Friday, August 31, 2012

Picture Moments

I was looking back at pictures from April and because I hadn't been blogging regularly I realized that I hadn't posted some pictures. 

We'll start off with some Bethany Moments:



 I took all of these telling her to smile.....with Bethany this is usually as good as it gets. You would have thought I would have gotten at least one of her "actually" smiling, but no, these were all I was able to get....with the exception of a couple with her head turned.

I love you Jacob! You look really good even though our child refuses to get a normal picture. :)



Yes, the poor kitty had to get dragged into the picture too....thankfully she doesn't seem to mind Bethany and usually just hangs there limply until Bethany puts her down. The crazy thing is that the cat will come right back to Bethany every time....either cats really don't have much of a memory or she just doesn't care!

And then there is Abigail....smiling so sweetly. I think you can see the differences in their personalities pretty good in this last picture. :)


*******
 It might be a fee days before my next post, but no worries, I will be back next week with hopefully lots of pictures and updates on my prenatal visit.

We're off to the farm today for the weekend.....


 Enjoy your weekend, everyone!

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Random Wednesday....

Yes, I'm seriously thinking of having a random post at least once a week.....you know those times you just have a lot of randomness floating around in your head....well, sometimes it's just nice to get it all out. :) So, enjoy!

I'm trying to figure out how to use Pandora, it's been handy for while I'm working out or doing those boring chores like folding laundry and cleaning. I still have trouble actually picking individual songs I want to hear, but it's nice to turn it on and have it just play various songs that are all similar in style. Definitely a good way to discover new favorites.

************

I just heard this from the living room: "Wow, I just about broke my brain!" Yes, that was Bethany....I don't know what to say other then I hope she makes it past her rough and tumble childhood. 

Speaking of Bethany, the other day I told the girls we needed to go outside so they could burn off some energy...her response: "Yay, we get to go outside and get more energy!" Oh boy, that was not what I was hoping would happen by sending them out to burn off excess energy....although sometimes I feel like it does the opposite of what I hope for.

Another "new" things the girls have decided to do is try to bribe each other...to be more exact they try to bribe each other with their piggy banks! Yep, I had put the girls to bed and Abigail wanted music on and Bethany didn't...a usual argument so I usually do music every other night so they both are part-way happy. Well, I could tell they were talking in their room, but I couldn't tell what they were saying, then all of a sudden Bethany announces she wanted music on! I went into their room.....

Me: "You do, I thought you didn't want music on?"
Bethany: "I do want music, Abigail said she would give me her piggy bank if I wanted the music on!" 

So, we had to have a little talk about bribing someone......we're still working on that though since I still hear an occasional "I'll give you my piggy bank." *Sigh* 

************ 

I made Chicken Divine a couple days ago. I love that stuff! I know it's probably not the healthiest meal you could make, but boy is it good and pretty easy to make. I hadn't made it in awhile so it brought back memories of when Jacob and I first got married. It was one of the first things I made for Jacob and it was also what I made if we were having anyone over for the first time....everyone always liked it.


 Oh yummy...I need to make it more often! I guess the main reason I hadn't made it in awhile was because with Jacob working all summer in the heat he didn't usually want to come home to a hot meal. Now that he's back to school though I feel like I can make some of these casseroles I like so much. :) If you've never had Chicken Divine you should give it a try....it's good, I promise!

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Houses & Bathrooms

Lately I've been thinking a lot about someday having our own house.
 Log

 Ok, so it probably won't look like that, and I'll be so excited when Jacob and I can finally start looking for a house that I'll probably be happy with anything! Alright, "anything" might be stretching it, but it will be nice to be at the point where we can actually have our own house.

For those of you that don't know, we are living in my in-law's basement that my husband totally remodeled into a fully functioning apartment. The reason for living here was so that my husband could work with his dad during the summer and also go to school here at a community college to get ready to transfer down to Missouri S&T.

Jacob has done an amazing job with the basement, including redoing the bathroom so that I would have a bathtub for the girls.

Here's some before picture....

Where the bathtub will go.
This is already after some improvements.
All done.....

