Airplane Loot

So we leave in just a few hours...like 15.... for Texas! So I thought I would share with all my blogging friends how you keep three girls 5 and under entertained on 2 flights totaling about 5 hours. So here is the loot it takes to survive!

Now you can notice....magnadoodles, wedding bubbles, stickers, pens, crayons, notebooks, matchbox cars, silly putty, lip gloss and mirrors, bubble wrap, and that is just a tiny sampling. there also is a TON of food that could feed a family of 4 for about a month! Mind you that some of the food is for the trip home and each child has their own individual sized bag of each snack which makes it look like more. Caroline's loot includes...a mini flashlight, several key rights with keys, change purses, clothes pins to clip on things and take back off, play jewelry, mini dolls, stretchy/sticky insects, spinning tops, slinky, and tons more. Basically she has a lot to play with but the food is her main distraction. I figured that putting all the snacks in individual snack sized baggies would keep Caroline from pigging out on one item. If she sees there is more left int he bag she will yell for it and I could very likely end up feeding her an entire bag of cookies in like 10 minutes.

Each of the girls have their own rolling backpack...you know the ones that have a handle that pulls up and wheels, that they will be taking on the plane. It's full of their snacks, toys, a small pillow, hoodie, and stuffed animal. So hopefully this all runs smoothly!!! I will try to update after we get there but the week is pretty full with events. So, wish us luck and PRAY for safety on the trip and that Mommy's sanity is still intact when we reach El Paso!!!

Gymboree Addict or Not???

Okay, so you know that you shop in Gymboree just a tad bit when.....

1. Your kids come home singing the songs off the little TV program they play at Gymboree to entertain your kids while you shop. They actually came home singing..."Here at Gymboree TV!"

2. The store manager not only knows you and your kids' names but most of your life story and asks you questions like "How's the bows going?" and "How did Maddelyn's Tea Party go?"

3. The store manager actually keeps your hair bow business cards behind the counter and passes them out to mommies looking for hair bows. Mind you Gymboree also sells korker bows but the manager will tell them "Oh hers are so much cuter and much fuller!"

4. When you pull into the mall parking lot your children used to cry for Chuckie Cheese and now they ask if they can go " to the store with the TV in it."

5. You see other people and their children out and think to yourself..."Hmm, that's Gymboree." It doesn't end there though because you can say what line it's from and what season it was released.

6. You belong to a few...cough...cough...several yahoo groups that discuss the latest Gymboree lines, what is coming out next, and when their big sales will be. Okay I joined for info on the new lines coming out so I could make the bows to match and sell but I kinda stick around for more than that!

7. You can tell the sales ladies at Gymboree more about their next upcoming sales than they even know about...yep info from my yahoo groups.

8. You NEVER buy anything full price in Gymboree because you know if you wait long enough it will go on sale and if you are really patient you can end up paying like $4.99 for it instead of the $34.99 they have on the price tag. Last Easter my kids had dresses, pea coats, and matching shoes valued at $120.00 an outfit and I of course paid like $15.00 an outfit! Of course it was the previous year's Easter line but who cares!

Quick Family Update.....

So the weekend is pretty much over since it's so late on Sunday night, so here is a quick update of how our weekend went.

On Saturday my Grandma came oer to help me do some yard work. She was sitting for my cousin Leah so the girls were entertained while we kept busy. We worked our behinds off weeding, transplanting/taking out some hostis plants, planting flowers, and mulching. Yep I was whipped afterwards but the yard sure looks nice. That was definitely a item I wanted checked off my check list before we went to Texas. That night I spent on the couch and the girls and I had a movie night we watched Pollyanna and the original Parent Trap and the girls had their dinner on a blanket in the living room. This was a VERY special treat since they aren't allowed to have food/drinks out of the kitchen. My parents also stopped over for a few minutes to see us while they were in town.

Today I had nursery at church and then a quick lunch and naps....AHHH! Sunday afternoon naps!!! This evening was a relaxed one where the girls played and watched a movie and I worked on hair bows for an upcoming craft show. They were pretty excited going to bed tonight knowing that Daddy would be home from a business trip late tonight. They sure are Daddy's girls!

She's Growing Up...

So my little Dare Devil Caroline is officially a toddler now and not a baby...sniff...sniff! Since I last wrote her new climbing feats have been getting out of her crib and trying to climb into the club house of her grandparents swing set. I'm sure if my mom hadn't caught her in the act and pulled her off the 3rd step of the ladder she would have been up to the top in no time. Oh my! She has has discovered that when she is mad or doesn't get her way she has 2 new options. She can throw her self to the ground and scream or she can stand there and run/kick in place screaming. Both of these of course don't make Mommy very happy with her. Oh where did my little one go? I guess with a new one on the way it is time for Miss Caroline to leave the baby era, but it sure is hard to see them head towards those terrible 2's! Oh my! Just to make Mommy (and a few family members) tear up a bit more here are a few photos to remind me of what a little peanut (okay at 9 pounds a chunky little peanut) she was and how fast she's grown. Okay...when you're pregnant everything makes you tear up so why not enjoy it?

