6 wks too fast

a long awaited post! our little munchkin is already six weeks old, i really can't believe it. the time is flying by, but probably because i've been so busy. you forget how much work a sweet newborn is....worth every minute, but still demanding. i can't really say that she is an easy baby, but not difficult either....she is just right ;-) she seems to be doing better now that she is going to be a little earlier, evenings aren't as fussy. she is starting to smile a lot more too, especially in the morning when laying on the floor (we have found that she is much happier lying on the floor as opposed to being in her bouncy seat)...looking at the fan. she loves the fan, she even likes it when i say "where's the fan?" she gets this big goofy grin on her face, it is so funny. i love to just lie there next too her and watch her grin and coo! i can't stop kissing her either...too irresistible.

kylee and alaina are still in love with her, they are constantly in her face...literally. i have to remind them frequently that she can see them better if they are a few inches away from her face.

the summer is wrapping up...kylee starts school in 2 1/2 weeks!! that means that we will busy getting ready for school...haircuts, new shoes, last minute stuff. she has worked really hard this summer reading like a mad woman. she has read 21 chapter books and is still going. i am so proud of her hard work. she said that she "loves reading now." it helps when you find a few god books. her favorites are "franny k. stein" by jim benton and the "my weird school days," by dan gutman. she's actually a little obsessed. she gets on the computer almost everyday doing a search for more franny k. stein books (because she has read all of them) and dan gutman. she even made a list for me the other day of all the books she hasn't read. i was actually really impressed that she did the search all on her own (sadly her and lainey are left up to their own devices more than not these days....we are so lucky and grateful for such good kids).

lainey....well, she's a piece of work that is for sure. our little fancy pants! always wearing fancy things and being dramatic as ever. kylee and her have for the most part played so well this summer...always playing "kid" of course.....oh, and barbies! sometimes when they are playing i have to stop to check on them because alaina is crying...fake crying (but it sounds so real). is it weird that when they are playing someone is always dying...or getting married?? hmmmmm! she is slightly morbid at times, but we love just the same.

i love all my girls so much, i don't tell them enough. i feel so bad that i haven't spent more time with them, or just telling them how much they mean to me. i have to remind myself that this is just a season and it will pass. i just hope and pray that they won't hold it against me ;-) so girls, i want you to know....i love you with all of my heart. i am so sorry that i haven't had more time focused on you, but it doesn't change the way i feel about you. i am so proud of both of you. i am also so very thankful for all your help taking care of mya. you are the best big sisters ever!! i couldn't do it without you. you are smart, beautiful and funny...and so full of love. thank you for loving your mommy no matter what. i love you both!

:rimbo five:

okay, i just laid miss mya down for a nap....so lets see how fast i can do this. so much to say about the last three weeks, i don't know if i'll have the time. three weeks ago this thursday we had our third sweet baby girl....mya. i was supposed to go to work that thursday night, but my water broke that afternoon, so i was able to call in and say that i would rather come in as a patient instead. we got to the hospital and things progressed smoothly. with this pregnancy i decided that i wasn't going to have an epidural...for more than one reason, but the main one being to prove my husband wrong ;-) about half way through labor i contemplated the epidural but kept focusing on a bible verse that i had recently been reading (john 16:21 - A woman giving birth to a child has pain because her time has come; but when her baby is born she forgets the anguish because of her joy that a child is born into the world.) i kept thinking of that joy that would come. low and behold i did it, and she came out and the pain was gone and she was breathtaking. we became a family of five! the joy was almost too much for words. after coming home from the hospital every time i looked at all the girls i wanted to cry because i was so happy. the girls as i know call them my little hover crafts are in love with her. the first few days were pretty easy....but now she has her little routine. she is awake in the morning from 7:00-9:00, she eats, then sleeps, eats, then sleeps, then in the evening she is awake, awake, awake. she eats every two hours gets a bath and goes to bed. she gets up again at 2:30/3:30, eats, sleeps and gets back up at 6:30. you may ask why i am writing a detailed description of her schedule...but if i don't i won't remember and i obviously don't have time to write down in her baby book right now (hopefully soon). it's amazing how fast you forget stuff. i can't believe that she will be three weeks old tomorrow...crazy! she is beautiful and wonderful and i am completely in love...we all are. we are so glad that you are here sweet baby girl. god is so good and we are so glad. did i mention she looks just like kylee! i pulled out kylee's baby book the other day and held it up to mya when she was awake...and they are almost identical...it will be neat to see how she changes over the next month or two. anyway, she's crying now, so i gotta scoot!

summa' time

38 wks.....love the eyelashes!

little picaso's

my girls!!!

