Things I'm excited about....

The Charger win...and my cute little Charger Cheerleader in pigtails.



Gracie sleeping in a big girl bed! She's doing great...although she doesn't stay straight all night and we usually have to help her adjust, but she'll learn.



The girls' room in our new house!! I found fabulous bunkbeds on craigslist and I can't wait to see them set up.



And yes, if you're wondering, that is a pacifier next to Gracie and yes, I did intend to wean her from it in December. No, it didn't happen. I didn't even try. I'm sure it wouldn't have been that bad, but I just don't have the mental energy for it right now. All my mental energy is going towards just being a mom and a wife, my job, moving and cooking the bun in my oven. I think that's plenty! I figure it can't hurt to keep the binky in place through the move and new baby and by the time Gracie's 2nd birthday rolls around in April, we'll deal with the binky.

I'm looking forward to this week because life should get back to some semblance of normal--at least in work and life schedules. We'll still be moving, finishing up the house and getting ready for the baby. HA. Did I say normal??

Pregnant Day

I am having a "pregnant day" today. What exactly does that mean?

It means I'm hormonal...i.e. grumpy and emotional.

I am impatient. Which makes me feel like a terrible mom.

My hormones are making my anxiety about various things in life more intense than necessary.

I am feeling FAT. My maternity clothes aren't fitting as well anymore.

I get grumpy when I can't exercise regularly...and my exercise lately has not worked up the sweat I need to make me happy.

I am unmotivated. Which makes me mad because I have so many things that need to be done.

When the baby has been moving today it's causing me pain. I guess it's how I'm carrying this baby because I've never experienced this before. The kid jabs and pokes me and makes me catch my breathe. Ouch!

I think I have just over 5 weeks left before my c-section. Of course to add to my pregnant day, I saw the nurse practitioner yesterday at my appointment, not the doctor, so I STILL don't have an official date. I go in again on the 14th so I hope I'll get my official date and time then. I should just relax about it. But I'm such a planner that it drives me crazy to not know yet.

I am trying to remind myself that this is the last time I will feel this way. That there are so many women who would give anything to experience a "pregnant day.' That this too shall pass.

But in the meantime, I'm going to continue my pregnant day.

The Last Baby?

This morning as we were walking at the lake (my back is not allowing me to run with the jogger any more) Miss Rose asked me if this was our last baby. Previously she has told me we should just keep having more and more babies.

I said yes, it probably is our last baby. But, I told her, that means when this baby is old enough--we can get a dog! She immediately got excited about that and it didn't bother her that this will be the last baby.

Speaking of last babies...I signed a consent form for a tubal ligation today. Since I require a c-section, it makes the most sense for me to have the procedure done at the same time instead of Bean going in for the snip-snip. There still is this part of me that is having issues with it though. I have NO idea why. I know plenty of people who've had the procedure with no problems.

My issue is not even related to not being able to have more children. I know this is a good size for our family and I trust that if God intends more children for us, he has another way it will come about. (or I'll be in that 1% that gets pregnant in spite of the tubal!)

I do need to work out my issues in the next 6 weeks.

I should just be comforted by the fact that we will get a dog one day, just like Miss Rose was!!

Photo Overload

In lieu of my recent blogging...here are some recent photos!

Happy New Year

Even though I haven't been too faithful to my blog as of late, I must post on the first day of the year!

The first day of the year in which we will move into a home with our name on the title.

The first day of the year in which we will add a third (and probably final) child to our family.

The first day of the year in which my oldest child will officially start school.

The first day of a year that will hold many changes but also holds much promise.

I'm excited and anxious about all the year holds. I'm not making any resolutions this year. I just want to enjoy each moment and trust God in all.

I WILL lose the baby weight though. I'm not making that a resolution, because it can't be optional!

Pretty much every year of our marriage so far has held many changes and surprises for us. This year isn't going to be any different. But I am so blessed by the friends God has given me and I couldn't ask for any better companion than Bean to experience it with.

