Where have you been???

Well, I have been here for a while, but now I'm back. I'm still decluttering, though - and I hope to incorporate what we have been doing into this blog - someday! Haha

Praise Baby!

We really really love this series of videos. We have 3 of them so far and my kids informed me a few days ago that there was a new one coming out - Joy to the World!

Check it out!!

Where have you been?

This post will be shorter than most (haha - don't know what that is). The boys are in the bathtub and I'm sitting here next to them as they splash away. They aren't really splashing too much - just playing. But, I don't want the computer to get wet! LOL

Big P is at a Pre-Tribulation Conference today through Wednesday. We are used to him being here in the mornings, so needless to say, we all miss him. :( But, he never gets away from home for anything other than work, so I'm glad he is taking some time to do this. He loves studying the Bible.

So, where have I been? Here, there, and everywhere!

One thing I'm glad to announce is that I am finally off some of the progesterone. We got rid of the injections at least. For 12 weeks, I was on 2 shots at a time, twice per week - 48 shots. Plus, 2 shots per week for 3 weeks before that - So, a total of 54 shots!!! ouch! But, I'm not complaining. I am on another form of progesterone and having my blood checked every 2 weeks.

As my widget says, I'm 19 weeks! Wow!!!! I can't believe how time is finally taking off on this pregnancy. It is so exciting. Everyone is getting excited around here and in the spring, we will start making rearrangements in the house. We have names pretty much picked out.

I've started a new hobby - loom knitting. This is where you have a circle or long loom, that has pegs sticking up. You wrap yarn around the pegs in various ways to get the desired look.

I'd share everything that I've made, but some are for Christmas and I don't want to spoil. :)

P.8.G. is also doing a lot on the loom. She has made 3 hats and is now working on a pillow top.

We first learned traditional knitting, but she was having some trouble with the big needles. So, a friend mentioned loom knitting and I picked her up a set to keep her hands busy. I ended up liking as much as she did!!! Now, we are both hooked! Literally.

Right now, I'm working on 6 Christmas stockings. One for each member in our little family. I picked out everyone's favorite colors and then went to work on coordinating yarns for the cuff and toe area. They are turning out great and I'm on #4 out of 6.

Since Big P is out of town, we are going to head over to the local mickey D's and play for a while. We just finished up some homemade belgian waffles, so no one is eating anything there. I know, shame on me for using their playground. Believe me, we've drive through hundreds of times . :P

We are wrapping some Christmas presents today. Don't know what we are going to do with them then, because our tree is tiny this year. We have a probably 18" Christmas tree, using it as our Jesse Tree and doing the Jesse Tree devotionals with the ornaments . It is really going great and everyone is loving the excitement.

We are having a Camping Christmas this year and everyone is so so so excited about that. Well, everyone except my mom. She's pretty disappointed that we won't be spending some of Christmas day with her and my dad. We are trying to start Christmas traditions that our family really wants and enjoys. Therefore, since we love camping so much, we thought we'd try this out this year. We leave the 21st and return the 26th (maybe! heehee). It's $12 per night to stay at the park with our camper, so we may consider staying another night.

So, family celebrations will be done early this year. Starting out this year going to see the trains at Northpark with my in-laws. Then heading back to their house for early dinner, gifts, and Christmas caroling. We saw the trains last year, but we just may make it a tradition as well, if we keep getting free tickets - heehee!! The little boys love trains!

We are spending the night there and then heading for my Mema's nursing home the next morning. We'll sing to them and serve treats and may make this a tradition as well. Then we'll head over to my parents and do the traditional gift opening around the tree. Everyone opens one gift at a time, so that we can all see and appreciate what each other got.

I know this is all out of order, but I had to tell you that we went to Candlelight at Dallas Heritage Village. C.11.B. works up there as a volunteer about once per month, and wanted to work that day, so we all got in free! It was really beautiful out for the time that we were there. We got there early while it was still light. Then, as the sun was setting they started lighting the candles. I think this will become a tradition and I'll make outfits for everyone to wear!

So, that is everything that is going on around here. And that wasn't too short, was it?! LOL What did you expect???

Our baby's heartbeat!!!

As I have said before, it doesn't matter how many times you hear that first heartbeat of your baby, it never gets old. This is my 6th pregnancy and it is still grand. We didn't get to hear the heartbeat of our last baby, so this was especially longed for!!!

We visited the midwife today. We will be using a student midwife with a supervising midwife at the birth center we have used twice now. We really love these ladies!! Everyone we have met there has been wonderful.

Today, after we did all the first appointment stuff, we had the "fun stuff". Good news, my hemoglobin was 11.7 - which is really GREAT for me!!! I'm continuing to take the Hematinic Formula and will be getting some chlorophyll. BP was great and all that stuff.

When we got ready to hear the heartbeat, she couldn't find it. Understandable, since it is still so early. But, they have a sonogram machine upstairs and I had asked if we could use it to see the baby. One of the other midwives is proficient at using it and she was glad to do it for us. She had a client in early labor, but was still happy to help us.

As soon as she put the thing on my belly, we saw the baby!!! Oh, thank you Jesus!! And just a few seconds after that, we saw a heartbeat!!! Thank you God!!!!! Praise God!!!!

We saw the little hands up in front of it's face (I say it because I think it's a girl, but don't want to get my little girls hopes up!) and little legs!! It was kind of bobbing around!!!!