Look at all that extra space that had been wasted behind the wall!
 It's a beautiful bathroom now and I need to get a newer picture now that I have stuff on the shelves and it looks a little less bare! You get the idea though....Jacob does an amazing job when redoing stuff, so I know wherever we live he'll make it beautiful!

For now though, I just look at pictures of houses and think about how nice it'll be when we have one all to ourselves.
log homes
I love the look of this living room, other then the TV.
I'm kind of partial to the log home look....if you didn't see that yet. :) 

Oh, and looking at pictures of houses has got to be more healthy then looking at pictures of hot chocolate!

Monday, August 27, 2012

Hurry Up Fall Weather!

Can I just say I'm ready for fall! I know a lot of people start saying that around this time of the year, but I don't know that I've ever said it. I mean, I like fall just fine, but normally I'm sad to see the summer go because then it'll be winter soon. 

Not this year though! 

I'm sure it's partly due to the fact that I'm just wanting the time to go by faster so that we can see little baby girl #3, but I'm also just really ready for the cooler weather so we can have bonfires, cuddle up under blankets while reading or watching movies, and having hot chocolate!

I mean really, I have some hot chocolate and hot drink recipes to try out, so hurry up cooler weather! :)

Snow Cocoa.....doesn't that look good!




Snow Cocoa: Ingredients -  2 cups whipping cream  6 cups milk, 1 tsp vanilla extract  12 oz pkge white chocolate chips.  Directions -  Combine all ingredients in a slow cooker.  Heat on low for 2-2 1/2 hours or until chocolate is melted and mixture is hot.  Stir well to blend.
http://happyhomefairy.com/2010/12/19/snow-cocoa/

Or Cookie Dough Cocoa....Wow, I think I died and went to heaven! I seriously have a "thing" with anything cookie dough....you just can't go wrong with cookie dough. It's so good I probably gain weight just thinking about it! Great, now I want cookie dough.....I should go exercise just for thinking about it.
915 CookieDough Cocoa Cookie Dough Cocoa
http://blogs.babble.com/family-kitchen/2011/10/04/cookie-dough-cocoa/
 Mmmm, now all I want to do is look at the picture and drool.....

....I wonder if you lose any weight by drooling. Alright, maybe you don't, but looking at it has got to be healthier than drinking it!

Ok, so as much as I would like to drink hot chocolate and stuff every day during the winter, I usually don't end up drinking that much of it....mostly because I end up thinking of how fattening it is, and this winter will be worse since I'm pregnant. So, I'll definitely give these a try, but I'll probably have to limit myself and not get too carried away with making every yummy recipe I see.

......it'll be so tempting though. *Sigh* The joys of being a girl with a slow metabolism.

Well, now that I have you all thinking of cookie dough cocoa and cooler weather, I hope you have a wonderful rest of the day!

.......and don't stare at the picture too long, it really can't be that healthy for your eye sight!

Friday, August 24, 2012

Pregnancy Update...

I'll probably do another one in a little over a week when I see my midwife again, but I figured since I hadn't written much about my pregnancy so far it would be good to do. :) It would probably be nice if I had some pictures of myself and my belly bump....but yeah, I don't have any and it'd probably be hard for me to like any of them well enough to post! I might try to get a few sometime, but definitely no promises on that! :)

So far with this pregnancy I don't really have any true complaints......

.....ok, my face is driving me crazy so that would be my most serious complaint! And it's not just the fact that I check it every day to see if I can tell if it's getting any chubbier(the bad thing is, it's hard to really tell till you look back at former pregnant pictures in horror and wonder how you didn't notice your face looking so puffy!). 

Back to the point....my face is driving me crazy because it's so greasy! I truly don't ever recall ever having this much trouble with my face. I feel like every five minutes I could wipe off a layer of grease....yuck!....which I'm sure is why my face has been breaking out more then normal. I know this is completely normal during pregnancy so I shouldn't be surprise, but I'm sure not happy about having a "shiny face." 

So, that pregnancy "glow" they tell you about....you don't want it cause I'm pretty sure it comes from having a face that reflects the grease.......just saying, if you were like I me and wondering what the pregnancy "glow" was all about.

