Its been a long time but there is a giveaway!

Check over at http://www.thomasandkristenstabler.blogspot.com/ to enter to win a Paula Dean baking dish! I LOVE ME SOME PAULA DEAN and I LOVE A GOOD GIVEAWAY!

Its way to early.....

to be awake!

I was up several times in the night and finally I was wide awake and couldn't get comfortable. So for the sake of The Hubsters I removed myself from the bedroom and made my way to the couch. For the last hour and a half I have surfed the web and watch 18 Kids and Counting on TLC. I would get some work done but that means noise and the slightest noise means the puppies will be awake and in no way am I dealing with them because their nails on the hardwood floors will wake up the snoozing Hubsters.

I guess this lack of sleep and restlessness is to be expected with only 9 or 10 weeks left.... thats right I said 9 OR 10. Im due in 10 weeks on December 28 however, we went for our checkup at the doctors office today and we discussed an induction. With it being around the holidays and most of our families being so far away the doctor thought that an induction would be best all around and most importantly we would be able to spend Christmas at home with our wonderful baby. Now this induction is not a guarantee but it is most likely. I will go to my doctor a few days before and she will check to make sure that my body is getting ready for the birth and as long as I fall into a few guidelines for a non medical reason induction then all will be great for Monday Dec. 21! However, she can always come earlier and throw us all for a loop... :)

I have gained 5 lbs total! That is correct 5 Lbs... but according to the measurements Kenley is growing as scheduled which is wonderful news. The doctor says I will be smaller when I leave the hospital than I was before I got pregnant... pretty cool huh? And before you ask... yes I eat. But at 30 weeks Im still sick most every morning and if not in the morning then sometime during the day. So I don't eat until lunch usually unless I'm having a decent morning (which happens every once in a blue moon) and I still have days where I'm sick all day. I can't wait to wake up and be normal again :)

Well, the nursery is coming along great and the house is getting put together slowly but surely. I mean its livable just not fully decorated and the guestroom/office area is not completely organized... but Im working on it. I actually worked on it a good bit tonight which is another reason why I don't understand why I couldn't sleep. We had a long day and I should be sleeping like a baby lol OH WELL.... guess that means nap time comes sooner today. I have not been napping that much during the day so I will be able to sleep better at night but that may be changing soon! I also still have a small cough that has decided to hang around. I had pnemonia a few weeks ago and the cough is just here... but it better not be to stay. It needs to pack its bags and be out soon, it has overstayed its welcome!

All in all we are doing great and Eric can't wait for December to get here. He has been so wonderful and understanding. He never complains and is always so great at helping me to get going in the mornings. He has been so busy but has made sure to help me around the house (while I worked on the guest room tonight he gave our bathroom a much needed scrub down which was such a big help bc moving around in the shower was getting hard to do and I have not been able to lean over the jacuzzi tub for a while now). Last week Eric was voted in as the new treasurer for the camp we take the kids to every summer... and he has been working on getting that stuff together this week. Moving all the records to his office and figuring out the best way to pay bills and all that. Since Im at home now and he has that to do I may take back the job of paying our bills and dealing with the check book (yuck) we will see :) Eric also reads to the baby and talks to her. It's so cute!

Well, the sun is coming up and soon Eric and the puppies will be up too... maybe I'll make him breakfast... we will see if my tummy allows the smell of food this morning or not.

24 weeks yesterday!

