The swells of pregnancy! (2 posts today)

I haven't really posted a picture of the tummy.... so in case you were curious, we've well exceeded the "bump" stage of the game and are into the large stage where it should be obvious that a growing baby has taken up residence in my uterus... Here I am at about 26 weeks (in the Khaki)... see, it's obvious right? Then why are people asking and then seeming shocked and awed? I was at the bike shop the other day and this lady was there with her newborn- I commented how cute, etc, etc... we continued to do our separate shopper thing and then she asked me if I was expecting..... um, yeah?This is the breakroom at my work- that's my gaping locker in the background... this pic was taken on the 20th (last Sat) I'm 31 weeks right? So I'm helping a patient in the bathroom when one of my co-workers comes to check on me- the patient asked me, "what? is he afraid I'm gonna do something to you in here?" I said, "No 'John,' he's making sure I don't need help because I can't be lifting you, I'm pregnant..." His reply, "Well I've been wondering!!!!" .......... really? do I just look like a proud fat lady? I think I look pretty prego! I sure feel pretty prego!!!In this picture you can see the impression my finger left on my leg- I'm pretty swollen by the end of the day whether or not I work... The next picture is kinda disturbing, but it shows how deep the swelling goes- my leg looks totally deformed- it'll do that clear up to my knee, it's a fun trick. All in all things are going well- I'm down to the every 2 week visits with my doctor. At my last appt he gave me a prescription for my never-ending headache, and of course assured me it would be safe to take- well, I took one on Saturday and it must have made her (the baby) tired because I hadn't' felt her for what seemed like a really long time and was starting to get freaked out- I was literally in the Costco parking lot, in my car with the seat reclined (she usually gets active when I lay down) so I was laying there poking all over my belly trying to coax her into moving... she gave me a pathetic kick and then when I got home and laid down she finally picked up the pace... I won't be taking any more of that medicine!!! So, the worst of it is the "cankles," I've never had them this bad with my other pregnancies... but my blood pressure is stable- so I guess I just keep going and enjoy my squishy legs that are beating even my most swollen patients (my patients swell a lot- part of kidney failure... and part of pregnancy!)- I'm winning! (and mine will go away- thank heavens!)

"I'm so glad when daddy comes home..."

So, as I've indicated in earlier posts, September is Elk season (archery)....... what does this mean? Why do I care? ... well, I don't particularly care- but my other half cares A LOT... Before I die I'm going to find a hobby that takes me away (hopefully I can do this while there are still relatively young kids at home to "enhance" the parents schedule and stress level...) anyway- this hobby that I find will be my intense focus for at least a month leading up to the actual month I participate in said hobby. Then the month of the hobby I will be required to leave my home, husband, and children and travel a distance that makes me unavailable to anyone on the planet... cell phones don't work and loved ones only have the vaguest of ideas where I actually am.... this will need to happen at least Friday through Sunday every weekend of the month... and sometimes I'll need to leave on Wed, or Thurs in order to get done what I need to get done..... I'm not sure what my hobby will entail... except for the parts I've just explained..... But I think it's only right that I should have one... I know some other women who would even join a club with such a hobby- they've likely lost their husbands to elk (and other) season(s) as well, although they may be more use to it by now and not quite as bitter every year as I tend to still be. You see, a hunter I did not marry. The first 6 or so years of our marriage were "hunt free," I had a year round spouse, father, and helpmate.... it's only in more recent years that the call of the wild reached Matthew- and I struggle...

So, the second weekend just ended and it's always a party when dad gets home. So he told the girls we could go to PoJo's (a pizza place with games- like a Peter Piper's for example)- Off we went for sub-par pizza and all the fun you can have at a place like that. Jocilyn and McKenna had a blast with the games and rides. McKenna just kept getting back on the bumper cars, the last ride of the night the guy at the gate let Matthew go in with the girls and it was just the 3 of them bumping each other around- it was dark and the pics didn't turn out great, but you can see that there are smiles- it was fun to watch them laugh and play...

The elk is winning the game right now- so, until dad leaves again next weekend- I leave you with these pictures of PoJo's- Have a good week!

What do you think?

Of course this isn't going to vote (except at my house, and only 2 "registered voters")... but how about some feedback?

Here are the names that are currently on the table for little girl #3- not sure on some spellings but let me know what you think... please, please, please!

Jaxyn- she'd be called "Jax"- very cute, this is Matthew's favorite
Masen- my current fave
Bailey
Riley
... and I just thought of Ivy...

So what do you all think?

Play me a song on the piano, man! (3 new posts today)

I've not had a piano in the home since I left my mom and dad's home... I don't play well, but I can pick out a tune, or make up my own things... I enjoy having one around but just haven't had one. So a couple of weeks ago Matthew comes home and asks if I'd like Julie's mom's old piano (she passed away recently and the house is getting cleaned out). I said, "sure!" I couldn't remember what it looked like or anything, but it was free, right? Later, on talking to my mother-in-law I discovered that she hadn't wanted it because it's hideously ugly.... I think to myself, "oh, crap... that's not good, even if it is free, I'll hate it!"... As it turns out, it isn't hideous, or ugly and even plays pretty well- it needs a thorough cleaning, and the middle peddle doesn't work because the damper is missing- but the piano mover was impressed with how well it's held it's tune and the girls are thrilled to have it here.... what's more, I wowed them by playing a couple of the hymns that I know- I may as well have played some Beethoven they were so impressed... I was kinda shocked myself that I could still get through them... that is a talent that I so admire in Marie and others who play well- I love piano music, add in a cello or bass and mmmm, mmmm, mmmmm.....

