Round Two

*sigh*

I was so excited for warmer weather to come this way, foolishly thinking that the cold weather would take all those yucky germs with it.

So yeah. Not so much.

Wade has been sick for the past 4 days with the flu- the fever, achy, chills, dry cough, loss of appetite kind. This means that this 8 month pregnant mama's been on her own for feeding the kiddos, putting them to bed, doing the dishes, etc. so that Daddy can rest. I didn't realize how much I relied on him for help. Yikes. So I've been exausted, unmotivated, uncomfortable, and grumpy this week. Confession: today I finally washed the dishes from Tuesday's night supper. Gross.

And then today, Miss Reese complained that her head hurt when she coughed. Wade and I just looked at each other, knowing exactly what that meant. Throughout the day you could tell she just wasn't feeling herself and we put her to bed tonight with a fever. Beckett hasn't gotten it yet, but he woke up this morning with his nose running like a faucet. Pretty typical for him, but still not fun.

We've been trying something new called Oscillococcinum. Have you guys heard of this? It's supposed to work wonders if you take it at the onset of flu symptoms.

Wade took it on day 3 of his symptoms, so he didn't find it as effective, but I'm hoping it'll kick in for Reese before it's the full blown awful yucky flu. :(

I also made chicken noodle soup tonight and it's one of our favorites. It's hearty and makes a ton so I usually have some for leftovers for the rest of the week PLUS some to freeze for supper on a different night. We use a buttery garlic rotisserie chicken that we grab at the store to make it easier (not to mention SO GOOD!) So in case your interested:

Chicken Noodle Soup
1 tbsp butter
1 c. onion, chopped
1 c. celery, chopped
2 c. carrots, sliced (I always use baby carrots to keep it simple)
2 cloves garlic
4 (15 oz) cans chicken broth
1 (15 oz) can vegetable broth
1 (15 oz) can cream of chicken
1 1/2 cup wide egg noodles (half a bag)
1 tsp each of basil, oregano, thyme

1 rotisserie chicken, shredded or chopped
salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, over medium heat, melt butter. Cook onion, celery, carrots, garlic in butter until just tender, abt 5 min. Pour in broths and remaining ingredients. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 20 min.

In the meantime, we'll try to stay far, faaaar away from everyone and hopefully not spread this around to anyone else! As for me, I've got myself some PB m&ms and am determined to make this next week better than the last. I've got soooo much to do and I cannot afford to get sick (again!) on top of being preggo, so I'm crossing my fingers and toes hoping this one skips me!

A Baby Update

I am 30 weeks into this pregnancy and I feel like I should document at least a little bit this little one's beginning, since this one is already becoming "the third child" in regards to how much I've written down/pictures I've taken. With R&B I took a profile picture of my belly every month or so to be able to look back at how much I grew. With this baby, I think I've taken oh...about TWO. With R&B I knew exactly how many weeks along I was at any given time. This one.... not so much. With R&B, I talked about it all the time on the blog or Facebook. This time has just felt different, even from the very beginning.

That being said, we are still so very excited and I feel like these last two months are going to go so slowly. A name has been picked (I think...) but that's all we've really done in preperation for this little one's arrival.

As for me, I've been feeling really good. My back hurts (only on my lower, left side) when I lay down, but that's about it for pain. My clothes are getting too tight and I've been sleeping well and don't really have any cravings. And my, is this child is a WIGGLY one!

Reese and Beckett are excited too. More Reese, than Beckett, but I know he'll be a good big brother. He'll be almost a year older than Reese was when he was born! Reese loves to feel the baby kick and Beckett just likes to look at my belly and always wants to "open it up", meaning lift up my shirt to see the big ol' baby belly.

{I have no idea how many weeks I am in these pictures, but they were both taken in Febuary!}

I'm excited to see how this little one will fit into our little family. We have been so blessed :) But why, oh, why does the end seem to always go by the slowest!?!?!

