Sugar, anyone?

Okay, so I just ran to Target to get some Claritin and a new hair dryer because mine quit. Claritin, because I would like to be able to breathe before the baby arrives, and hair dryer to make sure I look better in the hospital than I did when Kaylee was born. Yes, I know I am supposed to be on bedrest, but Target is so close and it was just a few items! Anyway, I have been obssessed with how I am going to lose all this baby weight after the baby comes. I even watched the Nutrisystem thing on QVC for an hour this morning. While in Target, it hit me that I should eat all the sugar I can before I try to lose weight. Probably not the best thing for baby, but I am still pregnant and entitled to cravings. Somehow, when I got home, there must have been several things that had "jumped" into my cart! I ended up with 3 large bags of M&M's (not the single serve, the huge bags), Snickers miniatures, Nestle eggs, Butterfinger Easter candy, Toasted marshmallows, Little Debbie Donut Sticks, Powdered Sugar Donuts, Swiss Rolls, and Cosmic Brownies. Oh my goodness! No, I will not eat all of this before Friday. I promise!

Well, my goal is to finish all of my ACU grad work today for my current class so that I do not have to worry about it after Friday. But, of course, I am a procrastinator and blogging just seems like more fun right now. So. maybe I will just check out a few more blogs and then get to work!

It's only been a year!

Well, after a year, I guess it is time to start blogging again. Yes, that last post is from February 2006. It took me awhile to get on here because I couldn't even remember how to log on! So much has happened in the last year. In July we took a month long trip to California. While there we found out I was expecting again, so that was exciting. My due date is March 11, but the doctor is going to induce me on this Friday, March 2. This has been a much harder pregnancy than with Kaylee, so I am happy. I had to stop working yesterday because I was having really bad pains, huge swollen ankles and calves, and my blood pressure had gone up to 140/93. That is really high for me.

We have been trying to have a lot of Kaylee time lately since her world is about to be rocked upside down! She is very excited to meet Baby Nolan, but I think that may change a little next week when he comes home!

I am going to try my hardes to keep this updated while on maternity leave and add some pics when the baby comes!

Enjoy!

Four Things . . .

Four jobs you have had in your life:
1. Teacher
2. Supervisor for the ACU calling center
3. Diet tech for Hendrick Hospital
4. Envelope stuffer, licker for my parents!
Four movies you would watch over and over:
1. Say Anything
2. Top Gun
3. Pretty Woman
4. Steel Magnolias
Four books I could read over & over:
1. The Davinci Code
2. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
3. Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis
4. Into the Wild by John Krakauer
Four places you have lived:
1. Abilene, TX
2. Nugent. TX
3. Lewisville, TX
4. Double Oak, TX . . . and that's all!
Four TV shows you love to watch:
1. CSI (all of them)
2. Desperate Housewives
3. Oprah
4. The O.C. . . . can I list more here? Days of Our Lives, The Amazing Race. Grey's Anatomy . . .
Four places you have been on vacation:
1. DisneyWorld
2. Cancun
3. Kenai, Girdwood, and Anchorage, Alaska
4. Cruise to St. Thomas, St. Marten, and the Bahamas
Four web sites I visit daily:
1. reporternew.com
2. mikecope.blogspot.com
3. cnn.com
4. foxnews.com
Four of my favorite foods:
1. Mom's roast and potatoes
2. creme brulee
3. Simply Fondue
4. Olive Garden salad, breadsticks, and pasta
Four places I would rather be right now:
1. home on the couch
2. Cayucos, CA
3. Target or Kohl's
4. Abilene
Four friends I am tagging:
1. anyone who reads this!!
2.
3.
4.

Great weekend

I am not doing a very good job of keeping this blog updated! I had a great weekend at my church Ladies' retreat. It's always refreshing and a renewing experience. It helps me remember just how much I value my friends. I think my Bible Study gals and I might start another Beth Moore study and I am so excited. I also really enjoyed hearing stories and learning from the "older" ladies at church. It is so nice to know that they have experiences that we can relate to and learn from.