Matthew's birthday

My Matthew's birthday is on the same day as my parents anniversary- so Happy Birthday to my honey and Happy Anniversary to my sweet parents- thanks for setting such a great example of marriage, love, dedication, patience, forgiveness, understanding, compromising, supporting, and cherishing one another over the years! Many more to come!
So- I don't know how many of you keep track of hunting seasons- but if you do, you know that September brings the start of elk season for archery hunters... this works out nicely for an archer whose birthday is in the fall... ie: Matthew. Earlier in the week he and Travis had gone to Cabela's and purchased a lot of things for the coming hunt- Matthew came home and let me know what he'd forgotten that he still needs (that interprets as, "take the girls to Sportsman's to buy these things for my birthday!") ... so of course we did that. We had a fun girls night on the 9th- dinner at Carl's jr- the girls got to play, play, play on the slide and climbing stuff, which they love, and then we headed over to Sportsman's Warehouse to see what we could find. I was lost- for just a few things it sure took me forever because this is foreign territory to me, where's the salesman when you need them to ask, "can I help you?" or "are you finding everything?".... no, those are only questions that come when you know the store and are doing just fine on your own! But, alas, we did find what we'd gone looking for and got everything home to wrap...

On the 10th (actual birthday) I worked- the way those days go is this: I leave for work at 5 am and get home around 5 pm, Matthew has had the girls during the day and then he leaves for his interpreting job around 5:15 pm and the girls and I have the evening.... so we'd planned to open presents during our 15 minutes of "family time." All day there had been happiness and merriment every time I'd talked to Matthew- he was giddy as a school girl over his birthday. So I walk in the house to crying girls and an upset papa bear.... what happened? Matthew had gotten on the girls over something minor and Kenna said it scared her and she could not stop crying... the whole time we opened gifts she'd start to regain composure and then the flood gates would open again... she cried the whole time- happy birthday daddy! I love this picture, Jocilyn was getting so sick of it, and I had a hard time getting Matthew to give me a real smile because he was so frustrated...
Alas... he is a year older, better, and hopefully wiser! I'm so totally blessed to have him as my sweet eternal companion- and as the father to my girls (who totally adore him and the occasion that he does get upset with them is so rare that when he does it's the end of Kenna's world...) He is just so good- I don't know how I got so lucky... but I'm so thankful that I did- Happy Birthday sweet man of mine!

Donnelly

I'm not sure why the pictures are coming through like this... and I can't change the landscape of the one so that Travis and Jocilyn are right side up... but here's an idea anyway of our recent trip to Donnelly (sp) ID. We made a quick Saturday to Sunday jaunt up north so that Matthew and Travis could work on replacing a rail on a fence they put in last year. The fence surrounds this pretty little cabin that the kids rather enjoyed exploring around. I was so looking forward to just getting out of town for a minute, but it wasn't the kind of place where I felt particularly relaxed, which was disappointing. However, the kids had a good time and it was nice to get away from all of the normal noise and craziness and just spend time with the family.

Just for laughs...

Jocilyn got a new "toy" at school, it's "fart-goo" and I thought it was SO dumb... so then I tried it and laughed so hard I cried... it is a dumb toy- but I must've been in a mood and was having fun with my girls... Just a funny clip...

Labor day!

Okay, so I worked Labor day... people still need dialysis on 3 day weekends- it's kinda a bummer. But here's a funny little story...

Sunday we were driving to church and the girls brought up school, I said, "you don't have school tomorrow..." Jocilyn said, "oh, yeah! It's Labor Day!!!" So I asked them, "what does labor day mean?" Jocilyn stays in her current thought and says, "it means no school!" McKenna, however, says, "it means no more white shoes..."

I thought you'd get a kick out of that mom! It was funny when my in-laws lived with us, they would be helping dress the girls or something and when it came to shoes Jocilyn and Kenna would both say, "No white shoes after Labor day..." It took a while to convince Jocilyn that white tennis shoes were still okay... Finally my mother in-law asked one day, " When can you wear white shoes?" Nobody had ever mentioned the Easter part of "the rule" and so it was really ambiguous...

I know that people don't necessarily follow that rule anymore, and even the fashion magazines have said it's old school... But I'm thankful to my mom, and her mom, and her mother before her- for caring enough to pass on those little etiquette points that I still think are important... and kinda fun (and really funny when a 5 year old says it)!

Thanks mom... Happy Labor day- hope you all had a good one whether you worked it or not... and if your going to wear white shoes, I won't judge you- wear em' proud... just know that my kids might call you on it!