Laborious Labor Day Weekend

This past weekend was very busy for us. We decided to start tackling the girls new room downstairs. We spent all of Saturday organizing the room since it is currently the play room, throwing away things and bagging up other things for the DI. Wes and Lydia even managed to get our old, worn out couch out of the basement into the garage. From there we ran to the DI and then to the hardware store to choose paint. The girls chose a very bright lime green and pink. The first thing we did was wash down the walls. Then Wes taped. By the time this was all done it was evening already. Sunday Wes painted the tinted primer onto the two walls we are painting.

Monday Wes and Lydia starting painting with our bold colors.

This is the pink wall! Bright but fun! Don't worry, that is actually green tape which is protecting the trim to our strange underground door. Wes is thinking he would still like to do another coat.

The green wall! This wall actually started it's life as wood paneling and sucks up paint so Wes is thinking this wall will actually need two more coats. So much for primer and one coat of paint. We will have plenty of paint leftover when all is said and done. In fact Wes keeps thinking of ways to use the paint in our house. I have already told him our stairwell cannot be lime green. He says he could lighten it up with primer. I still say it is unlikely. We may mix some white and the bright pink to get a paler pink and then paint a wall in Violets room. We'll see.

Hopefully the project will be done soon. From there we will need to move furniture and get the room set up.

Since I couldn't paint I spent my Monday deep cleaning the house and it felt so good when it was done! I still had energy so I kept going. I did laundry, baked cookies and cross stitched. I figure I better take advantage of the energy when it comes!

Where in the White Rabbit

I was reading my scriptures the other day and came across "by small and simple things are great things brought to pass". It made me think of my project. I am taking small steps every week to get my project done and in the end I hopefully will have a great work of art to hang on the wall. One can hope right? I figure optimism is the only solution to avoid giving up.

I am slowly adding stitches to the project. I noticed last night that a stitch is in the wrong place. It should be to the left one. There actually should be a yellow stitch in it's place, not the bright red stitch that is currently occupying that square. Of course this was a stitch I made awhile ago. Now the question is do I try and snip it out without disturbing the other stitches with the same thread, or leave it be? Wes says if you step a few inches back you will never notice it. I worry of course I will always notice it and that it will ruin the shape of one of the hearts.

Oh well. I am sure I will solve the issue soon. Here is where I am currently on the project.

Here is where I was before. So as you can see some progress is being made :)

Well onward an upward. I can only get more done from here!

Week 24

Does anyone know how to take a horrible shine off of someone's face through photo editing? Wes says it is back lighting. It is probably just the pregnancy which is making my skin change in horrible ways. I even put on makeup. Is that the "pregnancy glow" they talk about? That's it...I'm just glowing. He he he! Anyway, that isn't the point. The point of the picture is to show you my growing baby belly at 24 weeks.

Here are some tidbits of my pregnancy thus far.

I have really started to become uncomfortable. I am finding it harder to bend over, walk, sleep...well you get the point. I didn't think it would start so early, but it has. Most of the time it isn't a big deal. I will suddenly realize the problem though when I bend over to pick something up and think "That didn't feel good". The honest truth is my body feels like it is stretching and running out of room. I am sure it will adapt so baby Violet can continue to grow and develop for the next 16 weeks.

I am now the slowest walker in the family where before I used to be the fastest. I really wish I had kept up with a wonderful exercise routine. I guess it is never too late to make new habits. I did exercise a couple of times last week, which I guess is something.

I can feel Violet moving a lot during the day. In fact, Wes has been able to see her moving around. He asked me one day how I manage to have someone moving inside me all day. He thinks it would be very strange. It is comforting to feel her and know she is doing well, except when she kicks really hard. I then remind my little baby to be nice to her mommy. I don't think she is listening :)

My energy levels have been really wonderful. I was working on all sorts of project ideas and keeping the house cleaner. Then suddenly my energy started dropping these past few days. I actually fell asleep on the couch last night at 9:00. I am hoping they go back up at least for the next month when I will be in the third trimester.

