30 weeks

I am now 30 weeks pregnant and feeling every bit of it. This baby is very active and he likes to push up into my ribs and make it very difficult to breathe. He wakes me up a lot at night with how forceful his kicks and turns are. I have been having issues feeling like I can't breathe. Especially when laying down. I am measuring 2 weeks big so I am going to be having another ultrasound to see if there is extra fluid on my uterus. From previous experience I am guessing it is just another large baby. This could mean I get to go still in Dec. though and Joel would love the tax credit! :-) I just am getting super anxious to meet him and I sure wish we had a name. We don't agree on anything.





My little glamour girl

Halloween

I wasn't sure what to do this year about Halloween. We have several neighbors who just recently had H1N1 and who knows how many more so I didn't like the thought of knocking on doors and having germy hands touching candy and then my kids touching them ect.... I know I am crazy but I am huge and pregnant and don't want that as much as I can help it. Besides, we are not really all that into Halloween and probably won't celebrate it much longer anyway, so to us it just wasn't worth it. So, we went to a few neighbors that I knew were healthy and we went early so we were the first kids in the candy bucket! :-) We then came home and put the candy away until tomorrow and we made pizza and had ice cream sundaes and watched monsters vs. aliens in our basement with the lights off. It was a perfect night. I got to sit and cuddle with my two favorite girls!! There is nothing better.


Here's my Raggedy Ann and Kitty

good day with friends

We went to my good friend Sarah's yesterday and spent the whole day there (when I say the whole day, I mean 12+hours). We have both been really careful about H1N1 and so neither of us have been going out or having playdates and since we knew neither of us had been anywhere all week we decided to make a whole day of it and get the kids together to play and make popcorn balls. They had a blast.

They made forts and I even got to meet Sarah's good friend Jenny, whose blog I have been following for almost a year. Jen had a baby girl- who she is holding- named Lyla and she was born with Trisomony 18. Shortly after having her Sarah told me about her and how they need prayers and so I started following her blog. Jen is a really neat person who is totally trusting Lyla to God's care no matter what the diagnosis. It was great to meet her in person and little Lyla. She is a miracle! If you want to read her blog the link is here.

Thomas Nelson Book Review

I was excited when I found an opportunity to be a book review blogger for Thomas Nelson publishing. I love to read and am always looking for ways to expand my knowledge base. The first book I choose was, The Well-Behaved Child by parenting expert John Rosemond.

Being the mother of two small children with another on the way, I understand how important it is to effectively discipline your child. This book conveyed a lot of good strategies on how to do just that. John does a really good job at not only setting children straight but also the parents as we are usually the ones who have misguided efforts at discipline in the first place. He has a no nonsense approach when it comes to dealing with a misbehaving child and his lack of showing emotion (voice raising, frustration, or exasperation), really does seem to be key in stopping a child's behavioral issues.

I found the book to have lots of practical advice that I will and have already begun to use with my children. Some of his ideas go a little far for me but I also haven't had that much of a problem child to require the extensive disciplinary measures he outlines. The book has inspired me to be more careful in what expression they see from me when I am disappointed in their behavior. I recommend this book to all parents as each child will require discipline at one point or another and as a parent you need to know how to handle it to diffuse the situation quickly.

Happy Reading!

Here is the Thomas Nelson review site for this book and their product page

overwhelming

I realized tonight why I hate to shop and why I avoid going into any and all stores.

There was a really good sale on at Target for the game operation. It was 9.00 and it came with a coupon for a free pizza from dominoes. I have been waiting and waiting for this game to go on sale thinking it would be so much fun to do with Abby. The thing I didn't realize until I was walking down the aisles is how all of a sudden I get a case of the gimmes and I want everything I see. All of a sudden, I need a new pot, and comforter, and blankets, and baskets, and a christmas c.d., and a really cute hat and gloves, and fun things for the girls to do, and this precious little baby boy outfit, and lets not even get started on all the glittering, shining Christmas things.
It was horrendous. I am not a spender and rarely do indulge but it is pretty sad how over commercialized this world is. It fools you into thinking you need more and more when really I have everything I need. It just reminded me that this world and all it has to offer are not for me and the more I can keep walking by and saying no, the closer I become to leaving it all and following Christ with my whole life. It just feels so unnatural and so against my human nature, but I think that is what following Christ means. It is contrary to everything your flesh cries out for.
Needless to say I got the game and it will be wrapped up and waiting for her on Christmas morning, and I got out of there with my budget still tightly in place.