It will be a busy few weeks at school until TAKS is done with and I am done rating the students I have to rate. So, I might not be writing much again for awhile. But, I will try!!

Kaylee was sick last week with a little bug. She seems to be feeling better now. She had to miss gymnastics last week and was so sad. So, tomorrow night we will return to gymnastics!

Whew! Time to relax after the holidays!

I am finally having a chance to sit and write after the busy holiday season. We enjoyed our trip to California with the highlight being the trip to Disneyland. Kaylee really had fun. Although, Nathan would say the highlight was getting to eat at Vince's Spaghetti. We seemed to be busy the whole time we were there. Lots of card playing, shopping, went to see Narnia (Kaylee, too!), Christmas, visits with family, the annual New Year's Eve dinner at Cask and Cleaver. . .

Kaylee started Gymnastics on Wednesday. Or I guess I should say "Kaylee and I" started gymnastics on Wednesday. Mommy has to participate until Kaylee is 3. Mommy was much more tired than Kaylee by the end of class! She was ready for more. I felt like I had just been hit by a truck! I have so much work to do . . . so more to come later!

Christmas Tag

I just thought this would be fun!

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? BOTH!! But only Borden's egg nog in a can
2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? Sets under the tree (actually there has been a debate on this in our house!)
3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? White
4. Do you hang mistletoe? No, too many allergies.
5. When do you put your decorations up? Right after Thanksgiving
6. What is your favorite holiday dish (excluding dessert)? my mom's dressing
7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? making cookies for Santa
8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I don't remember
9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Sometimes
10. What kind of cookies does Santa get set out for him? Sugar with icing and multi-color balls
11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? love it when there's no ice
12. Can you ice skate? NO!! I have tried, but I am just not balanced
13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Contacts from my Mom and Dad. They had a piece of posterboard with a face drawn on it and two big clear bowls over the eyeballs! It took me a bit to get it!
14. What's the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Spending time with family.
15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? My mom's chocolate pie.
16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Opening our stockings.
17. What tops your tree? A silver irridescent (sp) star
18. Which do you prefer Giving or Receiving? giving, especially when I feel like I have found the perfect gift!
19. What is your favorite Christmas Carol? Silent Night
20. Candy Canes! Yuck or Yum? Hmmm . . . in moderation.
Tag... everyone.

It's the BUSY season!

Things have been so crazy. Friday night we had some other young families from church over to play games. It was a lot of fun. The kiddos all played in one room and the parents played games in the other. It's a great way to have fun and save money! Everyone brought finger foods. On Saturday I spent most of the day cleaning and wrapping presents. It's amazing how time can go by so fast. Then at 4:00 the Anysa and Luke, and Aidan and Austin came over so their parents could go out on a date. Co-op has been awesome for us. We keep all the kids one night a month from 4-9, and then we get to go out on 2 date nights a month for 5 hours! It's great! Sunday, we woke up for church. Kaylee is loving bible class. She gets so excited when we drive up to the building. She starts saying, "Church, church!" I'm glad she is so excited to learn about God. Sunday afternoon I tried to finish some Christmas shopping. That was crazy. I was willing to walk far at Grapevine Mills, but I couldn't even find a spot to park! I drove around for like 15 minutes stalking people walking out to cars. We had planned to go to the candlelight service at church that night, but I didn't get back in time. So, we rented the Fantastic 4, and Kaylee actually watched it with us. Monday was group party planning day in my class. Sheesh!! Talk about crazy. You would think High School students would be mature enough, but I was just worn out. And Kaylee had Santa come visit her at the babysitter yesterday. Kerrie (the babysitter) said Kaylee was a little unsure at first, but once she realized Santa was giving out candy canes, she jumped right up on his lap! When Mommy doesn't give you sugar, I guess you have to hunt for it! But, the best part of Monday was getting together with my college roomies for our annual child-free Christmas Dinner. It is so fun to catch up with them. I feel so blessed that we have remained so close. It was a nice, relaxing dinner. I ate WAY too much. But it was worth it!!

Here is one of our Christmas pictures. Kaylee does great when we are with her, but she freaked out when she had to do pictures by herself!

