IF YOU ARE STILL IN THE PROCESS OF RAISING CHILDREN, BE AWARE. THE TINY FINGERPRINTS THAT SHOW UP ON ALMOST EVERY NEWLY CLEANED SURFACE, THE TOYS SCATTERED AROUND THE HOUSE, THE PILES AND PILES OF LAUNDRY LYING AROUND TO BE TACKLED, WILL DISAPPEAR ALL TOO SOON. AND, YOU WILL, TO YOUR SURPRISE, MISS THEM PROFOUNDLY. THOMAS S. MONSON

Monday, August 24, 2009

And the WIENNERS are...


Haha... although life is not yet back to normal... I wanted to announce the winners of my baby guessing contest. The rules didn't say you had to be right... you just had to guess. If you gave a name suggestion, then I entered you twice. It was all very fair. The big sister did all the drawings. Congrats. Please send me your address so I can get a special treat to you!

Winners:
Cristi (From FB)
Erin N. (From FB)
Rachel P. (From Blog)
Stacey (From Blog)
Alie Q. (From Blog)
Alison C. (From Blog)
Emily B. (From Blog)
Rachel H. (From FB)
Cami (From FB)
Meredith (From FB)

Monday, August 17, 2009

Random Thoughts... (Thanks Brenda!)

1) Having my mother in law in town is way better than I ever imagined! She went grocery shopping, cleaned, loaded and unloaded the dishwasher, demands that I go take naps, she has Nora help her pick out her earrings every day, which Nora loves! Her presence makes my husband extra lovey to me! Does she have to go home?

2) Ok, what is the deal with BOYS CLOTHES! I never paid much attention, because there were always so many choices for little girls... but, this is bad! How come moms with boys have not taken a stand sooner? Where do I find the isles and isles of boys clothes? At Target today, looking for a little present for my "Scooter", and in the shoe department, Honest to goodness, one whole wall full of toddler girls shoes, and another wall 2/3 full of girls shoes, and then the other 1/3 was for boys! Then in the clothes... all the girl stuff is in the main isle for everyone to see, and the boy stuff is shoved was in the back! REALLY? Is this typical for most places, or just Target? I need you moms of boys to help me! I remember buying Noras first outfit(s) and coming home so excited to show everyone, and how fun it was. This outing just made me irritated! (I am pregnant, so I allow myself to become more irritated, I will repent for that when I know it won't happen again!)

3) We might see a hurricane here in Va. Beach, and that makes me a little excited! Is that bad?

4) I just found a company that makes and sells chocolate covered bananas in the freezer section of the grocery store. I ate one on the way home, and one when I got home. I may have a problem!

5) I can't wait to photograph my little "Scooter"!

6) We are going to Disney World again, in... 40 some days! WOO HOO!!! (Joel just recently told me, he loves that I love Disney! That is a big admission for him, he usually acts annoyed, like a tough guy!)

7) I love when Joel gets sentimental, and mushy! He is really good at it!

8) I miss my old friend Ryan. I can't believe he is almost 6. I think about him all the time, and he probably doesn't even remember me. I love that kid!

9) Do bananas make you poop, or opposite? Does chocolate help even it out?

10) I can't wait for Project Runway to come back on! I haven't seen it in years! Cable tv has an advantage! Heidi Klum! YAY!!!

11) Sometimes I can't believe I live so far away from my people! I miss them. =(

12) I always hear, "It is crazy, how different your kids personalities can be." What if I want it to be just as easy the second time? Is it possible, or am I DOOMED? UGH... I am scared!

13) Is it worth $80.00 to get a 2nd 3D ultra sound with a 30 minute dvd? I have always just had 2D, but thought it would be cool to see a 3D one... any thoughts?

14) That was very therapetical! Now, I must go rest... ahhh... life is great!

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Two days to BREATHE... then Round four... Part One

(Disclaimer: I have had this post in my box since yesterday, and it still isn't finished. Part 2 coming... some day!)