Long Week Already!

So it's only Tuesday and It's already been a L-O-N-G week! Let's just say that before noon yesterday, Emma had peed on the bathroom rug (obviously waiting way too long to head to the potty), spilled juice on their Pottery Barn bed spread (mind you no juice is allowed out of the kitchen) and opened their bedroom window and had the screen 1/2 pushed out! So that just started our day! The entire time we were at Walmart shopping the younger two were fighting and picking at each other. By the time we left Caroline had kicked, pinched, and bit Em, and Emma had poked Caroline in the eyes! I am talking about the 3 stooges kinda poking in the eyes! Oh my! That night I went out with some friends for dinner and when I returned the sitter had Emma sitting in time out in her bed. I guess that she had pushed Caroline of the couch and then as soon as she calmed back down Emma then hit her in the head with a board book. Poor kid looks like she kissed the pavement today and it was just from her sister! See, girls can be rough too!

Tonight I've been busy getting ready for a craft show that my bows will be in over the 4th of July. A friend of mine will be taking them with her items since we will be out of state. This is only my second craft show so I am hoping that I do as well as I did at the show before Christmas.

Oh...and we're headed to El Paso, Texas!!!! Nathan's grandparents are celebrating their 50th Anniversary at the end of this month and the family is having a week long celebration to celebrate. The whole week is planned out down to the detail since there will be like 50 people coming in for the week. I think this is the first time in a very long time that all 6 of their kids and their spouse/children have been home all at one time. So we leave the 28th-6th and Nathan will arrive late in the week because he will be home working. The girls are so excited to not only go to Texas, but they are extremely overjoyed that they will be able to fly in an airplane. the remind us all the time that they have never been on a plane and how much they want to fly. They were really bummed out when Caroline and I went to NJ a few weeks back not so much that they couldn't go but that we were getting on a plane and they weren't. Now if only Mommy were that excited. I will be flying the first leg of the trip, Cleveland to Dallas by myself. Once we get there my in-laws will be waiting with us on the lay over and then taking then they will take the same flight with us into El Paso. Now the tough part is that first flight is not only the first time I've flown by myself with more than one child, but it's THREE HOURS LONG and since there are only 2 seats per row, I have once child across the aisle from us. Oh joy!! I think I can contain the older 2 with new toys/snacks/ and the DVD player, but I have no clue on how to control Caroline. Hmmm? How do you keep an 18 month old on your lap still and entertained for 3 hours???? Any tips from other experiences parents would be wonderful!!!!

Photos.....F-I-N-A-L-L-Y!

So I finally have gotten some of these photos uploaded that I've been promising. No, I still haven't fond the cord to my camera but Nathan was ever so sweet to let me borrow the cord to his blackberry which happens to also work with my camera. What a Sweetie! So here is a glimpse of the past month of our lives!

These are some quick pictures of the projects I made for twelvefridays. The photos really aren't the best and especially since I had to take actual layouts. After all of our laptop problems we had to wipe to compute clean and then reload everything so....I have to re-install my scan-n-stitch program that allows you to scan in a 12x12 page on a regular scanner. So....these photos still need cropped. The fist is of a tin that I will be adding mementos from this Summer to. Basically it will be a journal of all the events from this Summer without having to write anything.

These are photos of my grandparents' 60th wedding celebration. The photo below is of all the family members that we had there that day. Yep...this is just part of my grandparents' descendents.

I love this pictures! We asked my Grandpa to give my Grandma a kiss on the cheek for the photo and he then he leans over and plants one on her lips! The whole time the great grandkids are chanting "kiss...kiss...kiss!" How cute!!!!

These are some photos from when we visited my best friend and her family in NJ. Aren't Emma-Lee and Caroline too cute in their swimsuits on the beach?

The following photos are of Alicia and her family on the coast. Oh how fun it was for this Ohio girl to take her first oceanside photos! :D

Of course I had to add a few photos of the beautiful Victorian homes that fill Cape May!

Are the girls too cute holding hands while in their car seats in the car? Best Friends!

Okay so they wouldn't allow me to take any pictures of them and of course as I get ready to take the picture they both jump up so we get this lovely rear end picture! Cute huh?

It amazes me how much Caroline looks like her daddy in this picture! She has that same squinted eye smile that he does! Awe!!!

We of course scrapped as much as possible the week we spent together. Of course the princesses had to be right there in the middle of everything!

Sick Baby.....

So we are home from my in-laws in PA. The past few days have been kinda crazy so I haven't had time to post anything. We arrived home on Monday afternoon and took Caroline directly into the doctor's office. We left with them not really knowing what she had but they narrowed it down to RSV or bacterial pneumonia. WOW! Poor little thing had a fever, stuffy nose, sore throat, but worst of all she was struggling with each breath. The poor baby was working so hard to breath. We left with a handful of meds and instructions to use our nebulizer as well. The next day we went in for a follow-up appointment and the nurse practitioner said she was surprised to see us? She said she thought for sure we'd be in the hospital. She said that the day before her and the doctor had really been debating on admitting Caroline to the hospital. She said they choose not to since the kids do so much better at home without all the pokes and prodes. I'm glad i didn't know all that when we were yesterday! I would have been much more worried! So each day she has been a bit better. The breathing treatments are really helping a lot though.