the count down in on!! tomorrow i will officially be 38 wks and i am ready to meet this sweet baby of ours....it has nothing to do with the fact that i go to the bathroom every 5 minutes or i can barely roll out of bed to do just that ;-) really, this pregnancy has been great, but feeling her move inside for so long i can't wait to see what she looks like. the lake has been a great distraction for all of us. just being on the boat, swimming and soaking up a few rays. the girls are having a blast!!! they would be out there everyday if we'd let them...but i think papa and ohie might need a break. but so far the last two saturdays have been "lake saturdays." maybe we'll even be out there this saturday?? i am kind of hoping to be holding a baby in my arms, but i really think she has decided that she is quite comfy in my belly. here are a few pictures from the lake....and a couple from the little artist who thought it would be fun to paint momma's belly (papooh's idea). they thought that was quite fun....until they started fighting over who was doing what. it was quite comical trying to lift my belly over the sink to wash it off...it's just getting a little too large....but i love it!

new beginnings

today is the day....it is officially done! our first house is no longer ours. it really hasn't been for a few weeks now, but today it will belong to someone else. i hope it will be a great home for them...as it was for us. it feels weird to say that it is not our home anymore, but it feels great to call our new home "our home." we love it....it's feeling more like home everyday. we're still trying to put stuff away, though i think that will be an ongoing process for a while. i had to put a picture of the girls last night in their room before we moved. they were so excited to sleep on the floor!

this little girl is one of a kind....well, maybe a second edition (she is just like her ohie...she likes all things that sparkle and glitz...along with "tools"!! during the moving process if we heard the drill going we had to go make sure it wasn't alaina...because if it was lying around and we were were out of site it would be in her hands, drill buzzing) the other day we had to go to the hardware store....again...and she couldn't have been happier. she wanted to spend her money on a tape measure. she knew exactly what she wanted...but couldn't decide between sizes. i was cracking up. she really wanted a drill, but they were out of her price range;-)
yesterday papa and ohie got their boat we we broke it in. the girls were up at 6:30 in the morning asking when the boat was coming. such a nice boat and so much fun. we can't wait to spend the summer on the lake, sunbathing and swimming off the "papaohie." do you like the coconuts and watermelon floating below. the girls thought it was hilarious....mya is already swimming in the lake. it was a little chilly, but still refreshing. so much fun!!

36 wks...she'll be here soon!!!!

::home::

we are officially in! after months and months of praying and trying to be as patient as possible, the house that we never thought we could have is now our new "home." it's all a bit overwhelming...i think i am still trying to process it. over six months ago alan and i started looking at houses. we were very specific in our "looking." we wanted a place where we could spread our wings a little, be closer to family, and of course...a bigger kitchen. oh, and i forgot the third car garage for alan's other little baby;-) it's really funny because the house that originally caught our eye was the house directly across the street from us. but that one was already on back up so we decided to look across the street. well, we fell in love with it. we went into it knowing that it could take a while for everything to go through (because it was also a short sale)...but not really thinking it would actually happen. i think we got to a point where we didn't really think too much about it (well, maybe a little). anyway, six months later we got the news that the banks approved our offer and we would tentatively close mid may. i must say that God's hand has been in this the entire time, there is no denying it! it's hard to explain sometimes how God actually speaks to you personally, but in the last few months leading up to our offer being accepted i was starting to get a little anxious about if and when this whole thing would happen. but can you blame me...a baby on the way....seriously, my type "a" personality was going nuts. well, during that time God spoke to me. amidst my anxiousness i kept being reassured that april was when something was going to happen. so i clung to that and guess what happened...we not only found out that we got the house, but that we were going to close april 30th....and we sold our house in five days (april 26th). are you kidding me!!! absolutely not! God is so good and so amazing! so when i start to question whether we made the right decision or whether we even deserve this place....because we really don't, but seeing God's hand in all of it, how can i deny it! this wasn't just an accident. we prayed, we asked, we thanked and praised and he answered in amazing ways. we are so grateful to have a God who loves us, who cares for us, who listens to us....who answers us....even if it is not the way was expect or want it. i am so excited to call this house our "home," and to create memories with all three of our girls. oh, and all this before the baby comes. not to say that we won't be busy up until the time she comes....unpacking, but i am so incredibly grateful that we are in before she arrives. honestly i don't think that is too far off. i am 34 wks and have been pushing it with this move...so we'll just see how much longer we last! maybe she will be making her appearance on my birthday;-) i would love for everything to be ready before she comes...only because i know i will be exhausted when she does arrive (not that i'm not now)...but i really can't wait to meet her. i am so curious to see what she looks like. all i can see and feel right now are her feet and gigantic movements. the alien is alive in there!!! we can't wait to meet you little one. you are already so precious to me, i am anxious to hold you in my arms and give you sweet little kisses! and i have tested out the new recliner and it is ready for the two of us to nap in!!

phewww!

