I got a new customer. So that was good. I have so much cleaning out of stuff to do it's ridiculous. And that blog candy thing? Not even close yet. Oh well. Maybe this weekend I'll get to it!

I hope you all have a great weekend. I will eventually post more on my health care bill views, but I want to be concise and coherent and well, when I'm pregnant, it takes all my concentration to string two thoughts together. So I have to have quiet to do that!

Happy Veteran's Day

I am blessed to have men and women in my family who have served and who are serving now in the military. From my dad and grandfathers to distant cousins, I get to hear accounts of bravery and courage on a first hand basis. May God bless their service and uphold them in the cross they bear. And may they receive the honor they richly deserve.

And a quick answer to some of the health care comments, since the part I'm addressing fits in this category. I think that service men and women, their spouses, and their minor children should be covered from the time that service person signs up until the time they die. No question. And I think instead of starting a new bloated government program, Congress should fix the Veteran's Administration. I've seen first hand the ridiculous waste and bureaucracy that the VA has. So Congress, fix that before you bite off more than you can chew with a new program. And while you're at it, Congress, fix Medicare and Medicaid. And then, maybe then, you can convince me you have any clue how to run health care.