We are busy around here getting ready for the weekend. e are planning on going camping with my parents, brother, and nieces/nephew. It will be nice to get away for a few days...haha...like we haven't been gone the majority of the last month! I also have been busy working on my site still. I am hoping that we are getting pretty close, but you know all those loose ends that need tied up. I also will be working on my twelvefriday's kit this week. WOO-HOO! :D I love when that oh so cute kit arrives in the mail. Now I know why kit club members often want to hug the mail man! So here is what came in the mail this month for me.....

So we'll see what I can come up with using these AWESOME papers! If you're interested in seeing what else twelvefriday's has to offer in their amazing kits you can check them out at.... http://www.twelvefridays.com/ and you can see what amazing layouts and projects they have already made up with this kit for their Project Friday on their blog at http://twelvefridays.typepad.com/ . I believe they posted the sneak peak for the July kit as well! Oh my more to hug the mail man over!!!

Summer is Here!

So we're in PA and oh how Summer has arrived. I never realized how hot you feel pregnant even when you're not like 8 months and in mid-august. Or, maybe it's not being pregnant, maybe it's just plum HOT!!! So the temp today was like 90....hot but not like unbearable, but the humidity was insane! Let's just say that it was so miserable that my in-laws newly sealed garage floor was wet. I'm not talking about a tiny bit damp, like you walk across it and it feels like walking in dew soaked grass. Yep, that pure humidity. For our Texas family...that's what you miss living in the desert!

So the baby bump is getting much bigger than a baby bump. I am 11 weeks now and well, beyond showing. It's funny though because when I went to NJ last week I left barely showing (what I had at the beginning I had lost when I lost weight from morning sickness.) Well I left NJ with a pretty good bump and now a week later it's probably doubled in size, no joke! I just keep thinking.....it's the real hot day of the Summer season, and I have to go to Christmas!!!! At this rate I'm not going to be able to get my arms around the front of my stomach by Thanksgiving! Oh my! It's odd looking down and seeing the obvious signs of pregnancy but still not feeling the baby. More than likely it will still be several weeks even though this is #4. I generally feel them (he - speaking in faith!) just before my 20 week ultrasound. We'll see though. Maybe me showing so fast will speed up some of the other things as well, or maybe not. It could just be that I'm going to be HUGE this time around. My grandma said it's just because I am carrying a big, burly boy in there. Maybe Grandma???

Pictures

Okay...I can't find my camera cord that I need to up load photos. I must have found a new home between the 1/2 unpacked and 1/2 repacked suitcases from this week. I've done a lot of unpacking and cleaning in the past 2 days but not near enough to get all of our NJ stuff put away and all of the PA stuff packed up on top of the house freshened up after Daddy and the girls were home alone last week, and dealing with a stomach virus in the house! YUCK! Let's just say Mommy doesn't handle that kinda stuff not pregnant so pregnant was insane playing clean-up crew. Oh how sweet my hubby is for helping me in that area when he's home. He just knows that either he helps clean up the kid or he helps clean up the kid and the mommy if I try! LOL!

So anyways here are a few pictures that I took in NJ on the beach. Thanks Alicia for letting me steal....uh hum...borrow them form your blog! I will put up many, many more once I find the camera cord, which will more than likely be after the PA trip.

Quick Post

So I'm still here! I am just letting all of my blogger friends know that I didn't forget you all, I've just been super busy the past week. We arrived home from NJ late Friday night and then Saturday/Sunday we celebrated my grandparents' 60th anniversary party. Today was spent on the couch sick and cleaning up/weeding during my feeling okay times. I'm not sure if it's a virus, something I ate, or just baby? Either way I just feel plain awful and of course the kids aren't letting me take the day off. Figures! I really needed to keep busy today since we are headed to see my in-laws later in the week for Jeremiah's (my not so little anymore brother-in-laws graduation.) Oh so busy!!! So needless to say I will fill you in on all the wonderful details of my trip as well as tons of photos of the babies and NJ tomorrow. Tonight it just isn't happening! I head my bed calling an it's not even 11 yet.

New Jersey

So we're here! Caroline and I arrived at my best friend Alicia's house in NJ yesterday afternoon. Caroline has had the best time playing with Alicia's baby Emma-Lee, who is about 6 weeks older than Caroline. The girls have done such a good job of getting along and sharing. I was afraid that Caroline would be a bit rough with sharing with Emma-Lee just because with 2 older sisters she's used to standing up for herself when it comes to her toys or whatever she is playing with. So far it's been great and we've only had a couple little run-ins with Caroline taking toys away form Emma-Lee. Caroline has also taken to Alicia's Dad. When he walks in the room Caroline runs up to him with her arms reaching up for him to pick her up. I said that she knows he's a grandpa! I think he's her surrogate grandpa for the week. Today is going to be just a lazy PJ day (okay...we did get dressed and run to the store and then back into comfy clothes) to scrapbook and eat our pile of junk food. It's a total bonding girlfriend day with Alicia and her mom Joye. This is totally what a busy mommy to 3 kids need for her mini vacation! Ahhh!