the bread is kneading in the bread machine (why do all that work???), the carrots sticks are cut and put away...and the house is quiet....ahhhhh! so i have decided to take a minute and blog. can i just start by saying how thankful i am that the march birthday festivities are done!! i love making cupcakes and celebrating my girls, but it is an exhausting to have them both in the same month. i am so thankful that this next bundle of joy won't be joining us for a few more months (though i am so excited to meet her). these last few weeks have been busy, but mentally they have slowed down. i have been able to check a few things off my to-do list and that alone feels wonderful....hopefully i will be able to mark a few more things off soon.

good news for today....i just found out that i do NOT have gestational diabetes with this pregnancy. that is a total answer to prayer. i wasn't sure how i was going to do it behind on this blood type diet and all...it would have been very complicated, but God knew...why do i doubt??? oh, i and i just realized that i only need to work four extra shifts to make up for my maternity leave...i may try to get them all in this month so i can actually enjoy the last month and a half of pregnancy....and not suffer from complete exhaustion before she comes (because i know i will endure once she gets here). hmmmm, what else is good about today....oh, the sunshine, grocery shopping done...i am sure there is more. now if our accountant would just call us and tell us that we are getting back an amazing refund, that would be the cherry on top!

i am 27 wks today, so that means i only have 13 more weeks to go. the time is starting to fly by. i am really excited to meet her, but seeing as how this is probably our last go around i am enjoying this pregnancy to the fullest. i really do love being pregnant, i feel great, other than my silly sciatic nerve....it's killing me. i love feeling her move around inside. she is super active around 1:00 pm, 6:00-7:00 pm, 11:00 pm...and if i am at work 3:00 am! i think the girls really enjoy watching my belly grow...they continually remind me how big my belly is getting (at least they haven't told me that my backside is getting bigger too...ha!)

well, i just heard the fan click off in alaina's room, which means she will be on her way down any minute. yep, here she comes, gotta run!

PS. thanks to everyone for coming to the girls birthday bash on saturday. i know the weather wasn't great this year (first time in almost seven years that we haven't had nice weather at their party), but we really appreciate that everyone was able to come. they had a blast, and i just enjoyed being with my family. love you all!!!

::4::

beautiful girl...it's been a busy day! today you turned four and i am still blown away! i feel as though i am at a loss for words and don't know where to start. before you came into this world i wasn't sure how i could love more than one child...but then you came and it was love at first sight. you light up my life, bringing me so much joy and laughter. every single day you bring something new to it. your sweet little hands still fit perfectly into mine. our "glitzy and glam" girl, you have such an impeccable taste for accessories...high heels and jewelry...oh, bags too! you are so funny and sooooooo ornery! we love you so much! hope you had a great birthday. tomorrow it's disney on ice...whoo hoo!

much needed fun!

(26 wks)

God sure knows what we need....even if we think we can do without!!! this weekend is proof of that. last week was an awful week. things just seemed to be piling up and last week i lost it....yes, again! it's the pregnancy i tell you;-) anyway, i didn't think i was going to be able to attend the "holles girls weekend" this past weekend because of work, or lack there of! but God knew, He had it all arranged. i was planning of having to work thursday and friday (which wouldn't have allowed me to go), but tried to work monday instead of friday...but that didn't work out...so low and behold i received a call wednesday to come in and work. well, it worked out perfectly. i worked wednesday and thursday and was able to go to iowa on friday.

i have to say...it was wonderful. not only was it a nice little break from my little family (i love you dearly), but it gave me an opportunity to be with a wonderful bunch of women, who i dearly love and adore. they are so much fun!!!! though alan and i had many breakups in our relationship (hee, hee) we have technically been together for fifteen years!!! so, needless to say i have been able to get to know his wonderful aunts/uncles and cousins. i am so lucky to be able to call myself their family, really...they are wonderful! i have to thank them so much for taking me in as there own (i really don't feel like an in-law at all..i feel like a real niece/cousin). it is such a special thing for me.

it was so neat to have that time to sit and talk, sharing stories about our families and our faith...and laughing until we were all about to pee our pants (well, i was anyway!) oh, i almost forgot about the shopping....that was great too, but exhausting;-) i can't wait until our next girls weekend....especially for that glass or two of wine that i had to miss this time around! i love you all, thank you for a wonderful weekend!!! i needed it!

rice bread...

Rice Bread

(for bread machine)

1 C water

1/3 C rice milk

2 eggs

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

4 T canola oil

2 T sugar

1 tsp salt

1 1/2 C white rice flour

2/3 C brown rice flour

1 1/2 tsp xanthan gum

2 tsp quick rise yeast

combine the ingredients in order listed above. i have an old bread maker so i only have a few settings....so, i set it to bake for whole wheat bread (and normal crust color)....which is approx three hours and fifty minutes.