Artwork by Reese

Age 4

Mommy, Beckett, Daddy & Reese

Happy Things

I didn't mean to leave you all sad from that last post! Pretty sure I had to stop half way to go get a Kleenex, but I didn't think it would had the same affect on everyone else, too!

So since the last post was kind of a debbie downer, here's some happy things.

• It's Friday, and my love is coming home tonight! He's been in Missouri since last Saturday with a bunch of High School kids on a Spring Break Mission Trip. It's been a fun week with just me and my kiddos, but we are sooo looking forward to having him home with us for the next couple of days.

These two. Just because they're cute. :)
• I have these chocolate chip cookies baking in the oven and my house smells amazing. 


• I am loving/wanting this print from this etsy shop. Actually, they are all lovely and I would take any of them.

• I am in the middle of this book. Good stuff- changing my perspective on who I am as a mom.

 Have a fantastic weekend :)

Feeling Nostalgic

We have been enjoying Spring Break around here and the warmer weather that has come with it. In somewhat exciting news, we got an offer on the house on Sunday. It was quiiiiite a bit lower than our asking price, so I wouldn't be surprised if nothing really comes of it, but we are in the process of negotiations this week. Once we got the news that there were some people who were seriously interested in buying our house, I had my first realization that someone else was soon going to be living in our house. We've lived here only 5 years out of the 50 or so that it's been around, so I know that this house was never really mine, but it's our first, which is kind of a big deal. And I got to thinking about all the little memories that we've had in this home.

This is where we brought our first baby home. And then our second.

Where I learned how to cook a good supper for my husband.

Where we painted rooms bright colors. Then repainted them more toned down colors.

Where our children learned to walk, ride a bike, and be "best buddies".

Where Wade taught his daughter how to play catch and I figured out how to grow a garden.

Where we've had a total of 4 "roommates" live with us downstairs.

Where we started our own family traditions.

Where we made pancakes with sprinkles on Sunday mornings.

Where we learned how to entertain friends... in our teeny tiny little kitchen.

Where we stayed up with sick kids in the middle of the night.

Where we learned to how to fight. And learned how to say I'm sorry.

Where we played, danced, cried, played "rawr", baked cookies, took bubble baths, and most of all, we loved.

Thank you Sylvia house, you've been so good to us.

I've come to realize that for our next home we're not neccessarily looking for something bigger or newer. This house is enough. Space wise, it's all we really need. But we are looking for something different, something that maybe fits our family, dreams, and lifestyle better. We're ready for an adventure. :)

“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Finally Healthy (almost)

[Insert sick picture of me, unshowered and with no make up here. No, I did not take one of myself, nor would I put something like that on the internet. Nobody wants to see that. It wasn't pretty.]

I am happy to report that, besides me, we are all healthy and back to our normal selves around here. These past two weeks have been a doozie at this house with all four of us being sick at different times. Beckett started us off with a cough and fever, but he was back to normal within a day or two. Then Reese got it, but showed very mild symptoms and never really got a fever or was nearly as bad as Beckett. Wade came next and missed a few days of work from congestion and a nasty ear infection. He was in a ton of pain, then one night while he couldn't sleep he heard a "popping sound" and yellow stuff oozed from his right ear for the next 3 days. He and Reese are on antibiotics. She had noticeably lost some hearing and was up a couple nights saying her ears hurt, so she went with Wade to the doctor. Hers were only a little red, but we tried to catch it before it got worse. Wade still can't hear anything in his right ear. :(

As for me, I was lucky enough to just get a little stuffy nose, which didn't seem like a big deal. I was too busy taking care of everyone else to really have time to feel that sick. But last Saturday morning I woke up with an AWFUL headache and concluded by Sunday morning that it must be a sinus infection. From my forehead to my chin, the entire left side of my face was in SO MUCH PAIN. Your not really advised to take ibuprofen when your pregnant, so I suffered through it for the first few days, until I got the go ahead to take some from my midwife. I have never had headaches that hurt so bad in my entire life. I am just now starting to feel a little better, but it has been a miserable week. Luckily, the kids have been good and have played well while I laid on the couch most of the day. And as a bonus, my sweet husband got me a netbook since I wasn't feeling well so I could entertain myself from the bed or the couch. Love that guy.

