My Ramblings

Well ....

Who wants to know how my appointment went? *smile*

Pretty well, actually. I was fairly certain the baby had dropped, at least a tiny little bit. But I measured 2-3cm under what I could have, so . . . the baby is either engaged or really really close to engaged!

Hey, that's a move in the right direction. Down = out, at least eventually!

This baby is pretty low now. Not so low that I feel like labor is about to begin, but definatly lower.

It's just a matter of time, it seems. Of course, I knew that before! But it's so nice to hear something encouraging.

Oh, the other exciting news? My midwife's new assitant is basically a midwife. She hasn't sat for her test yet. I think it's a few thousand to do so (?) - so I understand. She wants more experience, so she is working with my midwife for a while. All that is great, but the best part is, she lives right outside my town! So she is super close and a pretty qualified "assistant" if you ask me.

That's about all I have for the moment. I get so happy this time Friday afternoons; my Jay will call me in just a few hours and say "The weekend has begun!"

Yippee!

~Ashley~

WAHOO!

Ok, worked out and balanced the checkbook and entered Mat's school for basically the rest of the year! WAHOO! HE'll be done w/math in a month and SHOULD be done w/LA nad history by the time we leave for FL!!!!!!!!

I need to get going tho. We're doing swim & gym for the next 5 Fridays. It's from 11-3 (but we won't get there until noon) and it's $25 for 30 days (how you get 5 Fridays). I think it'll be great this winter for them to do that AND there is a lifeguard and maybe 10 kids show up so I think I can walk in the gym while they swim!

Then one of Mat's friends is coming over while his mom goes to an appt (unbelievably a massage therapist about 3 miles from us!LOL).

Christmas

We had a really nice Christmas.  My friend Hope made me a wreath and gave it to me the Sunday before Christmas:

Santa came to Emily's classroom a few days before Christmas:

On Christmas Eve, we went to Dave's sister's house to celebrate with his family.  The kids got to exchange gifts and play, and they all had a blast.  Dave's mom wanted a picture of all of her grandkids together, so we thought it would be funny to hand them all a beer or a wine cooler.  LOL

When we got home on Christmas Eve, the kids had pajamas to open so they could wear them for Santa:

Christmas morning, we opened our gifts and then Dave's mom came over to see what the kids got and give them more gifts.  Then we went to my mom and dad's house to open more gifts and eat.  It was a good day.  Here is the mother's ring Dave got me:

Cameron and his PSP, which is the only thing he really wanted:

Emily holding her Cabbage Patch Kid, sitting in her new chair:

Christmas cookies

My friend Patty asked me to make her some chocolate chip cookies and sugar cookies, but she said she would have to pay me later.  I gave them to her for Christmas!  Here are her chocolate chip cookies:

And her sugar cookies:

These are the chocolate chip cookies I made for my family:

And the peanut blossoms:

And the spritz cookies:

The buckeye balls I made--they are Dave's favorite candy.  Cameron calls them "buck eyeballs"

Yes, I did make sugar cookies for us.  Here are the kids decorating them:

Pics, pics, pics!

No, haven't been to the midwife yet. So no news. Of course, there might not be any after I see her, anyways. So don't be holding your breath.

I find myself trying to get back into a ready-to-meet-my-baby mindset. Remind myself it *will* happen one of these days. Frankly, I don't feel too bad. Outside of my soaring weight gain, the baby feels safe and protected tucked away inside. Ya'll mind if I just carry this one forever? I need to know RIGHT NOW who will be upset a me for a February baby.

Just kidding. You don't have to admit to it.

Me, taken today. I'm approximately 38w and 2 days.

See, I had to show you that picture first, so you can tell I'm not the shapless blob I appear to be in this pic:

Then Samuel got snappy with the camera.

Not terrible, huh? I call the next picture my Yellow Boys. For some reason, J is just incredibly photogentic with the boys. Always. And the boys are always so annoyed to pose with Mommy. And then I wind up looking like a Blob.

Life. is. not. fair!!!!

Check out these pictures of them playing. There are three boys per pic, promise! Can you find them all?

From the other night. I just adore Samuel's orange pants. They are just so COOL! He doesn't. He cries when we put them on. Oh, well. Maybe they will grow on him? Hahahaha!

Another by Samuel, the photographer:

And then one from the other day when they were all reading. I like pictures of the three of them reading. Elijah has really started to get into books!

And then ....

That's where Samuel drew a line under a "T" and made it an "I". The stinker likes letters and numbers. He knows the difference between a 'W' and a 'M' and what a 'S' is and 'A' and 'H' and all kinds of other letters and numbers . . . he's not yet three years old. I certainly never expected him to learn such things. Below the "T" turned into an "I" is his completely freelance "I". I'm just . . . wow. Proud, I guess?

Well, this is all I have for the moment. If I were to randomly have the baby this afternoon, I will try to let everyone know ... in the meantime, I'm going to go clean my house. Some more, yes. I hope I'm nesting, dear readers, but I feel too good for that I fear! So don't get your hopes up!