i would love to give credit to the person who originally blogged this recipe (and i will if i can find her), but i can't find the site! anyway, it really is a great alternative to wheat bread. it has a great, but unique taste (makes great grilled cheese sandwiches). just don't forget to add the salt. i did that with the last loaf and it was awful!! but the loaf pictured above made up for it in taste and looks. i even had a pb&j sandwich today....which was simply heavenly because i haven't been able to have one for years (due to my peanut allergy, i used almond butter and an organic mixed berry preserve....it was sooooooo good!) who would ever thought an adult could get so excited about a pb&j sandwich? loved it!! if you try this recipe, i really hope you enjoy it as much as we do (kylee LOVES it!).

b-day fun

traditional birthday breakfast in bed (she was already sitting there waiting for us to come in..."what took you so long." to beat her in the morning you have to wake up at the crack of dawn!

i have to say...i think she had a great day. started with breakfast in bed (bonus....NO eggs!!), lunch at school with mom...and cupcakes, picked up from school by papa and ohie....then pizza for dinner (gluten free/dairy free of course) followed by cake and presents. phew.....that was a mouthful. she was in a wonderful mood.....and would not stop talking!!!!!!

i do have to say that i was a very proud mommy that night. i remember being so nervous when we found out that alaina was a girl...i thought, two girls and three years apart they won't ever get along. man have i been proven wrong and so happy to be. i can honestly say that these girls really love one another. of course they fight and say mean things to each other, but over all, they show genuine love for one another. my eyes were just opened a little more to that on kylee's birthday. when kylee was getting ready to open her presents alaina was so excited for her. she wanted to help her open them and kylee said "sure." she never pouted or was sad at the fact that none of the presents weren't hers or that she wanted to play with them. i believe she was really happy and excited for kylee....just to see what she got. i know this probably happens every day with many kids, but i think God really wanted to make this known to me.

the next morning while getting ready to leave for school i over heard the girls talking. kylee was telling alaina that she knows that she takes really good care of her own barbies and because of that she could take care of her new doll while she was at school. she said she could do what ever she wanted with it. (when i was little there is no way in you know where would i have let my sister do that with my brand new, special birthday present...sorry megan! i was a little selfish...ya think?) i came around the corner, just shocked at what i was hearing. i said, "alaina get's to be the babysitter today?" kylee said, "yeah, she takes really good care of her dolls so i know she'll take good care of my doll." it was such a sweet moment....the love and trust kylee has for her little sister....it's pretty awesome.

as for lainey....boy did that boost her self esteem! she took the best care of her doll all day long. she played with her, took her "pretend" shopping, had lunch with her and put her down for a nap in kylee's bunk while she slept below. oh, and when we went to pick up kylee for school she made sure that the doll went with us! it was just awesome!! my girls are great....but i am very biased. i had to share this story so i will have written proof...a mental snapshot of a sweet, tender moment between sisters.

:7:

seven years ago this morning alan and i welcomed into this world our first child....kylee! seven years ago!!!! i remember that day like it was yesterday. that first time i saw her, it was so surreal...nothing i had ever experienced before. it almost felt "out of body." i was lying there watching her and thinking, "she's really real, she's here and she's ours."

here we are seven years later and when i look at her i am still amazed. such a little beauty growing right before our eyes. i see so many things in her that remind her of me or of alan, but the deeper i look i see "kylee." she is definitely one of a kind....caring, passionate, sensitive and strong. though i don't want her to grow up too fast, i am excited to see what kind of women God is growing up in her. God does not make mistakes, all things He creates are wonderfully and beautifully made....and my dearest little kylee, you are a little treasure sent straight from heaven, made by His hands, wonderful, beautiful and all things good!!!!

(a little note from mom:

kylee,

i know this year hasn't been easy, and i can't promise that they will get easier...but i can promise you that daddy and i are always here for you and will always love you. know that no one is perfect (we all make mistakes)...it's not possible. you are smart, sweet, funny and so loving...you are WONDERFUL! God made you, you, and it shouldn't be any other way. don't take to heart negative things that may get thrown your way. know that you have us, but more importantly you have a God who loves you so much. He wraps His arms around you each day, He will never leave you...you are so special to Him. so stand strong in God's love and the love of all of us. we love you so much and hope that you have a wonderful birthday!!!

love,

mommy xoxoxo)

i am trying to update the blog while watching the ku game...we'll see how this goes. i am sure that blogging will win out, since the need to write a little feels more important. well, the last time i posted i was constantly in tears...well, they have dried up (but did i mention i even cried at parent teacher conferences that night...so embarrassing!!!) we survived the 25 hours of eating organic, another treatment with dr. hall...however that weekend kylee got a nasty cough and drainage from her ears (thank goodness for those tubes...otherwise we would have had a major ear infection on our hands). needless to say she didn't feel very good. BUT.....and let me emphasis the BUT, we noticed that she was only coughing to cough up the nasty crud that was in her lungs...not every two minutes. we went back to see dr. hall on tuesday and by then her cough had subsided even more. now i can say that she is not coughing at all!!! praise God! seriously!!!! as far as treatments go we have moved passed the allergy testing for now and have moved on to the emotional stuff (which is affecting her sinuses....her snort...which has improved too). it really is a beautiful thing to see god working right before your eyes...and not necessarily through the hands of a man in a white coat!