I'll keep you all posted on our adventures. I know that one day we are going to go down to the beach and take some pictures (yes...that would be that OCEAN!) and another day we are touring a couple Victorian houses here in town and then having an afternoon tea at one of them! Yep...eat your hearts out fellow ladies! LOL!

OB Appt.

So I just got back from my first OB appt with baby #4. I would post the ultrasound picture but to be totally honest with you...you can't see much. It just kinda looks like a black oblong shape in the middle of a darker black circle. But, I did get to see the tiny peanut who was wiggling everywhere and I got to see the hear beating. For anyone who's been pregnant before you understand the first time you see your child's heart beating. It's just a sense of relief. So to end all rumors.....it's just one...no twins this time! LOL! We also found out that my official due date is DECEMBER 24. So that takes me back a week. They said that my chart says the 17th, but the measurements say the 24th, so the @4th is is! It's funny because that was the NFP Chart date as well. So Christmas this year will be VERY crazy! Nathan said that being due on Dec. 24th kinda makes me like Mary! Oh Nathan! I said if I don't have this baby by the 20th, then I will be in a chair resting all through the holidays just to be sure that I can make it past my due date! I don't want a Christmas baby necessarily or to be in the hospital over Christmas as well!

Just thought I'd pass on the news. I have to run now for a hair appointment! YEAH! Stay at home mommies totally understand how exciting it is even to get your hair done...without the kids. It's like a mini spa day! LOL!

Our Weekend in a Nutshell

I am just now realizing that it's Tuesday night and I haven't blogged since Friday? I mean yeah we're always busy but nothing that major happened to make me miss blogging that long? So here is a re-cap of our weekend.

Friday - Nathan had to work so, so the girls and I went to a friend of mine's daughter's 3rd birthday party. The kids had so much fun playing together and of course it was nice to have adult conversation between the parents. For a craft project the kids all painted their own mini terra cotta pots and planted flowers in them. How cute!

Saturday - Nathan again had to work a long shift that day so I called a sitter so I could go grocery shopping. I know sad, but when you do twice a month shopping, it usually takes at least 2 hours. So paying a sitter for a few hours to shop in peace is totally worth every penny! It was so funny shopping because I think I picked up just about everything that was now okay because I am braces free! LOL! I got apples, taffy, lemon heads, roasted peanuts, and tea to make sun tea. I guess it was my own little braces-free-party! LOL!

Sunday - After Church we went to lunch at Panera Bread with my parents, aunt, and cousin. It was delicious but lest just say that Panera B-R-E-A-D is not the best place to fine something for a baby who has to have wheat-free food! LOL! Afterwards we went to my little cousin Leah's 7th birthday party. This is my little cousin that my aunt and uncle brought home from China just about a year and a half ago.

Monday - I spent the day getting a large order out for one of my wholesalers and then fixed green beans with salt pork for dinner. It's almost a sign of the season's changing when we have our first green beans of the year! After the stores start stocking them again (beyond the like $2.50 a pound skimpy looking winter ones) we have a dinner of green beans, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers, and sweet tea dinner. My girls got a kick out of snapping beans. They both said they were for sure they had never snapped beans or eaten them before? Uh...we've had these every Summer since you were both babies?

We also decided this weekend that Caroline and I are going to be flying to NJ to visit my very best friend Alicia, her baby Emma-Lee, and her parents Bruce and Joye! YEAH!!!! We are so excited! We haven't seen Alicia and Emma-Lee since last Summer when they came here to visit. We have already planned a week of catching up, and lots of late nights scrapbooking and laughing over old college stories. Hey Alicia.....remember that night with the dyed shampoo in Christmas colors! Oh how insane we were back then! LOL! So Caroline and I will be flying out on Monday and returning on Friday just in time for my grandparents' 60th wedding anniversary party on Saturday. Nathan has the week off of work next week so he will be staying with Maddelyn and Emma doing the Daddy-girls week. So for all of my blogger friends out there please say a prayer for both the girls AND Nathan's sake next week! They both can use it! Just kidding, I know he'll do a wonderful job running the house.

Thursday we go to my first OB appointment! YEAH! It will be the first time seeing Martin baby #4 on our ultrasound. they do a early ultrasound just to make sure that we have the right due date based off of the baby's measurements.

Friday we go back to Columbus Children's Hospital to see Emma's dermatologist.

