life update

I haven't fallen off the planet, I promise!  Here's an update on what is going on with us:

Elizabeth had her dance recital and she was adorable!  Since she is the smallest in her class she ended up being front and center.  I'm not sure how much she learned, but she sure looked cute!









It rained almost every day in May so we were feeling very soggy when the school year ended.  Elizabeth loved singing at the preschool graduation!  Jason ended up testing into the gifted and
talented program for the next school year so we hope it will be a good fit for him and he will be more challenged.  He actually wasn't there for the last few days of school because we left on a cruise.






Jeff and I celebrated our ten year wedding anniversary at the end of May.  He surprised me by planning a Caribbean cruise.  He was sure to chose a cruise line that had a lot for the kids to do and we all had a blast!  We went to a beach resort in Cozumel, Mexico, saw stingrays and snorkeled in Grand Cayman, and went to another beach resort in Falmouth, Jamaica.  We had 3 days on the boat at sea and I thought we would get board, but it ended up being like a vacation after the vacation.  The kids really enjoyed going to kids club and Jeff and I just got to catch up with each other.




















A few days before we left on our cruise we got to see our baby!  The ultrasound tech and the doctor both seemed shocked that we didn't want to find out the gender of our baby, but we held to our decision and stayed team green.  We got a video, but since I couldn't figure out how to get it onto our computer I got creative and narrated it myself.  Now I'm 25 weeks or 5.5 months and the baby still looks great!  Jeff has felt it kick, but the kids are too impatient to wait to feel it yet. 

Elizabeth was so excited that this year she could finally join her brother at vacation bible school at Grandma and Grandpa's church and she charmed everyone there!  The kids loved learning the new songs and dances that went along with them.  They did tons of crafts and most importantly learned about God.  VBS is only in the morning so we had afternoons to spend with family and had lots of fun like swimming and playing on the playground, but the kids really loved going to the DoSeum that had recently opened.  Parking was a bit difficult, but there was so many fun things that we didn't get to do everything.  We will have to go back again some time!

With getting ready for this baby I have been looking back quite a bit.  We have looked back at the baby books, gotten out newborn clothes for both genders and taken out as many of the toys and supplies as I can get Jeff to take down from the attic.  Looking back really shows me how Jason and Elizabeth are growing up so much!  Jason has really taken to reading, I got him a space book to look at on our cruise and before the week was through he had devoured the whole book and this was not a small book!  Since then I got him his first chapter book and his second and third and started on his fourth.  He has said to me "I love the magic of reading!"  So adorable! 

We are scheduled to do swim lessons next week, but in the past month just playing around in the pool Jason has figured out how to swim well.  He still likes to have someone close by just in case, but he can swim the full length of our pool just fine!  I think working on snorkeling before our cruise really helped him learn what he should do.  Elizabeth was doing well at the end of last summer, but seems to have forgotten how to regulate her breathing.  Hopefully the lessons will help her remember. 

We have a ton more coming up this summer so I will be sure to be more attentive to the blog, but I think that's enough for now.

We have an announcment!

1/30/15

I was feeling a little off this week and decided to take a pregnancy test on Wednesday.  I had told Jeff I was trying to hold off until the weekend, but I don't have any patience.  While he was taking his shower I tested and of course I didn't have a cute way to tell him so I just said, "guess what?  I'm pregnant!"  It has been a couple of days, but I'm not sure the news has sunk in yet.  Of course I am very nervous and this time really won't be telling anyone until after we are through the first trimester.

2/5/15
It's been about a little over a week since I found out I'm expecting and I'll admit it, I'm a bit obsessed!  With Jason I still had a job to do, with Elizabeth I had a little one that needed pretty constant attention, but now the kids can and do entertain themselves often that I have plenty of time to think and look at baby stuff!  I don't even have that much to research this time.  The only thing we really need is a new infant seat, although I can think of a few new things I would like.  I really need to get into a good book or project.  Maybe I will finally put together that Disney World scrapbook I've been meaning to work on!