kylee is still struggling a little with the diet...i am not sure she fully understands, nor do i expect her to. she tears up quickly when she finds out she can't have certain things. i think it has helped that we are all eating very differently...alan is scavenging the cupboards to find snack foods;-) i do have to say that i found a recipe online for sesame chicken (like the kind you get at a chinese restaurant)...holy cow! it was amazing...alan even said that it was one of the best dinners i have ever made. even better, it is gluten free and dairy free...whoo hoo!!

little miss alaina has also started treatment with doctor hall for her pigeon toed walk. she was so excited to show me what she has to do at home....plie' over and over again. it's really funny watching her do them because for her to just get into position is hilarious...then she does about 10 of them in about two seconds. it reminded me of the i love lucy episode when lucy takes lessons from a ballet instructor.

unfortunately, today was not a good day for alaina. all weekend she just hadn't been herself and i could tell that she was getting a cold. in anticipation of this i even went to the grocery store at 6am this morning so we could just stay home all day. well, that lasted until 8:30 when she told me her ear was hurting. i didn't even skip a beat, i told the kids to get their shoes on and we were on our way to the doctor...thank goodness for our pediatricians sick clinic....and the fact that i already had taken a shower this morning!! sure enough, once we got in the car the pain set in and she cried the entire way there...and in the doctors office...and in target while filling her prescription...until i had a bright idea....."lets go look at toys!" we made it home, had lunch and a nap and then more motrin. all is good right now, we'll just wait and see how things are at two in the morning! have a good night everyone.....i'll be up for a while, baby is doing olympic sized flips in my belly.

:organic:

i know every woman on the planet has had one of those days where you just tear up at every little thing you start to think about. well, today (it actually started last night) is one of those days. yesterday, kylee had her first appointment with the chiropractor...and it went well...i think. he did something that removed all of the food poisons out of her body...and wanted her to remain somewhat "food poison free" for the next 25 hours (what that means in a sense is that he removed a screen, which will hopefully help him go a little deeper to figure out what is causing the problems...does that make sense?? he is taking the puzzle apart so he can put it back together...) which meant we had to go to the store (AGAIN) afterwards to buy ALL "organic" foods. it was already past dinner time and now i had to go the the store and find not only organic food, but dairy free and gluten free foods...and with two hungry kids in tow....need i say more. so, we grab a few things that i think she could eat for the next day or so, get to the car and remembered that i forgot to buy free range chicken to actually cook for dinner (along with organic veggies). i was not going to go back so i decided that kylee would have an organic peanut butter and jelly sandwich for dinner and the rest of us would have the chicken i had already set out.

we are driving home and i completely loose it, i mean loose it.....tears streaming down my face (i didn't mean too, but i think i scared the crap out of the girls....there was nothing but silence the entire way home)! some may think, well, it's not that bad....and really, it's not, but our plate is just so full of "stuff" right now....and this thing with kylee has been ongoing for two and a half years now....oh, did i remind everyone that i am pregnant!!!! hormones.....not helping;-) but during the drive home, something interesting occurred to me. satan would love nothing better than to get me (us) down, but something i don't think he understands....because he really is a stupid jerk (sorry for being so blunt, but he is), is that instead of pushing me down, he pushes me into the arms of my Father who loves me, my Father who is in control (because I AM NOT!), a Father who cares more about kylee than i ever could.....a Father who wants to be and will be glorified in all of this!!! the chiropractor called (i will be calling him dr. hall from now on) last night....(i even cried to him...what a dork), he gave me a verse to read, Jeremiah 32:27, "I AM the Lord, the God of all the peoples of the world. Is anything to hard for me?" No, there is not and i am going to remember that, i have to.

after dropping lainey off at school today i came home to do a couple of things and then go back to the store and get the stinking free range chicken so we can have an organic dinner tonight...but as usual i had to stop and check my email. after reading one thing, i was set off again....lost it! that stupid jerk is still trying...but instead of believing his lies i cried...i cried out to my God. i think i sat in my rocking chair for an hour and cried, cried out and prayed for everything i could think of. it was actually really nice to be at home all alone and have the time to do that. i think i've been needing that for a while. every woman needs a good cry!! even as i am writing there are tears in my eyes....damn hormones!

i want all of you to know that i am not writing this for anyone to feel sorry for me, maybe to pray for us, but not feel sorry for us. i am writing because i don't want to forget times like these...so i can remember God at work!