A quick question...you know one of those odd questions from one mom to another...are glow bracelets ( the kind where when you bend them they clow in the dark, usually seen at like fireworks shows and such) anyways are they toxic and do they stain???? Yeah you can only guess why I am asking and which child it was? Yep.....Emma bit threw one and now there is a nice green glow on my carpet? I am hoping that in the morning when the alien glow has disappeared, that the stain will come up with carpet cleaner. The things that you never knew you would have to know BEFORE you had kids! See Alicia NOTHING your child could ever do would make me think she was a bad child. I've pretty much seen everything or...with Emma will be seeing it in the near future! Hey, at least tonight the girls won't need a night light! Oh My!!!

Alright I need to head off of here and get some laundry put away before bedtime.

New Layouts

So I got to scrap a bit the other night. It seems like the only time lately that I get to scrap is for my twelvefridays commitiments. Oh well better than none at all , and beside their stuff is too cute to not want to scrap with during my few scrapbboking moments! So this month the kit had a boy theme, and even though they were adorable papers.....we don't really have any boy-ish photos! I think it's hard to scrap princess outfits, tea parties, and korker bows with boy scrapbooking paper. I guess I am just not that talented to strech my imagination that far! Now some of the other design team girls did a wonderful job in using the papers with their adorable daughters. I just didn't have that many creative juices flowing. So, I kinda cheated and asked my friend Jenn to borrow photos of her 3 adorable bows and she graciously said yes. Thanks so much Jenn, Grant, Griffin, and Grady! :D I also included a simple card that I did with my kit this month.

Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day....

Okay so I know how Alexander felt in the children's book Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day! LOL! So I think pretty much everyone I spoke to today all said they were just having a crummy day. Yeah, I can agree with that. Let's just say that my days started WAY too early after tossing and turning all night....info for all, MANDI IS NOT A MORNING PERSON! Anyways I walk in to the girls' room to see that it has snowed small pieces of white plastic? Hmmm??? Maddelyn then generously turns in her sister by saying that Emma has broken my window?? What? Ok, she didn't break the window, just my mini blinds! Yeas this child literally sat there this morning and ripped off tiny bite sized pieces of white plastic mini blinds and scattered them all over the floor! Oh my goodness! So needless to say Momma was not happy!!!! Bad morning to mess with Mommy! That was basically the start of my yucky rainy day.

So here is some pleasant news instead..... my friend Elaine is expecting again! YEAH! So once again there is someone else I am always pregnant with. I guess we're all trying to space our children about 2 years apart. Well Elaine's new baby and our 4th are due within a week of each other. I'm sure we'll both have a very busy Christmas!

I have a few pictures to share tonight as well. These are of Maddelyn and her very best friend Miss Lizzie at Lizzie's birthday party last weekend. Of course Emma needed a little camera time as well! Such a ham!

Maddelyn and I after our mommy-daughter dance at Church on Mother's Day.

My 3 girlies and I on Mother's Day

Okay these photos just make me laugh out loud. While we were practicing our dance on stage Sunday, Caroline was playing behind the pulpit. Yes...she is sucking on the clear pulpit!

Oh So Sleepy!

So Happy Late Mother's Day to all of my blogger friends and family! We spent the weekend at Maddelyn's best friend Lizzie's birthday party, church, and a cook-out at my Aunt and Uncle's in Wilard. We did our dance for the second time infront of the church for Mother's Day. It actually did not go as smoothly as it had the last time. We totally forgot to warn the preschooler's that the tv monitors and the HUGE screen behind them would be on and have them on it! So I think the entire video that Nathan took of us dancing that morning was basically me telling Maddelyn "Quite looking at it!" "Watch me!" "Pay attention!" At one point she is literally just froze with her back to the congregation just staring at herself on the huge screen. Nathan said it wasn't that obvious but I think it probably was?

I've been kinda under the weather the past week so I haven't been in the blogging mood too much. I don't remember being this sick or tired with the other 3 pregnancies? I'm not like horrible sick or anything just queasy and super tiered. I think running after the other 3 has something to do with it? I told Nathan that I am already wishing the pregnancy was over. He said I usually don't start saying that until about month 8? I guess this time around I'm just too tired to do it? LOL! That is even with taking time to lay down most days. Maybe if I just go to bed and someone wakes me up mid-December? LOL! Anyone have an quick fixes for no energy the 4th pregnancy around, besides sending my other 3 to family until after the baby arrives? HaHa!

Stages in Motherhood.....

Tonight we had out Mother-Daughter Banquet at church. This evening was a special night because Maddelyn and I danced as part of the program. We had a mother/daughter dance which included 4 preschool girls and their mommies. It was done to Plum's "In My Arms" song...tear jerker. The dance was pretty simple since the girls had to be able to follow along. We've only been practicing for a couple of weeks but the kids did wonderful tonight! We had several ladies tell us that there wasn't a dry eye afterwards. I wish I had a video of it to upload for you all but of course I don't. Afterwards we had a special reading where several moms read a small verse just explaining the different stages in motherhood. Well I was the first reader with "2 am feedings." I did fine until it said about how I should be remembering to thank God for all these sleepless nights because some women would do anything to hold a wee one at 2 am. So yes...I started tearing up and had to re-collect myself before I could finish. Well I think I started something because almost every woman who got to read their stage of motherhood was in tears! When I sat down the row behind me (all family) was sniffling and wiping eyes. I said man... it feels like we are at a funeral you guys!