I still have morning sickness but Im thankful its better than it was in the beginning . Kenley is still going at it like crazy. Growing and moving and kicking. We put together the baby furniture last week and bought the bedding! Its becoming more real! Here is the link to our pictures on facebook!
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/album.php?aid=143535&id=584662305&ref=nf
Also, here is the link to our pictures of our new house. More pics to come as we decorate and paint..... nothing has been painted or decorated as of yet but im in the process of finishing the dinning room..... then on to the kitchen and then the living room!
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/album.php?aid=143811&id=584662305

24 weeks
How your baby's growing:Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

sinus infection + pregnant= really sick

On Monday we moved into our new house! YAY (That post will come soon.... when I start feeling better and can decorate and take pics)..... so on Monday I started feeling bad. I thought I was just tired form a long day but Tuesday I woke up with a sore throat! YACK! As the day went on I began to feel worse and nose started running.... DOUBLE YACK! Wednesday I spent all day in bed.... with the occasional visit to get sick. Wednesday Eric came home from church and told me that he knew of at least 4 kids at church that had the flu and one being swine flu. So first thing the next morning my hubby helped me get ready for the doctor and drove me there. After 2 hours I found out that I only had a sinus infection (a really bad one). By Friday I was sick to my stomach all day and today I have not left the couch because my tummy hurts.... I guess when your pregnant its harder to get over a bad sinus infection. :( oh and this cough will be the death of me.....

On to a brighter note:

Kenley has been kicking me like crazy. I feel her a lot and Eric can feel her all the time too! Yesterday she kicked me so hard that she moved my arm that was laying over my belly. I had a visit with the baby doctor last Thursday as well.... I have officially gotten back to my pre-pregnancy weight. :) The doctor is not really happy at the fact that I have not really gained anything but what can I do when I cant get rid of the pregnancy sickness, but she is not real concerned since Kenley is growing on schedule. So all is well with the baby... even though mommy is under the weather.

Pictures for the post below

HERE ARE THE PICTURES FOR THE POST BELOW

These are a few pictures form our wonderful cabin on the top of the mountain.

These are a few pictures form white water rafting.

These are pictures from tubing..... these pictures don't do my story below justice. This was from the easy part (I would compare it to the lazy river portion of the trip) since it was much to rough to take pictures through out the rest of the ride down.

SIX FLAGS

These were from the hiking trip. (also, thsi pictures was from the easy part of the hike. I only wish the whole hike looked like this lol)

Last week in a nute shell..... a large nut shell! :)

I tried to post picks but blogger was acting up so those will come soon!


Our life is crazy right now.... but we are loving it! This summer is coming to and end and we just finished an amazing trip! The Senior High group goes to the mountains every year during the summer. We went hiking, tubing, and white water rafting (I slept on the bus during the rafting trip), then on our way home we went to six flags.

I made it through a 5 mile hike in the mountains..... WOW! It was crazy but I made it up and over all the hills (hills are an understatement) down to the water fall and back. Did I mention it was a hike? That mean in the middle of the woods with no bathrooms...... pregnant lady needs her bathroom often and this hike was so hard it took about 3 1/2 to 4 hours. I was a little sore the next day but it was so worth the feeling of accomplishment!


The next day we went tubing...... or should I say we went white water rafting on our own personal tube! It had rained the night before and the water was up at least a foot and a half and the trip down river should have taken at least and hour and a half but we made it in 45 minutes! So yes, the water was MOVING! It was like going down a class one white water rapid and a little $2.00 inter tube from wally-world..... the first time down (yes we were crazy enough to do it more than once....) we had a few bumps and scratches but we wanted to go again...... like once down a rushing river with 55 degree water wasn't enough. The second go around wasn't as smooth. One teens tube popped adn he went down one of the rapids holding his tube, one teen ended up with stitches, and everyone (except Eric) ended up with a bruise or several scratches. I was one of the lucky ones that never actually feel out of my tube but I was pushed into some huge boulders and was forced to get out of my tube and crawl across the rocks through parts of the river that were really fast with my tube in hand..... I stepped down between two rocks and that how my leg got all scratched up..... but we finally made it down river and past all the rapids. It was really fun... even the teen that has 11 stitches had fun.


I wasn't able to go white water rafting with the group so I napped all afternoon on the bus.... the group had a blast! The pictures are so funny.....


Six flags isn't any fun when you can't really ride the rides.... but my hubby walked around with me so it was a good day. We didn't stay all day because we had had a long week and we had a long drive home a head of us!