~Ashley~

clean house!

WAHOO! I got up and got laundry going, mopped and worked out. Then I dusted, cleaned the bathrooms and my sister called and I managed to vacuum while talking to her. We hadn't 'talked' in a while it seems since she hasn't felt well so that was nice.

I also booked two HS tours. I've done them both, but many others haven't and they are local and free.;) 

So all the laundry is done, Joey finished his Arthur book (I was glad cuz it's 1st-3rd grades and subtracting 3 digit numbers from 3 digit numbers w/carrying was a bit of a challenge those last couple of pages!LOL) and Mat's almost done w/school. They are both running around in their roller blades......I'm praying no one gets hurt!LOL

The whipping cream is good so sausage gravy and biscuits is slated for supper. I got several books at hte library yesterday and my secret sister gave me the biggest mug I've ever seen in my life, Swiss Miss milk chocolate hot chocolate, a giant chocolate sucker and a throw. Sounds like a nice way to read a book.;)

She's Back!!!!!

Where, oh where, did she go??  Was she accidentally locked away in a neighbor's shed? .....Trapped in someone's garage? ...Or...maybe even holed up and hiding out in the barn on the hill, awaiting the departure of the two little weiner dogs who were visiting us?  Only Mac, herself, knows for sure...and she's not talking (...not a word, other than repeatedly telling me her name..."Maaac - mmmaaac").  All I know is that after four days, her mommy was happy to see her once more! 

Welcome home little prodigal.

geocaching

OH OH OH! I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOO excited! A good friend took us geocaching 1.5 years ago (YES THAT LONG SUZY!LOL) and we really liked it. Tonight DH brought home a handheld GPS unit (not to be confused w/the car units). Plus a dad is going to teach a geocaching unit int he HS coop so I REALLY can't wait! It's a great outdoor activity and I suppose I can just drive offroading in that new fangled vehicle I got vs. walking!ROTFL!

For those who don't know what geocaching is, you use this GPS unit to find specific sited based on longitude and latitude and find 'caches' that are hidden. You can swap trinkets or just trade. I need to get back in the lingo. I know our friends downloaded stuff straight to their GPS. I seriously doubt that I"m that smart!LOL

Give me liberty.........I guess

It's here and paid for. We took to town tonight and lived to tell the tale, too. (nice alliteration, wouldn't you say?LOL)

Today started off early. I was so tired that I skipped my workout. Knowing that I'd be roller skating later helped. I threw the roast and potatoes in the crock pot and took off. I managed not to forget anything either.;) We had our MOMS Christmas party and that was fun! Not much gift stealing, but lots of chat time. Then to skating, which went well. Then to Pizza Hut for the BookIts. I packed myself a protien bar and tried to get a cappucino at McDs and they have stopped carrying them in order to carry the McCafe line. It won't be in for 2 months!!!!!!!! So I got a coke after waiting all of htat time. Then to the PO to mail off some decoy mail. I hope they reimburse me. Actually I'd just like to see my spring and fall checks....

Then to library, where I had a nice time chatting. It can get political and not get ugly. Plus we talked about TEOFWAWKI (The end of the world as we know it). I think I"m going to convince to get a lifetime gun permit (don't ask me details--I just know how much it costs!LOL). And wind power--it's very big around here, but I"m a bit skeptical as to low wind turbines working well. So I"m curious to see how this will pan out for my neighbor (and fellow homeschooler).

Then home, where the Jeep ppl were waiting in my drive! They were early so I didn't feel badly. I got the van unloaded and did what needed to be done for that and DH test drove it and signed the papers. I'm on this title. I refused to be on Stupider's title. And, no, it's not a big deal cuz I"ll inherit all of DH's stuff anyway!LOL It was just the principle!LOL

Then Mat offered to let us 'test' the liberty and go to town adn return his airhog. Thankfully they took it back w/o question. I'm hoping to convince him not to buy another one, but we'll see. I did however find inline skates on clearance! Too bad we just skated today! I wouldn't have thought anything of them, but another HS told me that she got ones that adjust 4 sizes! I found 1-4 and 4-7 in BLUE (heaven forbid the boys use pink or purple!LOL)! Mat may not be able to wear his long, but *I"LL* be able to use them inbetween! Joey's in a 1 so he's good for a long time. Mat's in a 6. BUT Mat threw a fit the one time he rented inlines and went back to regular. So I told him that IF we keep these (he wants to) he WILL use them or pay me skate rent (and I"ll use the inlines--which should be a hoot since I can barely stay up on regular skates!LOL I can ice skate tho and they say that they are like ice skates). So I think we'll keep them either way. Joey's young enuf that can switch to inlines easily. Mat's been on regular skates since he was 3 and skated weekly. They were $30/each, which sounds steep, but given the adjustable part AND that inlines rent for $3, it'll save money in about a year.

Then home to the roast potatoes and carrots. YUMMY!  cheated and used a crock pot liner since I knew I'd feel like chopped liver by the time we were done.

And tomorrow is cleaning the entire house. Fun fun.;)

Hebrews 10:26...