2/27/15
I was supposed to go to the doctor for my first check a few days ago, but we had some ice the night before so I postponed the appointment until today.  Jeff got to join Elizabeth on our trip to Waco to see the Doctor.  The doctor came in and got right down to dating the pregnancy.  First thing we saw a beautiful heartbeat.  The doctor measured everything and gave me a due date of October 11, 2015 which is right on with my ovulation tracking.  We even got to faintly hear the heartbeat!  Everything was right on track and although I know there are no guarantees I'm happy we made it past when my last miscarriage.  We got a photo of the baby, but honestly it looks more like a blob so you will just have to trust me that there is a baby in there.  I have another appointment in about a month and I'm already counting down the days until then. 

 

3/25/15

 

Yesterday I had another doctor appointment.  I had no reason to be nervous, but I still was.  It is just the beginning of worrying about this baby that I am sure will continue far beyond when it is born, grows up and moves out.  I was thrilled that the doctor was able to find the heartbeat very quickly. I really haven't felt like eating much and when I do I can't eat very much so the doctor did notice I had lost about 7 pounds.  He assured me that my appetite would come back soon enough.  After my appointment I was leaving the office I saw a friend from town.  I'm a terrible liar so she ended up being the first person I have told, but since hearing the heartbeat I am feeling a little more secure.   Today I worked on our parents announcement and getting ready to send it to my parents later this week.

3/29/15
I'm 12 weeks today and we decided that this would be the time we would tell the kids.  We wanted them to know before we told the rest of our family and friends.  We went up to the Fort Worth area to get something for the camper and went out to a late lunch/ early dinner.  We decided to tell the kids then that right before Halloween they would be getting a baby brother or sister.  Jason wanted to know if it would come on October 30th then, I told him no it would be around October 11, but babies come when God wants them to so we don't know the exact date.  Elizabeth votes for a baby sister and Jason is hoping for a brother so we will see who the little tie breaker is. 

4/8/17
This past weekend was Easter and I planned a cute reveal for our families.  I send off an egg to my parents earlier in the week and we traveled down to San Antonio to be with Jeff's family for Easter weekend.  We had hoped to leave on Thursday and spend a long weekend down there, but Jason had a snow make up day on Friday.  We did make it down there for dinner on Friday night.  During dinner the discussion turned to how the kids are growing up and now that their cousin is 18 months, Grandma said something like there won't be any more babies in the house.  Jason piped in with there will be one in October, on October 11th!  Well I can't keep a straight face so we told them at that time, but it was sweet that Jason is anticipating his new brother or sister.  So Easter morning they opened the egg and were still excited to see the official reveal.  My family called later in the morning and were so happy for us.  We will be sharing with everyone soon!

Elizabeth is 4!

I can't believe our beautiful girl is 4!  I keep looking at her and wondering where my baby went.  She has become such a sweet smart girl.  She is always thinking of other people for example we took Elizabeth out to lunch while Jason was in school one day.  We took her to "the peanut restaurant", one of her favorites.  At one point during the meal she stopped and said I think if Jason were here he would really like these peanuts.  Which is a perfect example of how Elizabeth is always thinking of others.




Elizabeth  is still our little cuddle bug who adores her Daddy.  She is the first to run up to him when he comes home in the afternoon.  If you are sitting she wants to be on your lap. She got a gift from one of her preschool friends and needed to run over to give her a hug.  Elizabeth loves picking flowers and everything girly.  She wears dresses and skirts as often as I let her.  She loves playing with her Little Ponies, and has recently gotten very interested in mothering her baby dolls and stuffed animals.

Last weekend we had the kids joint birthday party at the local bounce place.  They had a blast seeing their friends and bouncing the morning away!















We are so thankful for our sweet, smart girl.  It is a blessing to watch her grow.

Jason is 6!

I can't believe our little man is getting so big!  He has become such a sweet, smart, sensitive boy who we are so blessed to watch grow.  Jeff stayed a bit later in the morning so he could see the birthday boy wake up and open his first gift.  He loved his helicopter and wanted to keep playing with it, but it was time for Jason to head off to school.




I surprised Jason by bringing him McDonald's for lunch at school and shortly after I picked Jason up from school Jeff came home so we could start opening Jason's pile of gifts.  Jason couldn't decide if he wanted to play with his new toys or see what other packages held.





I made his favorite meal of steak and green beans for dinner and of course we had chocolate cake for dessert.

Making a wish



Happy Birthday to our amazing boy!

100 days!

