Hospital Bag

Okay. I'm down to the last few weeks, and I'm realizing that I still have a truckload of stuff to do. One of which is to pack a hospital bag, for me, dad and baby, and a bag for the kids for when we drop them off with friends.

For those of you who have managed to pack a hospital bag before heading to deliver a baby, (and who have actually used it)...I'm wondering what was your favorite item? What is the one thing that you couldn't live without during delivery...or you wish you would have had? (I know there are lists all over the internet on baby sites, but I don't think half of that gets used. So, let me know... =)

Mini Update

This past week has been crazy, and it's just going to get worse/better!?

Scott's parents came to visit. We had such a great time with them, and played hard (I know, it's a relative term) all week long. I think it's going to take another week just to recover. I'll have to find the pics to post. We really enjoyed having them, and it was hard to say good-bye this morning. We don't get family out this way very often, and it will probably be some time before we see them again. One of the hazards of moving away, I suppose.

We celebrated A's birthday (it's coming up next week), went to the coast, saw all the animals at the wildlife safari, ate alot of sugar and chocolate, didn't take afternoon "quiet time", got to bed late, played tons of cards, watched movies and deer in the backyard and had grandma read lots of stories. Daddy took most of the week off of work and we really felt like it was a vacation. (or, staycation?)

I also started swelling. Dang summer heat.

Oh, and we got a new computer. I'm hoping the vista problem doesn't send me screaming for a mac soon. We'll see.

So, there's the mini-update. More details are coming. =)

Cute Blog

Thank you Jessie!! Finally, I have a cute blog. I am not computer savvy, nor do I have any connections to people who are. I'm so happy to find some cute blog backgrounds. Check it out if you're like me!! Maybe now, y'all won't fall asleep while keeping tabs on me. =)

Bad Days

I have rotten days now and again. We all do. When I feel especially picked on, I think of this story--and I cry and laugh at the same time. I realize I'm not the only one with challenges, and it could always be worse. So, if I mention that I had a bad day, but it's not "jellyfish" bad, you'll understand.

gone...

I may be non-blogging for awhile.

The Olympics have started, and I'm hooked. I love watching athletes competing at what they do best...no matter what sport that may be. So, my attention is taken elsewhere. Sorry if you don't hear from me for awhile, but check it out for yourselves. =) I've been waiting for this all summer, so I can "slow down" and put my feet up while I watch, and cheer on Team USA!!

Happy viewing!!

(Oh, yeah, and my in-laws are coming next week, I'm hosting book-club, A's birthday is the week after, and school starts, and I need to finish a few sewing projects and a baby is coming... I'm trying to slow down from last week, when we had play-date at our house, I had a new dr. appt, a pedicure, lunch with the ladies, visited the county fair, hosted a barbecue with our friends, and baby-sat all Saturday (we traded so we could go to the temple last week), prepared sharing time and completely forgot that A had a talk in Primary! (I didn't remember until they announced her!! oops.) I'm ready to stop cleaning the kitchen and vacuuming and baking. Anyway. Typical life of a mom, eh? Never a dull moment!)

Lazy Summer Days

I've been amazed at the number of people who have pools here in Oregon. I suppose it's because there isn't a community pool, (just one at the YMCA requiring a membership) and lots of people live a few miles out (10+). We decided we needed our own pool too. Isn't it lovely? Once we got the carpet to put under it (to avoid nasty deck splinters) and filled it up, Little Man C was quite at home.

Daddy even stepped in to cool off.

But when his warning to Sweet A about not splashing went unheeded.......she got dunked under. (I think she really wanted to see if daddy was serious, heaven help me in 10 years!!)


Sometimes the kids get to play with the nozzel...they like to squirt it straight up and make showers--and rainbows.

Let's go...

...fly a kite!

The kids love flying kites in the back yard. They've gotten pretty good at it, and don't get them tangled up too often. (The grass is brown because we're too cheap to water it--no irrigation water, well, or river water here, folks.)

Hair Experiments 101

We pulled out the sponge curlers to see what would happen...

...and were quite pleased with the results. She loved her "boingy" curls and bounced all through the day just to feel them spring back to her head. When she's up to sleeping on them again we may see a repeat. Too bad they don't do that all on their own.

Third time's the charm

Sweet A lost another tooth.

She worked so hard to get it loose. I couldn't look at her while she talked because it stuck out like a snaggle tooth and she was already starting to lisp. I couldn't help laughing. Her second front tooth is preparing for the same fate...and she's starting to look snaggly again. I'm working on my poker face.

Strawberry Fields

While Scott was gone to Moab for a "Boys Weekend" --I thought it would be fun to pick strawberries with the kids. yeah. I was only 6 mo. preg. at the time, and unfortunately the day we picked was the hottest day that week. I insisted the kids use the bathroom before we left. We arrived, got some boxes, and started picking. I showed them how to choose the red shiny berries, and Sweet A got right to work. Little Man C followed behind me, complaining that I needed to pick berries for his box too. I think we were there five minutes when A looked up, saw the port-a-potty across the field and declared that she needed to go. Great. We trooped down our row, left the boxes and climbed into the green sweat-box. Needless to say, we all had to rotate through. (Even if I don't have to go in the beginning, I surely have to by the time they are through-power of suggestion, I suppose...) Now I felt really hot and sweaty with limited bending ability. We trooped back across our row to finish picking...and Little Man C decided he was done. He walked all the way to the start of the row, found a piece of plastic, sat down in the dirt and started playing/digging. Of course, he was wearing his new white shirt (despite my earlier protests) and he got completely filthy. He informed me that it was "just part of picking strawberries, Mom. You get dirty." (Hmm, yes, which is why you don't wear white...) (This pic doesn't quite capture the extent of the dirt and strawberry juice down his front)
This is the box of berries that Sweet A picked all by herself. She was such a trooper, but even she had her limits and called it quits--way before I was ready. She would stand up, wipe her forehead, and exclaim that picking berries was hard work!
Here are the seven pounds of berries we took home. I had other errands to run that afternoon, and didn't get back to them until that evening-and some had already spoiled! I did manage to make two batches of freezer jam, though, and it's the most beautiful dark red. I never knew how delicious field-ripe berries are-they literally melt in your mouth. I'd send you some for Christmas, but I don't think it would survive the trip!

self portraits

so. I realize that most of y'all aren't in a position to visit. I also realize that half the fun of having a prego friend is seeing how enormously huge they get over the course of nine months. I guess it makes it seem more real...and you realize that you're glad you're not that big!

So, here for your viewing pleasure are a few self-portraits......

The view from the top

Shadow Play

Look what I found...

...in the bottom of the Cracker Jack box!

Yes. I've reached that point where my fingers swell up and I'm afraid of keeping my wedding ring on--it might stay on. I'd rather not get it stuck on my finger, so I'm now wearing my favorite cubic zirconium (or maybe just plastic) ring. It hasn't turned my finger green yet... but I'm really enjoying the huge stone--I'm estimating 1+ carat. This could be more dangerous than I realize....