My baby is Turning 8 !!

Tomorrow my oldest baby turns 8! I cannot believe it. This amazing little boy has brought such joy to my life. I am truely blessed, and I thank God for this little man every day.
We are having his bday party at the Springdale Aquatic Center tomorrow after church...he is soo excited for his bday. We have been counting down for months now :) I will def post pics of the big day!!
I love you Christian Malachi!!!!

Silly Boys.....

The boys have been spending a little time in Grace's room playing with all the new "things". I really like them to be in there, I want them to feel really comfortable with everything when she is actually here. I cannot wait to see them in their new roles as Big Brothers to Grace....it's going to be sooo sweet.

Gracie's Bunny

We found this Bunny Build-A-Bear for Grace (complete with a tutu) and had to have it! Joshua has always said that Gracie will be a ballerina....so this will a perfect gift for her :)

Summer Fun??

Good thing my kids are entertained so easily! Their idea of summer fun is sitting on the couch with either a DS or a Wii controler in hands at all times. Geez. On the other hand, me being so pregnant this summer, it is pretty nice that the kids ARE so easily entertained! Only a few more weeks and these little men will be back in school...I don't know who is sader, me or them. I really have enjoyed them being home!!

Just waiting on Baby Grace!

Her room is ready and so are we!!

Week 2 of VBS

This week Christian and Joshua have been going to our friends Church. We have been to this church's VBS for the last 3 years and they always have such a great time! This years theme was a cowboy theme, and the boys loved it! Tonight was family night, the boys sang on stage and then there was a cowboy dinner and then there was a petting zoo! It was so much fun!
I guess that is it for VBS this summer...kinda sad, I love sending them and they LOVE going!

CPH VBS

Last week Christian and Joshua went to VBS at our church (The Church at Pinnacle Hills). They both had a blast! Here is a pic from VBS that one of my friends sent me :)

Baby Shower, July 18, 2010

Snickerdoodle Blondies

Snickerdoodle Blondies

Yield: 24 blondies

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Bake Time: 25 to 30 minutes

2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking pan; set aside.

2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl; set aside.

3. Beat together the butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, and then the vanilla. Beat, scraping the bowl, until thoroughly combined. On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture until just combined. Give the dough a final stir with a spatula or wooden spoon to make sure the flour is incorporated.

4. Spread the dough evenly into the pan (I found an offset spatula was the best tool for the job, as it’s a thick batter). Combine the granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter.

5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the surface springs back when gently pressed. Cool completely before cutting. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Super Exciting!

My Mom and Grandma are throwing me a baby shower this Sunday....I'm so excited!
I didn't have a shower with Joshua because we had just moved and I really didn't know anyone...so it is so fun to get to have one...especially since we got rid of EVERYTHING after Joshua!
Baby showers are always so much fun and all your favorite friends come so I am really excited!
I will def post pics!!

"Christianisms"

My kids say the cutest things sometimes....
The other day I was thinking I might try to find a new outfit for my baby shower coming up..(but couldn't find anything that I really wanted). So we are heading into Motherhood Maternity and Christian looks up at the sign and says "Hey Mom...is MAternity kinda like ETernity?"
My truthful reply? "Yes Christian...it kinda is".

Funny what kids come up with :) I knew he truely didn't know what Maternity was...but it was pretty awesome that he compared Maternity and Eternity....cause that is exactly how most pregnant women feel :)

34 weeks

On the calendar, 6 weeks till D day. In my brain, I'd like for it to be about 2 days. It's hard to remember exactly how I felt towards the end with either boy...it's been a little while since either of them, but I just don't recall this amount of miserableness...(it's a word right now :)
All the things I really enjoy, I really hate right now. I can't eat (everything, and I mean everything besides water and milk give me exteme heartburn), I can't sleep (everytime I lay down I ache or heartburn sets in again) I can barely walk...I look like a troll. AND I have a short fuse with just about everyone....hormones have gone crazy!!!