Someone said to me on Sunday "Are you sure there aren't two in there". I told her it was probably just my dress making me look so big and suctioned the fabric around my belly to show her. Honestly, it didn't hurt my feelings. I will look however I look and it is worth it to get my baby here. My weight gain I think is going pretty well. On Friday I weighed myself and I have gained 15 pounds so far which I think is pretty normal.

I rarely have cravings anymore. I do need to eat frequently though because I start feeling dizzy, and just not quite right! I try to make healthy choices most of the time. I like to have a high protein breakfast because it carries me further. I love a hard boiled egg and morning star breakfast patty on an english muffin with a side of fruit. Yummy!

The bathroom breaks are a little ridiculous, but I am just getting used to it. Drinking lots of water is something that helps me feel better. I also know that it helps reduce contractions and headaches. I still do get contractions on occasion, but not too frequently.

I have started working at home four days a week and in the office one day which has been WONDERFUL!! I feel so blessed and fortunate to have the opportunity. I see my family more and am able to be much more comfortable in my own home. I know I will come to appreciate it more and more as the pregnancy progresses. It has been especially good since Wes' schedule is becoming more hectic. Also, after my maternity leave I will still be working from home which will be fabulous!!!

I have dreams about Violet and enjoy holding her. This last dream she had some physical problems. I think as a mom it is pretty common for us to worry that something can go wrong. I can't wait for her to come. Well, I can because I want her to grow and because there is much that needs to be done still, but it will be nice when she is here. I am really looking forward to 3 months of maternity leave as well.

I still LOVE my doctor and think she is greatest thing ever!!!! I am not nervous for the birth at all. Perhaps it will hit me later, but this being the third time around I know more what to expect and know I am a strong woman that can make it through almost anything.

I thank my Heavenly Father every day for the opportunity to be pregnant with my little one and pray she will be healthy and strong. The girls pray for Violet at every family prayer. I pray for others that I know are struggling with fertility issues right now. I know of several women that are aching to have their own little baby. I want you to know that I am thinking of you and hope that your dream comes to pass SOON.

Well, here's to the next 16 weeks!

Adelle's First Day of Kindergarten!

Well, the day has finally come! It is Adelle's first day of Kindergarten. She chose her own clothes and didn't want much done to her hair. She did request some small braids which I then clipped back. She has been nervous at times, but this morning she wasn't nervous at all. She slept with an old bear of mine and she said that helped her a lot. She was pretty insistent at first that she only wanted Daddy to drop her off. I think it's because he is usually the one to take the girls to school, but then she agreed I could come along. I think she just wanted to stick to the routine.

Lydia was nervous for Adelle. She said she actually had butterflies! Lydia hung out with us by the Kindergarten door for a little while, but then she decided to go hang out with her friends. She just sort of flitted away before we realized it. Adelle really wanted to play on the playground before lining up, but we thought for the first day we should just focus on lining up. Right away she started talking to other kids and trying to make friends. She is such a social butterfly.

Isn't this a fun picture of Adelle and Wes hanging out. They look so much alike. There were a few kids crying and one boy was about to lose it, but not my little Adelle. She went right in, excited as could be! She waved goodbye and was off to begin her education. I didn't cry either. I am excited for her and know that she is absolutely going to love it. We met with her teacher last week and she seems super nice!

The house is really quiet now. The only child presence is little Violet jumping around. Kindergarten does only last 3 hours though, so I am sure the quiet won't last long.

5th Grade!

So the day has finally arrived. It is Lydia's first day of school for the year and she is starting 5th grade. She looks like a little model thanks to a recent school shopping trip with her Daddy. Hopefully she will have a wonderful year! The crushes are already going on from last year. Why do my girls have to grow up so quickly? Adelle will be starting school in one week. *sigh* My world is changing!

I HATE my computer right NOW!