Don't know what else to write, so . . . .

First Memory: I really don't know the answer to this one. I barely remember last week!!

First Kiss: First real one was....... hmmm . . . I don't know if I should share this. 7th grade, Sean Thomsen.

First Concert: Kenny Rogers and Crystal Gale

First Love: hmmm . . . I think the first time I felt like I was in love was John David Patton, but that wasn't love, hardest guy to get over was Chris Harris, and I REALLY don't know why

First thing I think in the Morning: just one more hit of the snooze button

First Book I remember loving: Green Eggs and Ham

First Pet: Pepper, although I don't remember her

First Question when I get to Heaven: Why can't I ever get organized? Although I don't think it will matter then!

First word I think of for Vacation: Relaxation!!

First Best Friend: Kim Besson

Last Time I dressed up: Church on Sunday (We got to wear jeans all this week at school!! We each paid $5 to help with the Angel tree and we got to wear jeans all week!!)

Last thing I ate: a catered lunch from PTSA. It was yummy! Chicken spaghetti!

Last CD I bought: I can't tell! It's a Christmas present for someome.

Last time I cried: today I teared up when I heard a sad story

Last time I told someone I loved them: this morning I told Kaylee I loved her before she went to the babysitter

Last really fun thing I did: went to the Mavs game and Dicks Last Resort with Nathan and my best friend from high school, Chris and his girlfriend

Last thing I watched on TV: Without a Trace that was Tivo'd

Last Halloween Costume: I can't even remember the last time I dressed up for Halloween

Last Concert- I think it was Pat Green at Billy Bob's
Okay... I tag (Just copy and paste)

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Spending time with "the girls"

Last night I had the privilege of getting together with my girls from my regular bible study. We usually meet once a week for prayer requests, study, fellowship, and coffee. But recently, we have been so busy with young children and busy, involved lives, we haven't had the opportunity to meet as often. Now we only meet once a month. I really cherish these times. It's nice to get out of the house and spend time with other mommies who are going through many of the same things and can offer encouragment, advice, and just an open ear. I have learned so much from these girls. I am really thankful to have them in my life.

I still have so much Christmas shopping to take care of. I really need to get Mandy, Darren, and Ely's presents in the mail to Alaska. I really AM in the Christmas mood this year, I just don't seem to have time to get everything done. I also have a lot of planning and cleaning to do before my mom and dad and grandma get here next week. And, I'd like to have all of my packing for California done before they get there. I really think Kaylee will have fun in Cali this year.

As the saying goes . . .So much to do, so little time.

I feel like a bad Mommy

I had a speech tournament this weekend. It is amazing how much they can wear you out. I really love competitive speech. I love seeing kids win. I just miss my family so much when I am doing it. I saw Kaylee for about 5 minutes Friday morning before she left to go to the babysitter's house. She was asleep by the time I got home late Friday night. I was gone by 6:30 Saturday morning, so she was still asleep. And of course, she was asleep by the time I got home late Saturday night. So, even though I am coming home to sleep in my own bed at night, I feel so guilty that I am missing out on that time with my daughter. She is growing and maturing at such a fast rate, I really feel like I miss out. However, we need the money that I receive from the stipend, which is the real reason I do this. No matter how much I love competitive speech, I love my daughter and husband much more. It is a constant internal struggle. I would love to have my master's degree in Administration, I just don't want to miss out on anything at my family's expense. So, I choose my family. I would love to be the best speech coach, but I choose my family. In the priorities of life, family is so much more than prestige, money, and learning. I love my family.

Since I have been an avid Blog reader for almost a year now, I have decided it is time for me to start my own. I have thoroughly enjoyed reading others blogs and find it quite therapeutic. So, why not write my own thoughts down? That has to be therapeutic, right? I've always heard that keeping a journal is wonderful way to gather and control your thoughts. I've never been successful with keeping a journal. I always start and fail after a few days. So, I am hoping I will keep this up. I am an email and internet junkie, so this should be easier. As for the title, well, my Bible Study girls will understand it. I am wife to Nathan, Mom to Kaylee, and teacher to many.