14 weeks

Well, 15 tomorrow. My mother was incredibly generous and took me shopping for maternity clothing. Loved! She totally spoiled me. A couple of my favorite shirts say, " Love my Curves" and "Love my bump" . I cant wait to feel the little person start moving. Just a couple weeks I think. It is one of my favorite things about pregnancy, heck about being a woman. Feeling another life move inside of you is incredible! I would sit and revel at my belly rolling all over when I was pregnant with the others. So exciting!
Alli and Leilani will be sharing a room, which will be fun, not! Those two are constantly at each other. C and I have been trying to encourage "sleep overs" as often as they ask so they get used to it. The thing that works out nice is that they are both scared to go to sleep, so having someone next to them is comforting and helpful when they wake up in the night.
I wonder what life will look like with a fourth. I am anxious to meet him/her. We will find out what is cooking in two weeks from Friday. Egads, that is coming up soon! I think it is a girl. Two reasons, #1, that is how we roll, and #2 I cannot picture myself with a son. So there you have it. We are clueless on names so far and have only come up with silly ones, ones that we would never use. We have some time on that.
I am feeling a bit insecure at the club. I am at that stage where people arent sure if I am prego or just have fallen off the wagon into a vat of fat. Oh well, I am really trying to "love the curves" becuase it was pointed out to me that I should enjoy this or I will regret that I did not enjoy afterwards. They are totally right, I am gonna enjoy. Belly pics will get posted soon. There is a belly. And for those of you who know me I get huge like a house, like a brick.....(wait for it) house. Boom!

Just the 10 of us

Larger family doesnt necessarily mean harder. The more kids, the more playmates. The more hands the lighter the work, the harder we play the sweeter rest feels, the more mouths to feed the more assembly line style serving a meal becomes. Dont get me wrong, heartbeat will be the last for us but I can see how big families survive. The girls have been more compassionate, giving of their toys and loving.

The boys have a special bond with my husband. I think he is loves evening out the estrogen/testosterone levels in our home. We still have them outnumbered by one. Luke got to go to the department with C yesterday. Loved on both parties end! C was looking through history stuff at the department (secret passion of his, history) and Luke was in for the ride. Got to carry his badge around and see where Mr. C works. Ryan and C have a special bond. Their love of toys and video games bonds them and Ryan cant wait for his next opportunity to school C in a game or two. Joel is a tender heart. Loves to orchestrate games with the girls and build forts out of blankets and couch cushions. Megan is as sweet as can be, but you probably already knew that. It has been fun to remember what it is like to have a baby in the house. Although she is not a good example of what I will probably get b/c she sleeps tons and is very mild. This morning when I snuck in to change her she was smiling and cooing at me. It was sooooooooooo hard not to pick her up and take her out with me, but I knew she would probably want to sleep for a couple hours and she did. Sidenote****I have never seen a kid put down a bottle like she can, 60 seconds flat, amazing!

C and I played the Wii last night after the kids were all asleep. We have decided that we need one. The girls are having gobs of fun and so are we. I beat him in most games last night.....not that I am competitive or anything. Archery, table tennis and swords were some of my favs. He beat me in Mario Party.....whatever! Well, just an update to let everyone know we are alive and well. All kids are accounted for and God has been gracious in the sleep department for us the last couple of nights. He is so good!

Seven and a heartbeat

Last night my bestie and her husband left their four children in our care and took a much needed vacay ALONE! Would you believe that all 7 kids slept all night long? It was amazing! Baby is still sleeping as I type this, two big girls at school, and four others at the table making "mommy and daddy I love you" presents. So cute!
So the heartbeat is not letting me sleep well. I blame it on "heartbeat" b/c I was doing just fine before said heartbeat. Oh well. This usually happens towards the end of the pregnancy and I would always look at it as God preparing me for the sleep depravation that comes with a newborn. However this is mighty early for that. We find out what gender the heartbeat is 2/11, so exciting!
I took a week long break from the club and loved it. I knew I would love it, this is precisely why I dont let myself do it more often. I get unmotivated to go back. Monday I had a sickie, Tuesday a sickie, Wednesday a headache ( from he double hockey sticks), Thursday I was lazy. So there you have it. A whole week. I would like to tell you I got caught up on laundry but everytime I would empty the basket I would strip a bed or wash all the towels, so the laundry saga continues.