Jason had his 100 days of school celebration today.  I can't believe he has been in kindergarten for 100 days already!  To celebrate each student made a hat with 100 things on it.  Jason picked popcorn so he helping me count out 100 pieces and I hot glued them to an extra hat for him.  Today I went to visit him at school to see him sing songs about 100 and go on a parade through the halls.

He saw me!


Look at all those crazy hats!










With his buddy


Parading around the halls

Polar Bear Plunge

Well I unexpected icy cold dip yesterday!  I went outside to grill steaks for dinner and passed by the pool on the way there.  I noticed our pool cleaner, the Polaris, was full of leaves and needed to be emptied.  So after I put the steaks on the grill I went to do just that.  Before I got down I checked the pocket I normally kept my phone in, wouldn't want that to fall in, and it was empty.  All the better, I must have set it down inside!  So I leaned down to get the cord and heard a plunk of something falling in.  At first I thought A piece of the Polaris had come apart, but looked down to see a small rectangle floating to the bottom of the pool.  Oh no, my phone!!!  I had slipped it into the pocket of my hoodie and forgotten about it.  I stripped down and jumped in the freezing cold water.  Oh boy was it cold!!!  Thank goodness our yard has a large fence so I didn't give the neighbors a show!  I went under the water and grabbed my phone and got out as fast as I could.

I ran inside, leaving my clothes out by the pool and yelled to Jeff to turn on a hot shower.  He wasn't expecting that!  The kids were so surprised and kept asking questions, but all I could think about was getting warm in the shower.  At first glance it had looked like my phone had been protected by it's case, but on further investigations it might have some issues so it is chilling in a container of rice.  Jeff took care of grilling the steaks and bringing in my clothes while I warmed up.  Taking a dip was not something I had planned for the beginning of January!

There may not be snow in San Antonio...

... but it's a Texas Christmas to me! So go the words from George Straits's song When It's Christmastime in Texas."  It isn't very well known so Jason surprises people when he starts singing it.  He has been very into singing lately and maybe if I'm ambitious we can try to learn to play the piano together as a summer project. 

With Christmas being two weeks past I figure I better give a wrap up before I forget everything!  We spent a couple days of Jason's holiday break at home so Jeff could work more.  On one of those days we headed up to Dallas to one of the really nice malls they have up there.  We heard Santa tell a story and saw puppet shows featuring Scrooge and a Toy Maker, but the best part was going to visit the trains.  To benefit Ronald McDonald House they have displayed all these toy trains with track running all around the large store.  Jason marveled at all the trains and I liked looking at the reproductions of landmarks from across the country.  Elizabeth just liked being able to wander around.

A couple days before Christmas we packed the Excursion full and headed down to San Antonio to see family.  Aunt Karen arrived from Virginia and Cousins Emmett, Sarah, Rachel and Riley came down.  Jason was sleeping in the same room as Jeff and I on Christmas Eve and the sweetest thing happened, he just started giggling in his sleep.  It was so cute!  Then Christmas morning was there before we knew it!  Elizabeth keeps changing her mind about what her favorite gift was, but I think for Jason it was his helicopter!  My favorite moment of the morning was when Jeff told me to guess what was in a rather large gift.  I shook it and guessed maybe shoes, but that didn't feel right.  I unwrapped it and inside was another wrapped box, inside that was a small gift bag and inside that was a little box.  Jeff had gotten me diamond earrings and a big surprise!











One evening we got to leave Jason and Elizabeth with the grandparents while Michelle, Karen, Jeff and I went out for a bit.  We went out to dinner and then to Michelle's house to play a very fun game Jeff had received for Christmas, Red Dragon Inn.  We slept over and it was glorious to get a chance to sleep in for a bit.  The next day Jeff, Michelle, Grandma and Karen took the kids out on a bike ride to see the aqueduct, which they really enjoyed.  Sadly that was the last nice day for a while.  We took Jason to play laser tag again and he really loved it.  Grandpa took Elizabeth out to Build a Bear and she built one of her My Little Ponies, Princess Celestia, who sang "Let it Go" from Frozen.  We were happy to see the sun come out on our last day there!  Jeff finally got to go Frisbee Golfing right before we left. 











Vacations are nice, but it is also very nice to be in your own home.