:half way there:

19 weeks....last week

self portrait

chocolate goatee anyone?

it's time to take a minute...put the darn cookies away and spend a little time in "blog world." i have actually wanted to sit down and write for quite sometime, but haven't devoted any time to it...obviously! i am officially twenty weeks along today with our third girl! go team girls!!! oh sweet alan, how the lord will bless you...i know he will;-) my thoughts these days are so wrapped up in this new little girl. i love being pregnant...especially at this point. i am not too big (except for my darn boobs...they won't stop growing...they are bigger than my belly!!! yikes!) to be uncomfortable and i can feel her moving inside! i LOVE that! it really is one of the coolest things i believe a women gets to experience. knowing what god has created, and knowing that she is growing and moving inside of your body....holy cow, it's so amazing. i am already noticing certain times when she likes to wake up and wiggle around...she really goes crazy after i eat a chocolate chip cookie (give her 10 min and she is rolling around). the girls and i have been going through names and for the life of me i can't settle on one. i know, so many people like to wait until they are born, but i want a name for this child...so i can stop calling her "baby." she needs a name. so far our list contains McKenna, Corrina, Mya and Annalise (lainey really liked this one because it is the name of a princess in some barbie movie)....opinions welcome....if anyone is even reading this thing anymore (that's okay if nobody is, i feel that is more of a journal of sorts for myself and the girls). keep praying for this sweet girl, that she would grow strong and healthy and be a blessing to the Lord.

as for the the big sisters....sweet kylee has had a trying year so far. with school (social issues...why do girls have to be so mean...and so early on too???) and her coughing and snorting is back with a vengeance. the doctor would like to perform another surgery, placing a valve in her sinus so it would continue to drain (the same sinus we had surgery on is completely full again). however, after three surgeries and many, many antibiotics we don't feel that another surgery is the right thing to do. we met with a chiropractor who specializes in emotional stress, nutritional deficiency, allergy sensitivities, body alignment, etc. he was highly recommended by friends of ours. we met with him last week for a consultation and i really feel God calling us in this direction now. her first appointment is tomorrow. we have already started something that he highly suggested...and that is eating for our blood type (which for kylee it means no red meat, no dairy, no wheat and so on). so far it has been a bit of a challenge, but i am still researching and learning what we can and can't have....and as soon as this last gallon of milk is out of the house i will join her (since we have the same blood type)....the day before the appointment i had bought three gallons of milk...we like our milk;-) so if you think about it, pray for kylee to help her adjust and along with her treatments that God would heal her body and put it into working order (which i know he fully intends to do). also, pray for me, for wisdom in how to do this and not make it miserable for everyone in the process! pray for my rice bread that is in the bread machine right now;-)

last, but not least little miss lainey....not a lot of drama on her end...unless she is dressing up! she is just baring with all of us. she likes school, but would rather be at home with me. i'm not sure what she is going to think of four day a week school next year? one thing i hope does not change any time soon are her naps! she still takes a 1 1/2 hour to 2 hour naps almost every day. please say they will still take place for another year....but that is probably just wishful thinking??? but if she doesn't want to i really don't care, she is the sweetest little thing...who wouldn't want to spend the afternoon with her?

nesting

okay...question....is it too early to be nesting? i think it is, but my husband is convinced that i am. it's after christmas, there could be a move in the near future and a new baby is coming...i just think i am trying to organize. our house seems filled to the brim and i am just trying to make room for all of our crap. actually what i really want to is give or throw stuff away. spring cleaning may come a little early this year. if we do end up moving, that means that i really have to get this house in order....and clean.

the thought of cleaning every nook and cranny of this house scares the pants off me....maybe not scares, but stresses me out! i do have to say that i am in love the mr. clean's magic eraser!!! being a parent and home owner, i think that has been one of the best inventions EVER!!! for instance, while the girls were playing i thought that i would start cleaning (a little). what would be better than to start with cleaning a bedroom door...it's white (off white now) and very dirty. well, out comes mr. magic eraser and zam the door is white and clean...no more finger prints, crayon marks, pencil parks....and what ever other mysterious spots there were. all gone. i think i am going to go out and buy a box for each room....i think that's a good way to start ;-)

anyway, needless to say, i think this is going to be a busy winter. not to mention that one of my new years resolutions is to blog more. i am just finishing up a book of every blog post i have created. i am so excited about it. what a great way for the girls to be able to look back (and it won't be lost). the only sad thing was that when making the book i noticed that my posts were so few and far between the last year and a half. so i am hoping to do better. we'll just see how that goes, especially with three kids. ha!

ending 2009

princess bride...