On a lighter note, Emma's newest phrase now is..... my leg/arm/foot/whatever hurts. I then say I'm sorry to hear that. She then replies but it's going to fall off! Oh the drama!

So the little baby bump is becoming more noticeable. It's much easier to see in some outfits than in others. Like tonight's dress...yep, baby bump! It's so funny to think that with Maddelyn I couldn't wait to get into those cute maternity clothes and it seemed to be forever before I was showing. With #4 I am like man....how can I be showing this much already? I mine as well just live in those maternity clothes! It says a lot about your child spacing when all of your "good clothes" are maternity clothes! LOL! I guess I just find the best deals on them! LOL!

So just in case you haven't had your daily tearing up...here are the words to that some by Plum that we danced to. I also included some comments that she had about the song she wrote. They really hit home about what being a mother in today's world is all about....

"A picture of peace to me is not a life without pain, but knowing you will always be held and loved through it. Motherhood has allowed me to better understand God's love for me and, in tum, to be able to love my children in what I believe to be a very similar way. "In My Arms" is about how we live in a fallen world, how life won't always be storybooks and ice cream cones and will involve pain and fear and loss, and innocence will fade away. And for me, as a mother, how it's a hard reality to believe. But no matter what...we are all loved. We are never alone. We are safe...in His arms. And for me, to know my children are loved by a God that great can help make them feel safe in mine." - Plumb

In your Arms by Plumb

Your baby blues

So full of wonder

Your curly cues

Your contagious smile

And as I watch

You start to grow up

All I can do is hold you tight

Knowing...

Clouds will rage up

Storms will race in

But you will be safe

In my arms

Rains will pour down

Waves will crash around

But you will be safe

In my arms

Storybooks

Are full of fairy tales

Of kings and queens

And the bluest skies

My heart is torn

Just in knowing

You'll someday see

The truth from lies

When the...

Castles they might crumble

Dreams may not come true

But you are never all alone

Because I will always

Always love you

The Truth of Children!

I got this email from a family member and thought it was just too cute to not pass on. Oh how I wish children could just keep that raw truth! These kids seem to be wise beyond their years! Oh...I forgot to mention that our new microwave just randomly started working again? I give up!!!!

HOW DO YOU DECIDE WHO TO MARRY? (written by kids)

You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming. -- Alan, age 10

No person really decides before they grow up who they're going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you get to find out later who you're stuck with. -- Kristen, age 10

WHAT IS THE RIGHT AGE TO GET MARRIED?
Twenty-three is the best age because you know the person FOREVER by then.-- Camille, age 10

HOW CAN A STRANGER TELL IF TWO PEOPLE ARE MARRIED? You might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be yelling at the same kids.-- Derrick, age 8

WHAT DO YOU THINK YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE IN COMMON?Both don't want any more kids. FAMILY: Lori, age 8

WHAT DO MOST PEOPLE DO ON A DATE?Dates are for having fun, and people should use them to get to know each other. Even boys have something to say if you listen long enough. -- Lynn , age 8 (isn't she a treasure)

On the first date, they just tell each other lies and that usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date. -- Martin, age 10 (Martin is wise beyond his years)

WHEN IS IT OKAY TO KISS SOMEONE? When they're rich. -- Pam, age 7

The law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn't want to mess with that..- - Curt, age 7

The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It's the right thing to do. -- Howard, age 8

IS IT BETTER TO BE SINGLE OR MARRIED? It's better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them. -- Anita, age 9 (bless you child)

HOW WOULD THE WORLD BE DIFFERENT IF PEOPLE DIDN'T GET MARRIED?There sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn't there? -Kelvin, age 8

And the #1 Favorite is........HOW WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE WORK? Tell your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like a dump truck.-- Rick, age 10

The Killer Touch for Small Appliances!

Okay..that's it! I am done with small household appliances! Last week I was warming up the girl's lunch when I took one item out of the microwave and put another item in . Well when I went to start the second item it just died. So we've been without a microwave all weekend. So today Nathan brought one home from Walmart and I was like great....I can fix popcorn. I started it like normal and everything was fine until I cooked it too long and had burnt popcorn (normal for me). So I decide to pop another bag instead of picking through that one and don't you know it...the new microwave won't even turn on! UHHHH! I think I have the killer touch for small appliances right now. Or, they really just don't like me. So tomorrow we'll try microwave #3!

We spent yesterday going through a few open houses. It was kinda disappointing, not at all that we thought we'd find "the house" on our first day out. But, as Nathan said ..... if I'm going to pay that much for a house I don't want to have to do that much work on it. Each house was lovely but both needed some serious updating to get rid of outdated paint. light fixtures, cabinets, etc. It was just frustrating to pay that amount and get something that yes had the Sq footage but still needed bought out of the 70's-80's. I mean pink bathroom??? Yes the girls might love it but it kinda would get old as soon as they realized how "un-cool" it really was! So more on the house search as we keep our eye out.