We had a lazy day on Saturday and today we are preparing to leave again. We will be leaving tomorrow for Lake Martin. I have looked forward to this trip since we drove away last year. It's the Youth Minister's Family Retreat and its sucha great way to end a crazy summer. We get to hang out with other families like us (youth ministers and their wives). We have a whole week to talk to others about the year we have had and struggles we have faced. We are able to bounce ideas off each other and learn from each other. It's nice to know that when we all come together we understand each other..... :) I can't wait! Then when we get back on Friday we leave for a weekend youth rally! BUSY BUSY BUSY! Im so glad that my husband has been able to provide a way for me to be a stay at home wife and soon a stay at home mother. It was really hard when I had to work all the time and do all these things with the teens it never left time for us... and these past few months we have been able to spend so much time together!


HOUSE UPDATE!!!!! GOVERNMENT= SLOW!!!!!!

It should only take a week or so to close on a house....... unless you involve the government! We are crossing our fingers for next week but nothing is for sure. I know your thinking a month to close on a house..... its a special program that we qualified for because our house is in a specific location (outside the city limits pretty much) and its gonna save us lots of money (that's how we were able to get bigger house, 2,000 sq ft, with a huge back yard).... so it's worth it but I'm not fond of being homeless.....

BABY UPDATE:

ITS A GIRL!

We know of a name but have not picked out a middle name for sure yet so we're not telling anyone yet.... sorry. My mom bought her first outfits the week before last and I cant wait to decorate a nursery! Over the last few days I have started to feel her "flutters" in my tummy. I wish Eric could feel them to. He puts his hand on my tummy and tries so hard to feel them. :) He is really excited over a little girl! It took a little while to sink in but last week we were talking (I dont even think it was about the baby) and he stopped and looked at me and said, " I dont think I have told you but Im excited about our little girl."

Baby Center update:
Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.

Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

DQ give-a-way!!!!

head on over to the chicks with cents website and be enterd for a $10 gift card!

YUM YUM!

17 weeks...... and updates

We have been settling in to Mobile and waiting for our house to close so we can finally settle into a home instead of being in the rental. A rental (while nice on our pockets$$$$) just doesn't feel like home especially when your pregnant. But our paperwork was sent to the home office on Saturday and we should close about 10 business days from then. So we are just around the corner and it can't come soon enough! :)

Last week we went on a canoe trip with the middle school age and we had fun! This is a trip they take every summer and they enjoyed the day event! By the end of the day I was tired but it was worth it.

This week we have an appointment on Thursday to try and find out the sex of the baby! YAY!:)

My afternoon sickness is almost gone and my morning sickness has eased up a little.... last week I had one morning that I didn't actually get sick I just felt bad.... so that's improvement! And I'm not getting sick in the car unless its a really long trip. So it hasn't gone away but I'm still not crossing it out! All I can do is hope :)

Eric bought me my first maternity item.... its a pretty blue dress..... maybe Ill get a belly shot in it soon ( I know some of you have asked for the belly shot). He also bought me a few shirts (not from the maternity store) but that will be great for when the belly gets bigger and I can wear them and the dress even after the baby is born! My mom called today and told me she had bought me a few items as well!

HERE IS THE 17 WEEK UPDATE:

How your baby's growing:Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop

15 week update....

We have been running like crazy around here. We have been here a month and have already had VBS and 2 weeks of camp! YEP that's right only one week of down time....and even that week we made visits out to the camp. This week we have something most every night but it shouldn't be too bad.

I'm hanging in their but still hoping for this "all day" sickness to go away. It has gotten a little better. I can go more than 2 -3 hours without getting sick.... and trust me that's improvement. I still feel queezy through out the day (but that I can handle). We go for an ultrasound July 23 to find out the sex of the baby.... WE CAN'T WAIT!