POPCORN BALLS....in the making......yummy!

one last post before the end of the year. the christmas decorations are down (so sad, the house feels so empty without them)...the yummy treats are gone (which is a good thing)...and it's still snowing...and i'm all ready for bed! christmas was great, in fact we are still enjoying it because my dad just got in to town today...so the christmas cheer is still here, just no more decorations....boo! the girls had a blast. they were especially excited for their "party" on christmas eve....(out to a fancy dinner with papa and ohie). they each had a special outfit to wear, lainey in her "white christmas outfit" and kylee in her stylish sweater and jeans (kylee style). did i mention that since we got home from out trip alaina has been obsessed with the movie "white christmas?" i am pretty sure she has watched that movie at least, if not more than twenty times. you know what she likes most about it...the clothes and shoes! we have a little monster in the making. speaking of alaina, when we were celebrating christmas with papa and ohie she opened her gift from them which was a bride costume...after putting it on (which was immediately) she completely changed. personalities i mean. i am serious, it's like she has multiple personalities when she dresses up. she sat there in her costume, not speaking, no expressions...nothing. we kept asking her if she was okay and she would say that she was. after about twenty minutes of this "lainey" we asked her if she would put her jammies back on because we wanted "our lainey" back. after putting her jammies back on she was back to her old self. trying to explain does not do it justice....it's so weird.

kylee was so funny when opening her "big" present from papa and ohie. they had letters in a box that spelled out her present. once she put them together and unscrambled them a few times she got so excited and new right where it was....b...i...k...e!

the girls are getting so big. on christmas morning they actually slept in, and when we started opening presents they were much more excited handing them out to mom and dad than they were opening their own. i have to say how proud i am of our girls. they really are the best (yes, i am bias) they are polite and well mannered and they have huge hearts. even though each one is going through "a stage" right now, i love them with all my heart and am so glad that they are ours (on earth that is). i am so excited (and a little nervous) that we will have one more to add to the bunch come this summer.

i am fifteen weeks pregnant with our third child. i am so excited...and so are the girls. they went with me to the doctor today to listen to the heartbeat. i think they were pretty fascinated. i must say that it brings so much joy to know that they are as excited as they are. this baby is being prayed for so much...everyday the girls pray for a healthy baby...a "great" baby! we do know that this baby will be great, every gift from God is great and this baby is definitely a gift from God. I can't wait for what God will do in 2010! I hope everyone has a safe and happy new year!!!

i am only fifteen weeks....yikes!

hawaii 09

chistmas time is here again....and again i am not sure where it came from. so much has been going on. in the middle of november we started getting ready for our trip to maui. for the first time in my life i was packing up to the last minute...typically i am done a week before (i know, very sad....but efficient!) actually, my husband was the first one packed....and a week before at that. anyway, we left and thoroughly enjoyed our eight and a half hour plane ride....ha! the kids actually did pretty well, it was the adults that were going insane! funny story though....when we were landing in maui the pressure in laineys ears were really bothering her. i tried to explain how to open her mouth really wide, like she was yawning...or to swallow....none of that worked. so, i told her that she really needed a piece of gum to help with her ears. after giving alaina her piece of gum, i turn to look at her and found her actually trying to jam the unchewed piece of gum into her ear...i just about died!!!! this child is so literal. it really was one of the funniest things she has done.

anyway, the trip was amazing! so much fun and not enough time...it just goes too fast when you are having fun! every morning we would wake up and have breakfast, then gather up our stuff and head down to the beach. the girls would swim for several hours (i didn't partake that long...i had a few books that were calling my name....and sleep too...nothing better than a nap on the beach), then we would come up for lunch, the rest of the afternoon we would either hang out on the lawn...resting in the sun, or cleaning up. we'd watch the sunset while getting ready for dinner and then after dinner of course came the nightly trip to lappert's ice cream. the girls loved that...well, who am i kidding, i loved it too!

a few days after we got there we were able to celebrate papa's 60th birthday! it was pretty special. that night we had dinner on the lawn while watching the sunset...with pineapple upside down cake for dessert. later we all sat around and were able to share 60 different reasons we were thankful for him. the girls got a little confused because all of us adults were crying...it was a little comical.

a few days before thanksgiving we went on a little excursion to see dophins and to snorkel. it was awesome!! on our way out we saw several whales (that actually breeched, like six times in a row), then when we had almost reached our snorkeling destination we came upon a large pod of dophins! it was so amazing to see so many at one time, i wasn't expecting that at all. the girls loved it! lainey wasn't too sure in the beginning (she was clinging to daddy for dear life), but after seeing the whales and dolphins she thought it was pretty neat. once we got to our snorkeling spot we all jumped in, kylee and alaina too! i have to say that i am very disappointed in myself for not bringing some kind of underwater camera.....it was the cutest thing seeing both girls' little legs with little flippers on treading water. kylee even decided to put on a mask.....and that was all it took because after that came the snorkel and she was off.....then lainey decided she wanted a mask too (but no snorkel...that came later). i couldn't believe kylee was snorkeling and lainey was following us around putting her face in the water. i really was so proud of both of them. i don't think i ever would have been brave enough to try something like that when i was either of their ages. when we were finished and we got back on the boat lainey looked up to me and said, "i conquered my fear." yeah, our three year old said that! kylee was so proud of herself. it was just a few days later that we had to go and buy a kids snorkeling set so they could snorkel when we were swimming at the beach. the second to last day when we were in the pool lainey put the snorkel in her mouth and off she went. amazing i tell you. i wouldn't believe that a three and six year old were actually snorkeling.