1-1-11

Happy New Year one and all! I thought I would highlight some of the things that stick out in my mind from 2010 and include one of my fav pics of the year! here we go:

-We got a dog, Mud Pie

-Hot water heater broke, my husband and neighbor put in a new one!

- We went to Cannon Beach on Vacation

-Transmission on the van went out

-Dani finished 4th grade and started 5th

-Alli finished 1st grade and started 2nd

-Lou happily started preschool

-I went on a trip to MT with my bestie.....Big Sky Country

-Ladies retreat to Post falls, beautiful and good for the soul

- C and I learned how to draw Boundaries with our lives and "slow the heck down"

-We found out we were pregnant, expecting our 4th child mid July

-We seriously started looking into a Vasectomy for C

-Continued building friendships and work relationships

-Couponing became a passion for the both of us. Jaimie coupons the foods, C coupons the non-food items

-The court club continued to be an intergral part of the morning routine...at least 4 times a week

-Jaimie graduated herself from MOPS and then bought herself 6 more years

-C stepped back from many things to focus on his primary ministry

-We became better parents than we were a year ago, and I thought we were fine a year ago

-Dating became a priority in our marriage again and ensuring that my bestie got time with her hubs too!

- C turned 32, Jaimie remained 29

-Both cars needed new tires and new batteries, big car repair year

- We celebrated 12 years of marriage

- We ate way too many blizzards and jacked up cholesterol...... loved it though.

-Our once "nice" backyard turned into the digging grounds for the dog

-We got new and matching carpet throughout the house, boom!

-We decorated our red wall after almost 4 years of living here and it looks fabulous

Not a bad year but looking forward to the next! Blessings

Just the Way it is

So, God has an amazing way of always providing. I dont know if anyone else has found this, but for us anytime we have a little extra cash in checking, something breaks, a big medical bill comes or we need automobile maint. Without fail everytime C works overtime the money goes for something along those lines. I did the finances yesterday and realized that I had a few hundred dollars extra in checking. Thrilled I wasnt telling C becuase he might want to spend it. Well, low and behold we took the van in for an oil change. Of course something else was needing repair on it too. We needed a new battery and power steering flush (or something). Anywho, there went the extra dough. Praise God for it being there. We have come to laugh about it now, just knowing how He provides. I guess that is what I get for trying to hang on to it.

Taking care of momma

Yesterday was a day with the Lou. All day the child disobeyed, argued, whined and was flat out naughty. Here are a few things that were pinnacles of the badness:
- She ate almost a whole candy cane vile of Runts in her bedroom (not allowed b/c it will bring ants)
-She tore a page out from her library book
-She completely destroyed her room.....again
- She hid her library books
-She walked away from me after I told her to "come here"
-She dripped a popsicle all over the cases of library DVD's
-She brought food out of the kitchen
ENOUGH!

Wowza. Yesterday was trying. After I put her to bed I came out to the living room and the big girls had prepared a foot bath for me. Dani had her DS waiting (as she knows I like to play) and Alli read to me. After the foot bath Dani massaged my feet, boom! Loved. I felt very loved and cared for in that moment. Chris appreciated them "taking care of his wife" as he was late home from work. Praise God for reprieve at the end of a day like that. Heres to praying for a better one today.

Merry Christmas Eve

Christmas memories from years past:

One year I got a Lavendar McDade doll for Christmas. It got thrown out with the wrapping paper and I never got to play with it.

My parents had special wrapping paper for the "santa" presents. Very cool and mysterious.

As a child we would open stockings in one room and then go to the tree. It was always piled high with absolutely everything I always wanted.

I was 18 when I learned with Christmas was really about.

I was probably 22 when I stopped putting an emphasis on gifts received, sad four years, I know.

My kids only get 3 gifts from us each year.

The stocking is uber important to C. Our first year of marriage I did not realize that and I put potty protectors in his stocking. We laugh about it now, but it took a while to get there.

The girls killed the song "All I want for Christmas is You" for me. We have conveniently misplaced the CD so the only place I have to hear it is on the radio.

Love the food for eve and day! Yum-o!

Praising God for the gift I have growing inside of me. I really thought Leilani was the last so I cherished every little kick, feeding, sleep deprived moment. I get it one more time, wow He is good!