We should be in our new home in a few weeks... and for that we are so thankful. This new house has everything on my want and dream list (except for a garage but I'm not complaining). We wont be in a subdivision piled on top of each other.... we will have a yard bigger than our yard in Prattville and our house is a little over 2,000 sq ft. So we can grow into it over the years! AND NO CARPET! My allergies are already thanking me. We will also have a big concrete patio outside.... I am so excited. The only thing we have to do when we move in is put up the new privacy fence and paint..... (yes paint, the house was built in 1993 and that wallpaper in the kitchen is out of style lol). Wish us luck (and speed) with the loan office! The faster they work the sooner we get into our own house!

Here is the baby update this week....

How your baby's growing:Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.")

The move.....and the pregnancy......

As most of you know Eric has had a job change. He is still a Youth Minister but we are at a different church. We are now residents of Mobile, AL. This move has been difficult in so many ways but in the end it's Gods will that has to be done.
We love the kids and parents in Prattville and had not dreamed of leaving them. But sometimes God has other plans. We always knew that we wanted me to be a stay at home wife and mother and God answered this prayer (in a completely different way than we thought but he answered it). We had a few other long term goals and they too have been answered with the move. We struggled so hard with this decision but when you pray for things and God gives them to you (even though it may not be exactly what you had in mind at the moment) you have to follow his lead. After all he does know best. So after much prayer and discussion we made the decision to move. This decision came with many tears and sadness but also the joy of working with more teens. This is truly our calling and the Lord will lead us where he sees fit.
I am looking forward to hearing who the new youth minister in Prattville is. All of the top three would do a great job!

On Monday we loaded up the rest of our stuff (with the help of some amazing people) and headed to Mobile. (Most of you know I grew up in Gulf Shores so I'm close to home.) We were greeted by some of the church members at the rental and they helped us move our stuff. Our rental is about 30 minutes away from the church and is only temporary. We should be closing on our house in Prattville in the next few weeks and soon after closing on the house here in Mobile.
The rental is way out in the country. One of the members at an area church owns some land with horses and stables. He put two cottages on the property for his kids. Right now they are vacant and he is so kindly letting us use one of them for a low cost, with no lease, not deposits and we can bring our dogs! It was a life saver because we though we would lose all sorts of money on pet deposits and have to stay in a little apartment for a year (bc of the lease). So this was a blessing! The rental in about a mile off the main road and we see rabbits and deer (no snakes yet) and of course the horses are about 30 feet from our front porch. The only down side is the flies. Between the people who moved out last week and us moving in this week its bad.... but we are getting them under control :)
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Pregnancy

Last week I was nine weeks pregnant, sick and the nurse at bible camp! Talk about dedication! I would not have missed the last big trip with the PYG for anything in the world! So I sucked it up and did the best I could. I felt yuck all day and only had one really bad morning were I laid around. So all in all I would say it was successful! We had a great time and memories were made!
We got home from camp on Friday and we spent all Saturday afternoon with the kids and we were at church all day on Sunday (we had 2 fellowships) and then Monday we loaded up the rest of our stuff..... so yesterday I laid around all day till my wonderful hubby took me to dinner. This morning I was really sick but I needed to be at the church for a teen work day.... so once again I sucked it up. Im ready for a nap...

~10 week update~

Though he's barely the size of a kumquat — a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighs less than a quarter of an ounce, your baby has now completed the most critical portion of his development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in his body rapidly grow and mature.He's swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including his kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver (now making red blood cells in place of the disappearing yolk sac) — are in place and starting to function, though they'll continue to develop throughout your pregnancy.If you could take a peek inside your womb, you'd spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes (no more webbing) and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.In other developments: Your baby's limbs can bend now. His hands are flexed at the wrist and meet over his heart, and his feet may be long enough to meet in front of his body. The outline of his spine is clearly visible through translucent skin, and spinal nerves are beginning to stretch out from his spinal cord. Your baby's forehead temporarily bulges with his developing brain and sits very high on his head, which measures half the length of his body. From crown to rump, he's about 1 1/4 inches long. In the coming weeks, your baby will again double in size — to nearly 3 inches.