Other then my face issues, my pregnancy has been going well. I've been a little disappointed that I haven't been able to get back in to running due to the heat, but I still have time so hopefully it will start cooling off soon so I can get out and do some running....or possibly just a jog since I'll be pretty slow. :) I have been exercising in the house, and this week I even started slow jogging around the house (the girls love it!) for about 15 minutes. I know 15 minutes isn't very long, but we live in a pretty small living area so any more then that is a little too much circling! I've also been trying to get out and walk every day that the weather is a little cooler, which is good for me and the girls since we get to get out and exercise, but also because its a good time for lots of talking. They are at the point where having a conversation with them is highly entertaining! :)

As for this little growing baby, she's quite the mover so I feel her moving (it seems like) constantly! I've even been able to see her moving by watching my belly, so that has definitely been fun....although I'm sure I look very weird just sitting somewhere staring at my belly. :) Abigail got to feel her yesterday morning, which was pretty cool! I don't know for sure what Abigail thought about it, but when I put her hand on my belly and she got kicked her eyes got really big! :)

My appetite has pretty much returned to normal, or at least a little more normal....I still get to feeling like I'm starving at times, but for the most part I don't feel like I have to keep eating constantly. Whew! I'm trying to stay away from anything too unhealthy, but occasionally I have to have a muffin...I don't know what it is with me and muffins. It also helps to satisfy my need to bake something.....I think I'm going to be in trouble come holiday season because I have so many recipes for yummy things I want to make!

Something I discovered recently was this yummy stuff.....


 It is so good if you enjoy any kind of coffee drink, and actually it's pretty good for you considering any of the similar coffee drinks out there, including just your regular chocolate milk. A lot lower in the calories for sure. Just look at the Potassium, Calcium, Vitamin B12, Magnesium, Vitamin B6, and Vitamin C amounts....chocolate milk doesn't even come close and especially not those Starbucks drinks!

 I know it's not something you need, or should, drink every day, and normally a bottle this size lasts me a week or more, but it is a fun little something to drink every once in awhile and know you're not totally blowing your diet.

Well, I'm sure I'll do a more thorough pregnancy update after my next prenatal visit, which will hopefully include the fact that my iron has gone back up, and that I'm sticking to a 1.5lb a month weight gain! Ok, maybe that's wishful thinking to hope for that again since I have a growing baby in my belly.............
but a girl can dream, right?! :)

Thursday, August 23, 2012

Abigail & Bethany

I've been saying I will post pictures of the girls, so here I am finally doing that! It seems though, that taking (or should I say "getting") good pictures of the girls is getting harder and harder to do....maybe my lack of photography skills is lacking as well, but it does seem like the girls try "too" hard to smile for pictures. You can see for yourselves though.......




Can you get any cheesier, Abigail?!


A little too intense for just a picture, Bethany!

Ok, so I did get some pretty good pictures of them too, but about half of the pictures I get turn out looking like the top two!
Silly, but cute.
My 4 year-old Abigail!
My 3 year-old Bethany!
Yes, the best picture I got of Bethany, by herself, was with a chicken....go figure. She definitely is happiest when she's chasing down chickens or carry them around! Most of the time the chickens just put up with it as best they can, and for the most part she's good about not squeezing them too hard. :)
They can definitely be pretty sweet when they want to!
I love you girls!

Wednesday, August 22, 2012

Smells & Cleaning...

Well, I was going to post some pictures of the girls today, but I got busy and have yet to download the pictures....so, yes, that will have to wait until probably tomorrow.

This might be a short post because I need to do some cleaning. I don't really have a specific day that I do all my cleaning on....partly due to the fact that certain things, like vacuuming, need to be done multiple times a week so then I usually do other cleaning along with the vacuuming. I just started noticing a smell though which is bothering me....not exactly sure where it's coming from, but I figure I better do some cleaning to make sure it isn't anything in my part of the house. The garage stinks pretty bad when it gets hot out and I keep thinking that the smell is coming down the stairs into my kitchen, but I guess I'll see as I clean. :) I definitely never used to be into cleaning all the time, but in the last couple of years I've started to have kind of a phobia about things being clean....which, I'm not really complaining about since it's a good thing, but it's not always fun when I'm always seeing messes and feeling like I should be cleaning all day everyday.