Do you remember when I bought my computer and how much I absolutely loved it? If you don't remember that post you can read it here :http://thoughtsofliz.blogspot.com/2009/03/new-computer.html. Anyway, I have come to absolutely HATE my computer right now. May I suggest that you never buy a Gateway LX68101-01. Just don't do it!!!!! Yesterday my computer started randomly shutting itself off with now warning whatsoever. I have only had this computer for a few months! At first I thought I must have hit the power button. Then I thought maybe it was my old power strip so I replaced it with a new one on hand. That didn't do it. I then replaced the actual power cord to the computer and guess what...that's right it still was doing it. I decided to do some research on the internet to see what I could find and lo and behold I fould out that I wasn't the only one having the same problem. Oh No, there are many consumers that have gone through the same thing to find out that there computer is not adequately cooling! The fix? Buy two more fans and install them to properly cool the monster box that should already be engineered to avoid overheating.

ARGGGG! I don't usually rant, but this just has me so upset right now! I have just been granted the opportunity to work at home 4 days a week. Guess when that is starting? Next week! So I am really hoping we are able to get the computer properly cooling by then. Currently I have just taken the whole side off the box to give it enough air. The problem of course is that I don't think we will be able to just go out and buy fans for the box just off the shelf at a store. It may have to be an internet order. Curse you Gateway!!! You're probably thinking "Isn't there some type of Warranty?" In response to your question: Yes, there is a warranty, but from everything I have read Gateway will not do anything much to fix the problem and you get to ship the computer at your own expense. They will never install extra product on their machine which they designed in the first place.

Oh...and on top of it all...it appears that Adelle's CD player is on the fritz as well. What is the deal? Must every electronic device break down at the same time? I guess I'm not surprised with the CD player. It was a Wal-Mart buy.

Thanks for letting my unload. I really hope we resolve this soon.

Our 7th Wedding Anniversary

On Sunday Wes and I celebrated our 7th Wedding Anniversary. Saturday afternoon we loaded up the girls and left them with Grandma Julie so we could have some alone time. The girls were super excited to sleep over and their Grandma's house. They always have so much fun with her.

Wes and I decided to head up to Park City and stay at the Woodside Inn. They were having a wonderful recession special that we couldn't pass up. We were also thrilled that each room has a two person jacuzzi tub! There is nothing like relaxing in a GIANT tub!

We decided to head out Saturday evening to explore main street and to get dinner. Our wonderful Innkeeper clipped some coupons from the local paper to save us money for dinner. I highly recommend staying at this bed and breakfast. The service was wonderful and the rooms are very reasonable! Anyway, back to the adventure. We caught the free public bus which dropped us right by main street.

We decided to eat at one of our favorite restaurants! Chimayo! We had gone there 6 years earlier for our anniversary and it has held a favorite place in our culinary memories ever since. Eating there again didn't disappoint. The food was fabulous and thanks to our coupon very reasonable for a fine restaurant. Yummy! I love that place.

From there we walked around Main Street enjoying the shops and galleries. We really enjoyed looking at the art! I even picked up some adorable finger puppets for all three of my girls for Christmas to put in their stockings. They are so cute! Poor Wes had a broken toe so it was uncomfortable for him to walk too much. We were quite the pair; a pregnant woman and a man with a broken toe.

We headed back to our room to enjoy some time together. There is nothing like time away with each other. We woke up pretty well rested and sat down to breakfast made by one of the Innkeepers. Wes loved the apple french toast and ham. Mine was underdone at first so I sent it back to be cooked some more. I wasn't super impressed, but it wasn't bad.

We checked out and decided to go the the Silly Sunday Market on the Park City main street. There were so many vendors. Most of the items were more than I would want to spend, but I did find a lovely Christmas gift for my sister. I am determined to have Christmas shopping done early.

I really had a great time with Wes and enjoyed feeling closer to him after our special time together. It will probably be awhile before we have another overnight stay since Violet will be joining us in December. I have really loved our seven years together so far and can't wait to see what the future will bring! I love my hubby!