Maybe it's because its' a girl, maybe it's because I'm 30, maybe it's because I'm crazy...I don't know, but whatever it is, I'm ready for it to be over. Everyone says it won't get any better AFTER she comes because THEN you have a screaming baby, sleepless nights, ect. Well...funny thing about that is, I can always detach her then and leave...haha. How in the world do single parents do it? Thank God for a husband and grandparents that are actually willing to help...I foresee lot's of dropping off...haha.

Could this be any cuter??!!

My baby, and soon to be middle child is CRAZY in love with his new sister...and she is not even here. Joshua asked almost daily "when is Grace gonna be here?". I am so excited to watch Joshua be a big brother, I just know he is going to be awesome. I am equally as excited to see Christian be a big brother of a SISTER! Christian will be 8 years older than Grace, so I know he will be such a big helper to me. I know that these boys will make the transition from 2 kids to 3 kids so much easier since they are so much older than her. - I am honestly so glad that there is a such a gap between siblings - especially from second to third.
--I can't wait to take pictures of Grace's big brothers lovin' her outside of the womb too :) --

Baby Bound....

The house is finally starting to look like a babies on the way....nothing like getting it all together in the last few weeks :)
One of my friend's was gracious enough to give us her slightly used swing/bouncy chair combo...we are so excited! It's even jungle themed like our living room (which will be where it stays most of the time :)
We are still in the process of staining the crib, I will post pics as soon as its done (which will be this coming week)






Isn't this the cutest little bow holder!! I already have several bows for her...and MANY more to come :)

Pinned Momma

Christian took this picture of me after I graduated (we went directly to Sonic after graduation since it was happy hour...haha)
Such a proud Pinned Momma/Nurse :)

33 weeks

33 weeks preggo...officially only 7 more weeks....we shall see how gives up first :)

Sooo exciting!

We had an ultrasound of Baby Grace on June 22 and she is already 4 lbs!! I can hardly believe this little munchkin has grown this much!
I am officially due on August 23 which is only 7 more weeks till arrival..IF she is on time. Something tells me this little girl is going to make an early appearance...I don't know, just a gut feeling :) We are busy sanding down the bed (crib). Both of the boys used it and I love it...so we are just changing the color. It is orginally a light (basically non-colored) wood...we are changing it to a dark cherry (because her bedding is HOT pink and brown)
Her room is STILL not complete...really it's not even started. We have stuff everywhere, and SOOO much to get still. We don't even have a car seat yet! My Mom and Grandma are throwing us a baby shower July 18th...so we are kinda waiting till after that to see what we need to buy :) Ryan's mom bought us a great cherry wood changing table..I love it. So that is really the only peice of furniture in her room right now :)
However...this girl has more clothes than me. We have managed to stock pile the closet...omg. :)
I will post some pics of her room as soon as we get it into order. We are planning on staining the bed this week (we are almost through sanding it down) so I will post pics (before/after) soon.

I got a job!

As most of you know I currently work in the ER as a Tech/Phleb. I have loved my time in the ER (and have learned soooo much) but they will not be keeping me since I am a LPN (not an RN). I would like to transfer to another department inside the hospital...but right now they don't have any positions open. Boo.
So..thinking of what I would like my schedule to be when Ms. Grace appears, I really want to cut down my work load as much as possible. I accepted a NURSING position at Bradford House in Bentonville working Tues and Thurs only from 3p-11p, which we feel will be great with a new baby. I am sooo excited about being home all week with the kids, getting to take them to school, being with my new baby all day, and MOST of all being with my family EVERY weekend!!! RYan will just keep Grace and the boys after work on Tues/Thurs while I work..which I think is manageable. :)
Ofcourse I am planning on breastfeeding full time, so I looking into purchasing a new pump soon so that Ryan will have some food those 2 evenings I am gone.
So I guess after maternity leave I will be leaving my long-time home, Washington Regional...kind of a little sad, but
I really prayed about the job options..and God totally opened this door...so I know for now it is the right place. I am excited and will keep everyone up-to-date!