Playing Catch-up...

I feel like I've been playing catch up for the past few months.  All-day sickness has left me immobile on the couch... with no motivation to do ANYTHING at all. I just keep thinking -- I'll get through this phase... one day -- I won't be pregnant and sick forever (I hope)...  

I had a few hours to myself on Thursday and we have a pregnancy clinic that gives out free ultrasounds. I stopped by... I went to see my baby -- I never realized it would be such a blessing.  The clinic is run by Christians and I was able to be honest and not have someone tell me that "God knew" or "this is God's plan". I didn't realize how much of a burden I was carrying with this pregnancy until the tears started to pour down my cheeks... I cried a lot.  I hadn't "planned" this, I wasn't ready for the + sign on the pregnancy test... I didn't want to be pregnant. In fact I was ready for a bit of freedom.  Our plan was to put both kids in school this fall and I would get a job at a coffee shop (something I've ALWAYS wanted to do)... We finally are in a rhythm where my life is more free... I can leave the kiddos and they do fine.... I can sleep in!!!!!!  I don't have snot, poop, or throw up all over me all the time... there was light at the end of the "baby/toddler chaos" tunnel. It has been a process for me... 

The little baby played the whole time during the ultrasound... it's little feet kicked back and forth in the womb... It has plenty of room right now -- I whispered, "kick little one, kick... enjoy all that room while you have it!!!" God does have a plan for this little miracle... who knows what it will be.

We haven't been "doing" a whole lot... the kiddos have been watching too many movies -- something I'm not proud of and I hate, but I can only play so many games of Candy Land/Go Fish and read so many library books from the couch.  Today we have a "screen band"... I told them they have to "play"... They aren't too happy... there will be a big mess... and it may stay like that for awhile... This baby is teaching me to let go even more... a house has been dirtier... the laundry pile has been larger, our meals have been super unhealthy (gasp... frozen dinners, anything microwavable or out of a can), the dishes never get done... I hate it, but I can't without throwing up or being super sick... so what do you do?

But in the midst of not doing anything.... we managed to hit up Home Depot for their kid workshop... we can't miss that.

 We built bird houses... I'm amazed at how good my kiddos are getting at building things.  

Can't wait to hang these colorful houses up... 

Micah needs a "father/husband of the Year" award.  He works 3 different jobs to provide for us... and then comes home to do dishes and vacuum.  A friend came over Friday and did the 3 days worth of dishes in the sink... I told her she was a good friend, she smiled and said, "I'm giving Micah the night off!"  So true.  Yesterday, Micah and the kiddos made chocolate chip cookies.  It was funny to listen to the dialogue from the couch. When they had all the ingredients in the mixer -- Micah switched on the mixer, but Ethan knocked his hand and it switched to the highest gear.... ingredients went ALL OVER! If you can see, Eden has a whole egg on her sweater!!! I just laughed and told them I wouldn't help clean up until I got a picture... this is what I got... I love it!  I had to immediately take Eden to the bath -- she had egg and flour all through her hair too... 

Temps have been in the negative digits lately.... so we bring our snow inside...

Our life is crazy right now... We spend a lot of days in PJ's... Eden has regressed back to diapers... again... But I guess we are surviving -- trying to catch up... in all reality -- it is all good!

Colored Ice...

 Yesterday, we made colored ice balls.  I saw the idea online and immediately wanted to try it!  It was an easy activity... all you need is food coloring, water, and balloons.... I put a few drops in the balloon and then filled it up with water.  Using water balloons is like playing Russian roulette... you never know when one is going to blow or leak...... shooting food coloring all over!!! 

 

The kiddos took the filled balloons and put them in little snow nests... and then we waited!

 We probably picked one of the warmest afternoons to do this project... all three of us just sat and played in the front yard... soaking up the warmth!

 The night time did the magic and this morning we found a bunch of frozen, colored balls!

 Some balloons burst before the water froze so there was patches of colored snow.... 

We used a few huge balloons and those were the coolest... partially frozen --- so it made some cool ice formations!

I love my "flower" garden... it is full of winter color!

Eden's 1/2 Birthday and Things....

Yesterday was Eden's 1/2 birthday!

   I've tried to celebrate the kiddos half birthdays each year and always forget... so when we were in the baking isle on the 1st... I REMEMBERED and let Eden pick out a cake mix and FROSTING... (yeah, that has to be a first -- having store bought frosting -- that is!) And of course she picked out pink frosting!  I love celebrating and having reasons to celebrate... my Mom always celebrated our half birthdays -- just a special day to say "You are important!"

 Eden was thrilled... she helped make the cupcakes... she is getting so big! 

 Micah had to work -- so Bethany dropped by on her way home from work and celebrated with us!

 A simple dollar store present of little girl things... she was delighted and now her purse has a few more accessories... what a girl (not sure where she got it from... not me!)!

So thankful I stored extra craft projects away... for such a time as this!!!!!

 Not much else has been going on in our home.  I'm sick most of the time -- and now I remember why I declared I was done having children!  I asked Micah to take me in the back yard and bury me in a snow bank... and leave me there -- he just smiled.  He's pumped to be having another kiddo. I live off other people's excitement and tell myself "you won't feel like this forever!"  It has been a hard adjustment for me.  I feel so wrong wrestling with my feelings - especially after struggling with infertility for so long -- I understand what it means to LONG for a baby -- so feeling "ahhh, I'm don't want to go through this again" makes me feel ungrateful -- knowing there are so many that would LOVE to be in my place!

It has been a process!

 On other news... we've been sledding -- whenever it is warm enough to be outside.  Today it is 7 degrees and Ethan isn't sure why I won't let him go outside....

 I know it will warm up (soon) and we'll get the sunshine we so desperately need!

I added this picture because Ethan asked me to take a picture of the BEST MEAL EVER!

Made me smile... gotta love hamburgers!

The kids are posing with "Fred"... as they called him.  They didn't care that the sign called him Big Mike... made me smile!

 One last thing... a friend visited us for New Years... She had some tickets to The Museum of the Rockies so we went there.  Never realized how many dinosaurs roamed Montana... they have found hundreds of bones in this state... it was quite interesting.  My kids are all about dinosaurs... a question I have is... were dinosaurs nice?  The fear of man didn't come over animals until after the flood ... who knows when dinosaurs became instinct, sooooo maybe they were friendly? They sure don't look it with all those teeth!

Reading with Gena.... thanks for visiting us, friend!

So thankful for a new year... so thankful for all the people who invest in our lives and love us... we are most blessed.... wishing you all a blessed New Year.... as we bump along in ours!