Weekend

The Love and Respect marriage conference was great. I highly recommend it to every couple. Their is soo many ways I have screwed up over and over again. The awesome thing I have realized though is I can start over. Today is a new day. I am choosing to SHUT my mouth and be respectful of my husband at all times. I want to leave that example to my girls so they can do the same with their husbands. Joel really enjoyed it too and has told me he is going to change a lot of things too.

Thanks for taking the girls mom! Thanks for helping with them too Danie. They have both told us how much fun they had.

Ohh... and I just wanted to post about this-
MckMama is doing a contest where you can enter to win a 200.00 gift card to Best Buy. If I write about it on my blog I get to enter twice so I thought I would give it a try. It would sure help with Christmas presents.

Great post

I am doing the book study "Crazy Love" and today I read this wonderful post on it. This is a gifted lady and she really leaves you with a hunger and desire to know God more. I want that passion, do you?


http://www.aholyexperience.com/2009/10/falling-for-god-7-ways-to-do-crazy-love.html

A really Precious Video

Notice at the end how instead of saying,"now I know my abc's, next time won't you sing with me," she just starts over again. Too precious!!!

My sweet little girls

My neighbor Kary made these matching dresses for my girls. She is also making them matching dresses for their dolls and baby slings to carry them in for me for Christmas. She is selling items too if anyone is interested pop over to http://kjfernandes.blogspot.com

My little girls...... I love them so much!

Playing dress-up

One world government

This is quite scary. The Bible's prophecies are beginning to be fulfilled regarding the end times. It is such an exciting but scary time. I love that I have the blueprint and know what is going to happen and what it means when it does!

encouragment for moms

These are awesome movies made by Christy Nockels-- she is a christian music artist and a very amazing women. I found these to be really encouraging. I very much feel called to be a stay at home mom and be the best I can to my children and husband but sometimes I feel it is so mundane, and it doesn't really make a difference. It was just great to hear once again how much of a difference it does make, and also how to think on things to make the mundane into glorious!

Being A Mom {Part 1} from christy nockels on Vimeo.

Being A Mom {Part 2} from christy nockels on Vimeo.

Misc...

We had a great weekend up north spending some time with each family. The girls had lots of fun playing with cousins. Joel and I had fun playing with cousins too! :-) We played lots of games and I did lots of hair. The fellowship is always so nice. I also had a very, very successful Wildtree party. Thanks mom! People are really liking the products so that is great. I just need to work on doing some expos and fairs now to get the product out there and hopefully I can quit Applebees or at least do 1 night a week.

It is snowing now as I type this. It is so beautiful to watch it coming down. I am anxious for really cold weather and lots of snow this year. Usually I dread it so the only way I can explain it is it must just be that a baby comes during the middle of it. Right after the holidays when things usually look quite bleak I will be getting an amazing little gift! God is good! Also, we are really trying to not do much at all to avoid this awful flu going around so it gives us an excuse to find things to do inside. It is going to be a long winter for our little girls.

Stay tuned for my book review. I am almost done and anxious to write my reviews so I can get my next book. I love getting books for free and I love to read! The one I am reading right now is a parenting one but my next one I get is going to be a spiritual depth one. Lately I feel myself being called to go and deeper and deeper. It is scary as I feel I have to let go of a lot of my fears and insecurities and truly trust God. Joel and I were just talking last night how that is such a hard thing to do. Once we truly let them go- anything could happen. (not that it couldn't already but it is just that feeling.) Joel and I have started doing a Bible Study together called Believing God, and already it is so amazing. We sit for an hour and each night get into the Bible and then have really awesome discussion. I am so thankful we are doing this together. God is definitely doing some works all around us. It is incredible and we hope to be a part of some of it!

Here are some pictures from the weekend.