We love having company. It gets rather lonely here in Va Beach, and we have desperately pleaded for friends and family to come and visit. We had NO IDEA they would all come at the same time! So, sometime... several Thursdays ago... my parents arrived. They were here till Wednesday, then on Thursday my sister-in-law, and one of our best friends Katie, came with their three kids. They left on Tuesday morning, and I left to pick up Jennifer. Jennifer flew out today, Wednesday, and I am here all alone... well, till Saturday, when Joels mom arrives, and will be here for a week. Then we will be once again... ALL ALONE! Oh wait... I forgot... one day last week, I got a phone call from some of our best friends from Michigan, saying, "We don't really know if we will be by you, but we are headed to NC for the weekend, and might come by." Then got the call on Friday, during our Krispy Kreme ritual, "We are about 20 minutes away, can we see you?" Of course we loved seeing them too, and they loved that we had a bathroom for them to brush their teeth in! Joel was able to see them on Monday when they headed back through Norfolk on their way home.

This has all led me to being way behind in blogging. Either I can go back and document every visitors stay, and all the fun we had, and all the great things we did, and bore you to tears, or I can fill in the highlights. Since I LOVE MY READERS, and I want them to continue reading, we will go with the later.

We did lots with Lulu, and Papa. We made pasta sauce, enough to feed the entire Va Beach area! We went to the beach, we went to the Farmers Market, Krispy Kreme, a church social, the aquarium, and Colonial Williamsburg. I think there was more, but all the things that we have done in the last few weeks, are starting to blend together. Williamsburg was by far the highlight of their visit. What fun!!!

Nora got to be part of a show, and had to drag her chubby mom with her! UGH!!!

Telling my dad not to wear socks with sandals, because of how goofy it looks, is like telling me not to wear gauchos! I know I shouldn't wear them, but they are so great these days, I can't help myself. Joel hates them! Me, I LOVE LOVE THEM!

Round 2 was Alison, her two kids, and Katie and her daughter. Together they made the 800 some odd mile drive! They are troopers! I wish I had Beverly Hills Hotel accommodations for them, because they deserved it! We did most of the same stuff we did the week before. BEACH, AQUARIUM, KRISPY KREME, HOE DOWN, one day we had rain, so Uncle Joel found a bunch of balloons, and the kids went to town playing with them! My niece Marley is the sassiest little girl. She is a riot just to sit and watch. She reminds me so much of my brother... it's almost scary. I couldn't help but just want to bite her and her cuteness, all the time!






Alie and Katie are great. They have earned that spot in Heaven. The drive from Michigan to Virginia Beach isn't the easiest job, but they did it just like pro moms would do. I love you girls!!! You will never know how much it meant to me, to have you here. LOVES LOVES LOVES!!!

Tuesday, August 11, 2009



You heard her... she is going to have a brother! Our doctors appointment was... exciting! I was nervous for most of it. I can't figure out why, but my heart was beating as fast of that little boy of ours. We met with the doctor following the ultra sound, and she mentioned that we may be pushing the due date back by a week. What expecting mother really wants to hear that? When I told her how tinee tiny my first baby was, she said that we won't change the due date as of now, but as we get closer to December 28th, we will be watching things more carefully. We will be praying for a healthy delivery WHENEVER, and Joel will be praying for a healthy delivery before the first of the year, so we get that tax break!

I am going to call him "Scooter" for the time being. Mostly because that is how I have envisioned him inside my tummy, but also because we don't have a name 100% decided on yet. I learned A LOT when I was pregnant with Nora, and have decided that we will keep our name as HUSH HUSH as possible until he is here. I really don't want anyone to form an opinion of "Scooter" before they see his preciousness. And NO... we are not naming him SCOOTER... just until he is catapulted from the womb!

Here is a picture of our precious "Scooter", and his proof that in deed... IT'S A BOY!



We have one more week of visitors, then I will be drawing winners for my treat contest! Thank you for all of the votes. Between FB and my blog... it was EXACTLY 50% said BOY, and 50% said GIRL! You all crack me up!!!

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Baby CONTEST announcement!

Hey FOLKS!!! We have had NON-STOP out of towners for the last two weeks, and for the next two weeks! I really hope I haven't lost all my readers, but I realize, how annoying it is to see the same old post every time you visit. There are lots of exciting events going on that I am very anxious to blog about, but out of respect for all of our visitors, I must keep this brief!

So, in order to spark your interest... here is the deal,

Next Tuesday, we find out the gender of our baby!!! AHHHH! I can't believe it is already... what I want from you, is your guess of what we are having... PINK or BLUE baby? Then I will chose ten random guessers to receive a special treat from Virginia Beach. Also, if you want to throw around some name ideas... I will give you a second entry! Winners will be announced on Tuesday before mid-night. Oh yeah, I will also announce who guessed correctly! YAY!!!