I should probably take advantage of the fact that the girls have new coloring books and have yet to have moved since getting home with them....they're even whispering....cool! :) Definitely something to remember for future referencing....although I feel a little tempted to enjoy the peace and quiet and just sit and read or something. :)

......but the cleaning is calling, or should I say the smell! Ok, the smell really isn't that bad and no one else would probably notice, but I'll keep thinking about it until I clean the house so I better get on it!

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Drawing Fun

Abigail & Bethany on the 4th of July!

I'm really needing to think of some things for the girl to do this winter when they're stuck indoors. It seems like even this summer on the days we were having over 100 degree weather, and spent more time inside, they ran out of things to do real quick and then the fighting would begin.

Abigail likes to draw flowers with grass. :)
Abigail has started drawing and writing her name and anything else she sees, so I'm planning on starting her on some phonics this fall and seeing how far she wants to go with it. I'm not going to make too big of a deal about it since she's only four, but since she's wanting to write her name and has started sounding words out, it would probably be a good idea to get her started off the right way. I need to post some pictures of when the girls draw all of us...their people kind of need some work, but it's funny to see them starting to draw people! They've even included the new baby, which is really sweet, other then the fact that in one of Abigail's "family pictures" there was Daddy, Mommy(with a belly), Abigail, Bethany....and the baby! What?! How come I still have a belly?!!! Ok, well I guess the belly does take awhile to disappear and it was funny.....and yes, Jacob thought it was hilarious! 
I guess if nothing else, posting pictures of their latest drawings will keep everyone amused. :)



Monday, August 20, 2012

So Much to Write About!

Yes, it has been forever since I've been on here, but during the summer it seems more practical to be enjoying the outside. Plus, the girls want to spend almost all their time outside, including eating all their meals in their play house, so it requires me to be where I can seem them. Maybe someday I will have a window overlooking the backyard where I can type away while keeping an eye on the girls....that will be nice! :)

In other news, little girl #3 is on the way!  
 
Yep, sometime around the New Year she'll be making her grand appearance. I'm somewhere between 19 and 21 weeks along, and she is a very active kicking and moving little girl. When we went to our ultrasound last week I was telling Jacob that she must be jumping on my bladder because I kept feeling like I needed to use the bathroom. Well, sure enough, we get there and start the ultrasound to see her in an upright position kicking away....so, at least I had a good excuse for having Jacob stop so I could use the bathroom(which was barely 20 min. after I had just gone when we left the house), plus having to use the bathroom as soon as we got to the office! :)

Something that has bothered me some, is the fact that so many people think that having 3 girls in a row is such a big deal, or that they need to ask if we're disappointed that its not a boy. Yes, having a boy would be nice at some point, but you know what....a baby is a gift from God no matter the gender. There are so many people that have difficulty getting pregnant, have multiple miscarriages, issues that involve the pregnancy or the health of the baby, that just to know that God has blessed us with what seems to be a healthy girl and a pregnancy that has been normal, what more could we ask for? It's so easy for people to just care about whether they have an even amount of girls and boys, or just boys, or just girls, but I love my girls and I'm just as happy that this one is a girl as I would be if it was a boy. People can want or wish for their ideals, but God has a plan for each and everyone one of us, and that includes this little baby girl!
I liked Jacob's thoughts on having another girl...."I guess God must think I'm so manly that I need to be surrounded by beautiful girls!" Yes, Jacob's going to have one more little girl that adores him. :) 
I will admit that my one complaint with having another girl was how am I and three little girls going to fit into a bathroom stall!!! I thought it was difficult enough to try and squeeze into a public bathroom stall with two girls, while trying to keep them from touching anything...yep, I'm in trouble now! I generally try to use the handicap stall, but sometimes there aren't any, or they're otherwise occupied....I guess in that case I'll be taking them to the bathroom in shifts. :)

Well, I hope to be a little more consistent with my blogging, but no promises!