Another Goodbye...

I had to say Goodbye to yet another pair of jeans today. I just wore them the other day and they fit nicely. They went up fine today but then were way too uncomfortable when I buttoned them so we've parted ways! I think that was my last pair of pre-prego jeans. This baby is growing lots and lots and my belly is getting HUGE!
8 weeks to go!!! I can't wait!!!


31 weeks today

Unreal

I am sitting here at 11:00 at night waiting for Andy to get home from doing his Relay for Life walking. Me and the kids tagged along with him until 9:45... I don't even know how to describe how I am feeling about our experience there. It is being held at this great big park with nice long walking paths. Lining the entire walking paths are bags with peoples names that have either died from, have or have had cancer. Not only are they lining the path but because there are so many they have a ton of them set up in an outdoor hockey rink. Inside these bags there is a single candle. They hadn't lit them yet (when we left) but people that have done this in past years said its amazing to see all the candles burning together in the dark. I cannot believe how many people have had or do have cancer...let alone those that have died from it. And that's just people that family members in this area did bags for. We had 4 bags made up...One for my mom, one for Andy's mom, and one each for a Grandpa and a Grandma on Andy's side. There were hundreds of people there and a bunch of different teams put together that will all walk... Andy is on a team from the bank. At 10:00 (I'm guessing after the candles are all lit) someone from each team starts walking. There has to be someone from each team walking at all times and they walk all night long...until the first bird flies?? Since Andy has to work bright and early tomorrow morning he was only staying until midnight. How amazing would that be though to take part in something like that?? I bet its pretty powerful over there right now! To stay up all night walking in honor of your family members and/or friends. WOW. We walked the whole thing so we could find our 4 bags (which were all in different areas so very hard to find) and we took pictures. Unfortunately it wasn't our camera so i doubt I'll be able to share the pictures on here. I was so blown away though to see how many people cancer has affected in our community. If you ever get to take part in something like this I really recommend you do. It's powerful.
One little vent though...don't come to a cancer walk puffing on a cigarette. Doesn't make much sense. I realize smoking is a tough habit to kick but come on... There was one lady there that had one of the shirts that said something to the effect of "Had it, fought it, beat it"...something like that... So she has HAD cancer and she was puffing away on a cigarette. Seems a bit sad to me. I guess that's her struggle in life so I shouldn't judge her.
I'm very proud of Andy for taking part in this. He is so awesome. I'm glad he's walking in honor of our moms and in memory of his grandparents. If he didn't have to work in the morning it would have been a great all night date night.

She's on to us!

Now that I'm watching this extra little guy (which means two 2 year olds 8 hours a day 5 days a week) Eric has really become my big helper. I don't know what I would do without his help...probably go crazy! I refer to him as the big kid and the other two as the little kids. I think that makes him feel big and important. Right after lunch the little kids go to take their naps and Eric gets to just hang out on the couch with me. I tell him he doesn't have to take a nap just rest for awhile...99% of the time he falls asleep!! This last week our favorite thing to do together has been putting the kids down for their naps and then hanging out on the couch and eating our yummy tootsie rolls! He eats a few and then lays down and falls asleep. Well yesterday Ms. Alex came down the stairs and caught us. I gave her one tootsie roll and sent her back upstairs for her nap. However, I think she has caught on to us. Today she kept sneaking down the stairs and I kept sending her back. Was she looking for that big bag of tootsie rolls?? After I thought she was sleeping I pulled out the candy and me and Eric enjoyed a couple then he fell asleep. Alex wasn't sleeping after all...she came down again and so I figured we'd take the time and enjoy some bonding time like me and Eric do. I'm sure I'm going to regret not giving her a nap today but we have to have those special moments too. I remember being little and feeling important when I got to get out of taking a nap and being able to just hang out with my mom.
I love being a mommy!! It's so awesome!! And I just adore my kids!!

I hope she doesn't think she gets to do this all the time now!

Had to say Goodbye...

Sadly I had to say goodbye to my beloved car. I've had that car since I was 18...she was my first and only. What an amazing car she was... There are a TON of memories in that car. I taught my sisters not only how to drive but how to spin out and do girly doughnuts! There were lots of good times and lots of tears in her. She saw me through for sure 3 dumb boyfriends and then took a beating when I got married and she got decorated on our wedding night...inside and out. The inside has never looked the same. She carried our two babies home from the hospital when they were born and has taken them to many places and back safely. But now we have another baby on the way and we just don't have the room needed so we traded her in for a MINIVAN. Yes, you read that right...a MINIVAN. The one vehicle I SWORE I would never drive. 25 years old and I am now pimping around in a MINIVAN! ...and no offence to my old car but... I LOVE IT!! We bought a 2006 Dodge Grand Caravan. It is so nice and there is so much room! Its power everything. You push buttons and the doors open and the back opens. Push the buttons again and they all close. Its so magical! I would have loved to hang on to my Pontiac Grand AM but there is no other vehicle I would drive now. And the kids absolutely love it!!


Saying goodbye to a very good car...
Hello minivan!! White isn't my fav. color though...

Magic doors...open with the push of a button!

A CD PLAYER!! YAHOO!!!

WHAT?!? Power windows?? Movin' on up!

I'm sad to say goodbye to my old car and our memories together but am really happy with our new van. I'm a dork for being so excited about the power everything but my car only had the crank windows and they were a real pain sometimes! And I didn't have a CD player either!