Christmas At Our House

Although I've had a little more time lately, for some reason I just haven't gotten back into the blogging habit. Probably due to the fact that even though I've had more time, I'm 8 months pregnant, so I'm exhausted by the end of the day, regardless!

We've had a wonderful Christmas. I've had a little extra time off, which has been such a blessing. The holiday season is a busy one when you're in the pastor-business, so having to put in a little less office time has been nice. I actually managed to complete my shopping on Monday and not have to brave the big crowds in those last few days before Christmas. They were bad enough on Monday!

My sisters came "home" (to San Diego) yesterday just in time for the Christmas Eve service. Our whole family went to the service and then we ate spaghetti with homemade sauce after. YUM!

Although we enjoy the gift-giving and receiving, for my family, holidays are all about the food! It has to be homemade or high quality. Bean picked up our 2 pounds of See's Candy yesterday which we promptly broke into while we waiting for the pasta to cook! Christmas morning we made Monkey Bread with homemade biscuit dough (I think the refridgerator biscuits have an aftertaste). Eggs and chorizo are also a staple and beef sausage.

Bean found out about a very authentic mexican food shop that makes amazing tamales for Christmas. He ordered 2 dozen, along with tortillas, beans and rice. Even though we reheated it all today---it was pretty much the best Mexican food EVER! Very authentic and completely delicious. We are pretty sure it's going to be a new holiday tradition.

The girls enjoyed Christmas of course. I was very proud of Miss Rose because she kept a very good attitude, even when her gifts were all opened and was very thankful for everything. My little tomboy's highlight was a nerf dart gun from her uncle. She's a crack up. Gracie is really enjoying a shopping cart and toy vacuum she can push around the house. I'm excited about purging the current toy stash in the packing process since they will be focused on their new stuff.

I can't wait to be back to my regular running routine as Bean got me the Nike+ accessory and another pair of shoes. It will track my runs as well as a variety of other things. Much cheaper than a GPS running device (especially when you have a friend who gets discounts!). Bean only wanted loppers and shears for yardwork at the new house.

Probably my favorite moment of the day though, was when we were putting Miss Rose to bed. She asked to pray (usually Bean or I pray) and her prayer consisted of thanking God for Christmas and all the blessings and gifts and that it was Jesus' Birthday. YES! She gets it!!

I find it pretty amusing that she adamantly doesn't believe in Santa. I wasn't raised with that tradition, so I haven't really pressed it with her. She seems to understand that some kids do believe in Santa though. My favorite moments are when other adults will ask her if she's written him a letter and she'll say (in her sassy voice) "he's not real, he's just a story." I was not the one to make her adamant about it. She chose that stance all on her own!

That is a little picture of Christmas at our house. I hope that Christmas at your house as your kind of wonderful!

Hello from Afar!

I can't believe how long it's been since I blogged. I haven't even been keeping up on my list of blogs. I miss my bloggy world though and hope to return soon!

Life has been very full and busy, which it always is. But I've actually been doing a better job of not letting my time get sucked into the internet. Although I still do check in on Facebook once a day or so!

Let's see.

...we are still in the house-buying process and I think we should still close escrow at the end of December.

...I haven't packed a single thing and we'll probably be moving mid-January

...I haven't bought a single Christmas present

...We did get our Christmas tree Wednesday night, but it still stands unadorned (we went out of town Thursday night to Sunday)

...I'm having a baby in about 8 weeks. But there is no point to nesting, since we are moving

...I had a huge final last week, another on Tuesday and my last one Friday.

THAT is the biggest reason I've been absent. I'm devoting a lot of time to studying. I can't wait to submit my last final online and be DONE for a while! No classes for me next semester. I'll be in newborn baby land, much better than classes in my opinion.

I can't promise to be more faithful here for a bit...because once I'm done with finals, it will be Christmas, then packing, then preparing the new house, then moving etc.

But, I have a feeling that once February hits and I'm up at all hours with a newborn and sitting on the couch a lot recovering from the blasted c-section, I'll have a lot more blogging time!