thanksgiving was great...nothing better than spending the morning on the beach and then later stuffing your face with a bunch of thanksgiving carbohydrates...yum, yum! but once thanksgiving rolled around we new we would be leaving soon....too soon. by the end of the trip lainey had been nick named "tan toosh," kylee was ready to go home and see bella and alan and i were sad because we didn't want to leave. it was so wonderful being together as a family and really relaxing.

when we got home we got to our car at the airport to find really cold weather and a dead car. luckily someone was able to give us a jump...but the next day after getting a car full of groceries, the battery was dead again. between groceries, new battery...and a few extra car things that needed to be fixed we spent A LOT of money in one stinkin' day. it was pretty disgusting. anyway, all is better now. i think i've written enough for one post...i'll will shut my yap now.

over rated

okay...i have a confession. i am the worlds worst tooth fairy...i guess a cheap one to according to some others i have heard about. last night kylee lost another tooth (#7)....it literally fell out when she was hit in the head with a pillow. it didn't even bleed. anyway, alan reminded me last night to put a dollar in her tooth fairy pillow (we use a pillow that hangs on the doorknob....it is actually the same one that alan used when he was little). as i was walking in my room to go to bed i remembered that i needed to do something, but couldn't remember....so i thought nothing of it and went to bed. this morning i when i was getting ready to take my shower (mind you the girls were already awake in their room at 6:15!!!) i remembered what i was supposed to do before going to bed.....uh oh!!!! please note that this is not the first time this has happened....the last time the tooth fairy left the money, but forgot the tooth...so she had to come back while kylee was in school to come get it (geesh!) so when i get done getting ready i slip a dollar in my pocket and get ready to go get the girls....well, they beat me to it and guess what the first thing out of their mouths were....."the tooth fairy didn't come!! (in distress)" i play dumb....i go to the pillow, as i reach in i pull out the tooth and quickly stick it in my pocket...all the while saying, "i don't feel a tooth in there! look again." then i go over playing dumb yet again and slide a dollar under her pillow while asking her, "did you make your bed?" while she is still looking in the tooth fairy pillow. i told her to go look under her pillow, so she did and what did she find?? she pulled the dollar out and said "i can't believe it!" i said, "that is what the tooth fairy did when i was little, i would put my tooth under my pillow and she would leave money in it's place." she said, "oh yeah, they did that back in the old testament!" seriously!!!! i wanted to fall on the floor....i am not that old honey!!! too freakin' funny if you ask me. oh, and i just remembered as i was writing....guess what is still in my pocket???? i think i need to be fired!

happy haLloWeEN

another halloween down! our super girl and our princess. they had so much fun trick or treating...though lainey did't make it far before wanting to be pushed around in the stroller. at one point she even wanted me to push her up to the door in the stroller.....i don't think so. goofball! then back to the house to count the stash and eat a few goodies. luckily the kids are still young enough to not really remember what's missing from their bag in the morning (mom and dad helping ourselves to a few pieces);-)

only one

months ago kylee had been saying that she really wanted alone time with mommy.....so an opportunity arose where alaina could go to iowa for the weekend with papa and ohie and kylee could stay here with us. i waited until this week to tell both of them...not knowing how each one would react. we figured kylee would be disappointed because she hates to miss a party, and we didn't know how alaina would do away from home (mommy) an entire weekend, so......kylee was disappointed and alaina was excited. we left it up to kylee to decide what she wanted to do, "stay or go." she decided stay. so last night we were going to go see 'where the wild things are' but decided it may not be the best movie to take her to, so we went with plan "b." pizza! we went out for pizza and then went up to the legends to buy her yearly pair of converse (it has been a different color each year for about five years now). we had a good time. this morning we got up and went down to crown center (kylee actually slept in until 8:00....that is AMAZING!) to go to Kaleidoscope, then have lunch at Fritz's (before my photo shoot). we were met by all the marathon runners finishing up their race...we called them "aluminum people" (they were all wearing aluminum wraps...i guess that is what marathon runners do???). kaliedoscope was fun...it's kylee's wonderland....mine too when i was a kid. she gets her crafty side from me. then it was off to fritz's...you know the place where the train brings you your food and all the kids (except mine) are wearing the gigantic engineer hats! well, can i just say that i am still hurting from lunch today. i am sitting here typing this trying to forget the stomach pains that i am enduring. i will never eat there again. next time i'll stop at d'bronx and sneak it in and let kylee enjoy her delicious grease on a hard bun....yuck. all in all it was a great time spent with our oldest. we haven't been able to do that in a long time. it was different only having one kiddo, it was only a little quieter. we missed you lou lou!! kylee did too;-)