I need to head off of here. My friend Sarah is coming over in the morning to work on my website with me! Woo-hoo! It's pretty much getting to the point of where she is just waiting on me for all the final little details to get the site up and running. So very exciting. Of course I'll post on here when it's open!

I'm still here!

Okay, I know it's been a while. From my frequent blog checkers I have heard that you're checking everyday and I'm not updating! Sorry but life was busy as always this week. Nothing really big happened we just had a busy day and I just kept putting off updating my blog. So lets see....what all happened this week that anyone might actually care about?? LOL!

The girls and I have been fighting our lovely allergies all week long and Miss Caroline is cutting 8, yes... E-I-G-H-T teeth at once! Ouch! She is getting her back two teeth on both sides of the top and bottom! Poor little thing! Besides a mild runny nose and a low fever one night I haven't heard much out of her. Now the night with the fever she was up a lot (hence we didn't make it to MOPS that next day.)

Thursday I went to the Orthodontist for my last check! I had a bracket that he had worked on the last time I was there and I just needed him to look at it again. Anyways he said 2 weeks and they come off! YEAH! I do know though that I will have a "tooth positioner" retainer? I am thinking it might be something kinda like invisaline braces??? I'm just guessing though.

Thursday we also went to have dinner with my mom and we told Emma to hurry up and eat because we were going to go to the fire station to see Grandpa at work. She then says with total seriousness....does he have a baby in his belly too? Oh my goodness! We laughed so hard! Emma it's not nice to tease Grandpa!

We then spent Friday night chaperoning a youth event that our church went to. For all of those familiar with the Church of God, we went to Teen Talent. Anyways it's basically a talent show for the teens of our denomination to compete with outer teens from the rest of the state. So while my parents sat with our kids, we "sat" with some other people's big kids. I told a friend...why is it that all youth events involve almost no sleep(running on 2 hours today) and it's always VERY loud there??? Oh my I'm getting way too old for this!

When we showed up at my parent's house to pick up the girls today, Emma's first words out of her mouth after seeing me were "Why didn't the baby come out yet?" Oh if time would only fly that fast! Poor little thing will just bust if she keeps asking me that every day all the way through December! Well, I guess when you have only lived 3 1/2 years, 9 months is a lifetime!

Tonight we watched a great movie, "The Last Sin Eater" It was a definite must see. I had heard the book was wonderful and seeing how I am a tad bit busy in my life now...haha...I honestly don't find the time to read all that much. Well at least books WITHOUT pictures or that don't rhyme. So when I saw this movie on Netflix I new I had to put it in my que. So if your looking for a great rental about Appalachia folklore and with a Christian theme....it's a must see! Or...if you have more time than me...haha...read the book!

Okay, I need to head out and get to bed. I think those 2 hours of sleep from last night wore off about 8 hours ago!

New Twelvefriday's Happenings!

So I got an email this week form the lovely ladies at twelvefriday's announcing yet another awesome thing that they are up to! They have planned a twelvefridays scrap weekend in Gatlinburg TN for March '09! They asked us girls on the Design Team to come along to help out with the weekend since they are expecting up to 200 ladies! What a fun weekend! So needless to say after getting permission to bring a tiny scrapper with me *wink* *wink*, I am headed to TN next March! The weekend is the type where you show up with scissors and adhesive and leave with a 24 page completed album! They are having layout classes all weekend taught by some of the very best and when you leave you have completed 24 scrapbook layouts and they are giving you an album to put them in! All of that is on top of just being able to spend 4 days in a cabin in the Smokies with other scrappers! How could you say no??? GREAT idea Heidi, Heather, and Rhonda! So check out the link at http://twelvefridaysweekend.typepad.com/ to see just how fun this all seems! And hey...for all of my blogger friends, if you sign up then you'll be able to hold our new peanut when he/she goes to their first scrapbooking event!

More Good News...

No, No, it;s not twins! Well if it were up to Nathan it would be! Every time he sees me he still is asking how the twins are? The night before last one of my twin nieces Regan said in her prayer..."God if it's what you want, please let Aunt Mandi have twins! " Okay, now Nathan even has the kids on his little deviant plan!

Anyways we found out yesterday that Nathan did get the job with Freedom Alliance. This is the job we had gone to DC to interview for in March. This job will mean that he will be leaving his full time slot at the guard and evenings at Walmart. He will still be in the guard though doing his one weekend a month. The new job begins May 27 and he will be spending the week after that in DC to train. The job will have him working from home and then traveling a lot all over the country. This groups that he is working for is a group that helps veterans and soldiers so it's right up his alley. Needless to say we're pretty happy. And...what makes me smile even more is that we'll now be looking for a house! YEAH! So I thought I'd share the news.