It was beautiful and wonderful and everything I had hoped it would be and more!!!! There is just a ton of healing that takes place after a miscarriage and it's just hard to explain.

We were all very very excited. The kids got to see the baby and it eased their fears, so much!! It was a happy day for all of us!!! :)

Joyfully busy at home,
Christine

Look at all that hair!!!

Well, my little girl took the plunge!!!! She donated her hair to Locks of Love. Well, we haven't mailed it in yet, but it will be on it's way this next week.

Several years ago I tried to talk her into growing her hair out and giving it away. She wasn't the least bit interested, and even scared. It was my "ploy" to get her to cut her hair, because she wasn't taking care of it at the time. Then it turned into the deal of "if you don't take care of it, I'm cutting it!" and not long after that, I did! After that, she learned to take much better care of her hair, and we have really had fun putting it up, decorating it, brushing it, and all that girly stuff.



Then, about 6 months ago she told me that she wanted to grow it out to donate it. I couldn't believe it. It was so beautiful and long!!! I questioned her several times, but she insisted. So, we finally made the appointment, as she had enough to give away - the minimum is 10 inches.

She was very excited!!! I am so proud of her and she is glad to give it away to someone who can't grow their own. Her's will grow back!!

So, as requested by several friends, here are her before and after pictures!!! And I'm one proud Mama!!





And Daddy's are aloud to be proud, too!!!

Only $4 Short!

We are campers! We love camping and have for years. I have a whole scrapbook dedicated to our camping trips - really that album is just the beginning of our camping adventures - with more coming!

This weekend my parents went with us and camped out in the local hotel! They no longer have a camper or camping equipment and all the cabins were booked. We still had a great time, because they only slept in the hotel and spent the rest of the time with us.

On Saturday, we had a discussion with the older kids about their bike riding and not to come back separately again - they were to stay together and compromise on where they would go and what they would see. Big P warned that if they came back separately again, they wouldn't get back on their bikes for the weekend! Ouch!

Sunday came along and my mom and I were having a nice time visiting outside in the early morning. My dad had slept in. The big kids and B.3.5.B. wanted to take a trip down to the park store. They had some change and my mom gave them her change. They probably had about $2 in total. They wanted to get some treats to share. And off they went!

About 20 minutes later, P.8.P. came back saying "I'm not coming back separate, but I need to tell you. C and B are up at the park store and C wanted to get some treats for everyone, but we need some more money - we are 4 DOLLARS short!"

My mom and I immediately started CRACKING UP!!! I could hardly breathe I was laughing so hard and my mom was crying!!! We thought she was going to say 4 cents or 40 cents and I thought to myself that someone could have helped them out with that - but no, we were talking 4 BUCKS here!!!

When Big P started asking what they were buying, she made a list - "well, he got chips and bean dip for you dad, and a Mr. Goodbar for mom, and a peanut patty for Grandma..."

We asked what they were doing up there and she said "just waiting for me to come back with more money!"

All I could picture was these two poor children, no shoes, dirt all over their faces (probably from playing in it!) and this downtrodden look because they were too poor to buy JUNK FOOD!! LOL They did have shoes on (and socks for that matter), but I'm sure the rest was true to life!

Big P gave her a $10 bill, because that is the smallest bill he had and off she went. A little bit later, they came back with their bounty in hand. We started laughing all over again. I started snapping pictures as fast as I could - this was one for the blog and for the scrapbook!



So they started divvying up the treasure - Big P got a bag of Fritos and a can of bean dip (now we know where all the money went!), I got a Mr. Goodbar, my mom got a peanut patty, C.11.B. bought himself some SweetTarts, and P.8.G. got some Skittles. When I asked what they got for B.3.5.B., their eyes popped out of their heads and said "Oh, we forgot to get something for him!!" Hello - he was there the whole time. We found out later that while they were waiting at the counter, he was trying to pillage candy into his pockets!! They made sure it was returned before they left.



B.3.5.B. is trying to figure out where his goodies are! At least big brother shared!

Big P asked for his change, but there was little to be had - less than $2. Big P said "WHAT??? I gave you 10 dollars! Where is the rest?" This was the first I knew of the $10, because I was laughing too hard when he gave it to her to notice.

C.11.B. said in a most earnest voice "well, the total was $8.88." Come to find out, he hadn't used any of the change he had gone with. They just wanted to pay and get out of there. Apparently the park store cashier had been mean to them and impatient. Who could have done such a thing?! I think it was probably the cutest thing ever a boy and his little brother over to the side of the counter as new customers came in, too poor to pay for their food! LOLOLOL

He did tell us that 2 people tried to help him by asking if he needed any money and how much. The first person heard "we need $5" and quickly declined by saying "hmm, I wish I could help you" and they probably laughed all the way to their car! The second person asked if they could help and C.11.B. tried to make it sound better by saying "we need $4 or $5 dollars." Hmm, yea, that sounds much better!!!

And all the while, all Pete could say was "You didn't tell them you were homeschooled, did you????"

Looks like Mama needs to work on estimating cost and doing some practical math!




Most definitely joyfully busy at home,
Christine

Some more uses for toilet paper

As you can see, we have issues with the toilet (toilet paper and things being put into the toilet "accidentally"!). When I saw my boys demonstrating yet one more use for toilet paper, I had to get a pic!!!




A nice new package of toilet paper can be used as a horse!




Or a sled!!!