I didn't cry when we left my car in that parking lot all alone because a mom and her son came in to look at her while we were there and said her son was probably going to buy it. They looked like nice people and i think (hope) he'll be good to her. It's not some punk kid who only wants to trash it. I tried driving by yesterday to see if the car was still there and Eric got really sad. He almost started crying and said he missed the car and wanted it back. He's been the most excited one about the van so I was really surprised. That's the closest I've been to crying about it! ...That and this morning when we put $75.00 worth of GAS in the van...HOLY CRUD!! I'll never let it get on empty again!

...And...ANDY LOOKS HOT DRIVING A MINIVAN!! For real!! :)

Finally!

At our last ultrasound we didn't get very good pictures of the baby as he/she was being very stubborn and was all curled up. We had to go in for a second ultrasound because they couldn't see all that they needed to with the heart. EVERYTHING is fine!! They got to see it perfectly this time and all looks good. The baby was once again being stubborn but finally did turn so we could get some profile pictures. It is so amazing watching this baby on a screen. Today we got to see the baby sticking its tongue out, yawning and making sucking or chewing motions with its mouth! SO cute!! I cannot wait to hold this little one!!

This is the one with the tongue sticking out! Can you see it?!?

Our Children

Anyone else ever feel like they let others control their lives or parts of their lives?? I've been really feeling like this lately. I'm very much the kind of person that lets people walk all over me and hurt my feelings but wouldn't dare be rude to them or stand up for myself. As much as I think its good to be kind and respectful I am really getting tired of being the person people walk on. Maybe its pregnancy hormones??...but I am really ready to take a stand! The thing that has been bothering me the most is my parenting skills. I'm a very strict, constantly nagging kind of mom. I didn't used to be. Andy says I need to just relax and let them be kids. There are those that tend to critique my parenting skills and question what it is I am doing. This drives me nuts!! I want my kids to be good kids and be respectful but they have a mom and a dad and that's all they need. NO EXTRA MOMS OR DADS ARE NEEDED!! I think we are doing a dang good job with them. Are they perfect?? NO! But they are KIDS!! 2 and 4 year olds!!! From now on I'm going to let them be kids. I'm going to let them be naughty from time to time and let them learn things for themselves. My parents weren't strict with me and I think I turned out just fine!

So today I let them climb on the chairs and help me bake cookies. We had so much fun!! Eric dumped half of the flour combination on the counter instead of in the bowl and i just laughed and wiped it from the counter into the bowl. Alex kept eating all the cookie dough mix from her spoon, licking the spoon and then putting the spoon back into the bowl. And while it was her turn to stir the mix she kept spilling it everywhere and smearing it across the counter trying to clean it up. These are things I would normally just go crazy about and make them get down. But today was just a much needed fun day. I used to be so easy going when it was just me and Eric but lately I expect perfection from them. IT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN! We danced to the radio and just had a blast!! Then after lunch we enjoyed our "spilled and put back in the bowl, licked and eaten from" cookies!!

I love our children and am so proud of who they are! I think they are dang good kids and I'm going to start letting them be just that...KIDS!

4th of July weekend

I'm not so good at this blog stuff...all of my pictures are out of order and crazy but I guess so was our weekend so oh-well! :)
We started off with fireworks in Nashwauk Thursday night. We got there like 3 hours early and parked right on the highway... the kids couldn't get out and play which meant we were all stuck in my little car for the entire 3 hours. With the DVD player and lots of snacks they did surprisingly well! The fireworks weren't amazing but it was a fun family night!
Friday morning we were up bright and early for the 4th of July breakfast at church. Andy was over it this year so we had lots to do! It turned out really nice and we all ate lots of really yummy french toast, sausage and orange juice! YUM!!
We had gotten an invite from Andy's sister to go to their place and go boating with them so we took them up on their offer Friday and headed to Crosby. We got there and the kids played in their huge pool, we had yummy cheese burgers then headed off to the lake for the fireworks. For such a small town they had AMAZING fireworks. The best show I've ever seen! That is where we plan on going every year from now on! We laid back and they were right over our heads...it was like they were going to fall on us. AMAZING! The next morning Mike made us a delicious breakfast of biscuits and gravy...TO DIE FOR!! Then we all got ready and went back to the lake for swimming and boating. We were there from 11 AM-5:30PM...lets just say me and Andy are looking like lobsters and hurting SO SO bad. This is the worst sunburn I've ever had...i can hardly walk my legs are so burned...OUCH. But we had a blast so i guess someday I'll feel like it was worth it!! ...Maybe when I can sleep again and the hurt goes away! Andy is a lot tougher than me so he isn't complaining much about it...I've cried like 3 times...seriously.
We had so much fun playing and not having any worries this last weekend!! It's so much fun having kids and seeing them play and laugh! And so much fun hanging out with my awesome husband!! We got to hang out all weekend and now don't want much to do with each other...we both lean our heads out as far as possible and pucker our lips as far out as they go just to kiss goodbye. There are no hugs...no cuddling on the couch to watch a movie...Nope...that would all HURT WAY TOO MUCH!! We seriously hurt!
I am so grateful for our freedom and for all the troops and their families that make it all possible.
We are truly so lucky to live in a land of freedom!