Oh, and it looks like I had my due date wrong, according to the OB office I am due December 17th. Now according to the Natural Family Planning charts they say December 24th? I'm going with the 17th because that's what the doctor will use, but keeping the 24th in mind. So since I have never made it to my due date yet, that means we'll have a brand new baby at Christmas! Nothing like a Tiny Christmas Miracle!

Return of the Stork!!!

So most of you are already probably guessing, but....

WE'RE PREGNANT!!!!

So we found out this weekend that baby #4 will be making his or her arrival around December 28th. That should make a pretty interesting Chirstmas seening as how I have never made it to my due date! I wonder if they serve a nice Chirstmas dinner in the Mommy/Baby ward at Med Central Hospital? LOL! So Maddelyn's first response was "Mommy, you're too young for that!" What on earth???? So she then states that we need to have this one and then have another one because we need 5 girls? Is that prophesy? Ha! Ha! Emma wanted to now when the baby was coming out and Nathan told her not until after Christmas. Maddelyn was then like...Dad...we already had Chirstmas! They are too cute! So my mom and Nathan both had already guessed it after seeing me at the girls ballet recital this past weekend. My mom was like not that you looked bad in that dress at all but I kinda noticed a pouch. Nathan said he had seen it too but didn't dare say anything. AHHH! I hadn't even taken a pregnancy test yet and I already had formed a pouch! I guess you do show so much faster with each child. So do women with baby like #8 show the morning after conception??? LOL!

So I do have pictures of the girls' ballet recital to post but my computer is being really dumb fighting a virus so I am on Nathan's laptop tonight while he works on mine. Hopefully it will be back up and running soon. I'll post those pictures as soon as I can.

The Scrapper in Me Returns!

So I finally sat down to scrapbook! It feels so nice to be back at again. Since I've been about waist high in bows for months now...especially with opening a new website, I have let me scrapbooking lax. I remember the Summer before I had Caroline I scrapped about everyday! Oh how I miss that! Well, what little time I have to do it now is still wonderful. As I tell Nathan...it's cheaper than therapy!!! So here are my Design Team layouts for the April Kit with twelvefridays. I loved this month's kit in how girlie it was which is perfect for our family! Yes Heidi.....you of course knew this one was right up my alley but I promise I'll pull this out of somewhere for May's boyish kit as well! LOL! So here are my latest creations....

This is a mini album and tin that came in my kit. How cute huh? Nathan said I made a "Bucket List?" Basically what I want to do in life before I kick the bucket! Somehow that title just didn't seem appropriate for the front of the tin?

Here is the newest kit from twelvefridays that will be mailed out mid May. This current month had a definite girlie theem and this next month is perfect for the little boys in your life. thanks goodness my friend Jenn is letting me borrow pictures of her three boys next month! the kit is available at their website https://twelvefridays.com/KitClub.aspx Check out the link to see an upclose picture of these adorable papers.

Evening Away...with a Political Note

****WARNING: Contains Non Bi-Partisan Political Material. Read at your own risk! (Ha! Ha!)

So we had a sitter tonight....yeah!!! Nathan's boss at work had given us 6 tickets to hear Karl Rove speak at a school near Dayton. So with 4 others, Nathan and I made the 2 1/2-3 hour trip to hear him speak. It was a wonderful speech that had been precluded by several other candidates/politicians. For those of you in Ohio you might have recognized Mike Dewine, Bob Taft, Mary Taylor, and many more. So Being a republican I obviously wore my John McCain sticker this evening and of course he'll get my vote in the Fall (uh yeah) but I really don't know much about him. Not being my first choice in the primary this Spring I really never put much thought into McCain or his campaign. Well I did know that he was a POW which I have the up most respect for but I didn't know too much on his voting record or really on his views. After being Karl Roe speak about his man tonight I have a new respect for him. The stories he told about the events occurring during McCain's 5 1/2 years as a POW were awe inspiring. All of these stories are little known because McCain is a pretty private person about his personal life. The things that I've learned about what he has done off the voting record...where it really counts towards true character....have really made me look again at this candidate. One small story we heard tonight was originally told by a POW roommate of McCain's. I guess the Vietnamese had broken this gentleman's arm and then set it so it would heal funny and he would never be able to bend at the elbow again. Well this man was a pilot and one of his few hopes remaining as a POW was that one day he would get out and be able to fly again. Seeing that the enemy had set his arm wrong on purpose, the man could never fly a plane again. His roommate John McCain changed his life by re-breaking and re-setting the arm so it would heal properly. After the guy was rescued from the POW camp the med staff said that it looked like the Vietnamese had done a pretty good job of repairing his once broken arm. He said "No, John McCain did that for me." Pretty amazing huh? McCain was also the chaplain of this group of POW's while they were imprisoned. His first speech was on "Render unto Cesar what is Cesar's and unto God what is God's." He stated that we need not to pray to God for our release of here but to him for salvation and forgiveness because that is what is God's. Pretty amazing stuff that the press does not report huh? Remember boys and girls.....the lesson of the day is NEVER go just by what you hear in the news...and NEVER trust a reporter!

So on a funnier political note...here is a great l