So that's where I've been the past two weeks- nursing my family and myself back to life. And if you've ever had a sinus infection before, you certainly have my sympathy now. They are NOT FUN!!!!

Today

Despite

feeling a bit under the weather, but trying to hide it since wade is on the couch upstairs & feels worse than I do.

the fact that our van desperately needs new breaks. like, yesterday.

our house showing at 12:15-12:45 today was pushed back to 2:45-3:15.

beckett testing us to. the. limit. the past couple of days. his screaming, crying, hour long fits are getting old.

But

it's sunny out today.

i have a good book to read.

i have one more brownie covered oreo left.

and we're having pizza for supper. frozen pizza.

because i don't have the energy to even attempt to make supper.

{picture above by me, 10 minutes ago, from this website. so fun!}

Waiting

Sipping an iced caramel latte (iced because there's a serious heat wave going on. Love it!!!) , waiting in the Home Depot parking lot while Reese & Wade pick up a few thing inside. Beckett fell asleep on the way here since this would normally be his naptime. We were kicked out of our house for another open house this afternoon.

We have newly engaged friends coming over for our anual Valentines's Day supper tonight. We're having Cheese and Bacon Stuffed Shells & cheesecake. Hopefully I'll post about that later this week.

Enjoy your Sunday!

Sweet Friday

To do today:

Sleep in until 8:30. Check.

Chat with sweet friends. Check.

Sip a large cup of coffee. Check.

Pancakes with sprinkles for lunch. Check.

Paint something- a table,  a shelf, not sure yet.

Take a nap.

Play Go Fish with Reese.

Buy some fresh flowers.

Thaw out some potato soup for supper.

Cuddle with my love.

My weekend is shaping up to be pretty fabulous. I hope yours is too :)

More Text Messages

Today
From Wade to me:

275 lbs. Half hour ago

um, yeah. I'll explain this in a later post.

From me to my sister:

A belly shot that she'd been bugging me about for awhile. 24 weeks. I think.

Text Messages

Two txt/pic messages sent today at 2:45 pm, first from Wade, then my response.

Waiting for hogs. hope ur day is goin great love u .
Wade

Me and Becky downstairs :)

*Liz Monroe

Snow Days

I honestly try my hardest to be a positive person. I really do. But I also strive to be an honest person.

I reeeeally am not a big fan of snow and cold weather.

I try not to complain about it, but instead just deal with it. After all, I've lived in Iowa for the first 27 years of my life, so blowing snow, slick roads and everyone cancelling everything is something that is pretty normal during winter months. But I still don't really like it.

Anyway, we've been cooped up these past two days with school being cancelled. I go back and forth between "I love this! We're nice and cozy inside and I have all these fun activities to do with my children!" and "Argh! I can't stand this! I don't want to hear any more whining! GET ME OUT OF THIS HOUSE!"

It's too cold to go outside and play (it's currently 3°) so here are a few of the things we've done this week:

Made homemade Play-doh
Had a dance party
Baked up some yummy Zucchini Bars (from frozen zucchini from our garden)
Built a fort out of blankets
Painted pictures
Decorated the inside of our fort with our paintings
Had a picnic inside consisting of blueberries, crackers, carrots and string cheese
Watched movies (Beckett permanently scratched his current all time favorite-Toy Story 3 aka "Woody". Bummer.)
Went to Target for some shopping, coffee, and a rice krispie bar
Planted seeds in little flower pots
Played at the Y

It's been fun, but I'm running out of ideas! I really just want to go for a long walk. Or better yet, a short walk to go get ice cream. Oh, summer I am ready for ya!