This week we woke up to snow.... The girls had such a blast outside playing. It was beautiful but already gone. They are just too precious!

Emily with cousin Tucker Both girls with Tucker

They are so good to him and love to see him and I know they will be great with their own little brother. The countdown is on. I have always gone early thus far so if that proves true again I have 2 1/2 months to go! :-)

Me and Joel's sister Maria-- She is due in 3 weeks and we look like the same size. Pretty sick!

She went late last time and still had a tiny baby. I go early and have huge ones.

Joel and the girls shot guns together. Here is Emily pulling the trigger

Abby liked pulling the trigger too.

We are off

And we are off.... to a weekend of eating way too much, staying up way too late, having awesome fellowship, and enjoying our families.
It is Canadian Thanksgiving weekend. It is the big holiday in Joel's family. All of his aunts and uncles and as many cousins as can make it and their kids all join together in one house for a whole weekend gathering. It is always a lot of fun and we come away feeling refreshed.

I also have a big wildtree party tonight. I think it is going to be my biggest one yet so I am excited for that. I really want this Wildtree business to take off so I can stop Applebees or at least cut back. With another munchkin on the way, I know I don't want to give up much of my precious time with him. They just grow too quickly to miss any of it. I am so glad God has placed the calling of a stay at home mom on my life. I wouldn't trade it for anything!

Poor Emily again!

Life is seriously never dull for a moment at my house. Today I was packing up to leave for my parents tomorrow morning and while I was packing Emmy's clothes Abby decided to stick a thermometer hard and fast into Emily's ear. Emily started horrifically screaming, and grabbing her ear and when I looked blood was coming out. I called the dr. and they wanted me to bring her in right away. I called a neighbor for Abby to sit at so I could just take Emily.

Emily has a deep scratch in her eardrum but it doesn't look like her ear drum ruptured. She had blood on the bottom part of her eardrum so he couldn't see clearly. Poor thing. He said she was really a trooper because ear scratches that deep really hurt. He also put her on ear drops for the next 7 days.



When I stopped at the neighbors to get Abby she told me that Abby told her that when she got home she was going to be disciplined. Abby told her that she already felt as sorry as she could.

Poor little girl, she did feel pretty bad but what would possess someone to do that in the first place? Oh, the joys of childhood and learning their realities!

It is looking way too true!

THE ANT AND THE GRASSHOPPER This one is a little different..... Two Different Versions! ................. Two Different Morals!

OLD VERSION: The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed. The grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold. MORAL OF THE STORY: Be responsible for yourself!

MODERN VERSION: The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away.
Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others are cold and starving.
CBS, NBC , PBS, CNN, and ABC show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food. America is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can this be, that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?
Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper and everybody cries when they sing, 'It's Not Easy Being Green.'
Acorn stages a demonstration in front of the ant 's house where the news stations film the group singing, 'We shall overcome.' Rev. Jeremiah Wright then has the group kneel down to pray to God for the grasshopper's sake.
Nancy Pelosi & Harry Reid exclaim in an interview with Larry King that the ant has gotten rich off the back of the grasshopper, and both call for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his fair share.
Finally, the EEOC drafts the Economic Equity & Anti-Grasshopper Act retroactive to the beginning of the summer. The ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate number of green bugs and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by the Government Green Czar.
The story ends as we see the grasshopper finishing up the last bits of the ants food while the government house he is in, which just happens to be the ant's old house, crumbles around him because he doesn't maintain it. The ant has disappeared in the snow. The grasshopper is found dead in a drug related incident and the house, now abandoned, is taken over by a gang of spiders who terrorize the once peaceful neighborhood.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Be careful how you vote in 2010.

A message for Auntie Leah

The girls were super excited when a little package arrived at our door today. They were even more excited when they found out who it was from. Auntie Leah. They each got a little bath toy and the new baby got a long sleeved onesie and I even got a c.d. Thanks Leah! We love you and miss you! I love having aunties for the girls who spoil them. When Auntie Danie was here last weekend she brought me down a sleeper and onesie that she had found too (for the new baby). We really appreciate the love you guys show our children! Believe me, they reciprocate it! :-)