It is time to settle in and refresh.

We moved into my parents house about 3 years ago. It was mainly for financial reasons but also because my dad has Alzheimer's. We figured we would be here for about 6 months and then find a place closer to my parents than what we were. Well, 6 months went into a year and so on. We all decided about a year and a half of us being here we aren't going anywhere. This is where we all belong. My daddy has gone downhill and my mom can't do it herself anymore.
This house was built for either a couple or a couple with maybe 2 kids, not 8 people (soon to be 9). Until Thanksgiving of last year it was just 7 people (4 adults and 3 kids). Now it is still 4 adults but 2 kids and 2 teenagers and a baby on the way. Wow, it is a tight fit sometimes!
I got to thinking that we aren't going to be moving from this house or expanding it anytime soon. Another thing we would love to do is tear down this house and build something else in it's place but that isn't happening anytime soon either! I have thought about it for a couple weeks and decided to make this house all of ours.
My parents furniture is bigger and they have alot, plus what we brought over. Most of our stuff is in storage but we still have some here and are using it. There are some pieces we aren't using but just decorate the home. We are replacing things with things that take less space (which we already have most of it). We are also going to actually start using pieces that we don't but don't want to part with. Also, we are getting rid of clutter and putting in a few pieces that we don't already have but need. We are making this place more a home than just a place to sleep. We are here all the time, why not love it! And we can love it! It just needs some work and TLC. We can easily make it a home for 9 if we just make some changes and that is what it is all about right now!!

Christmas 2011

We had a great Christmas!! There is nothing like family time to me. Christmas is a great day to just curl up in our pj's and do nothing. Well, nothing except play! We always get up around 7 to open presents. This year my mom and I were up at 4 waiting to be able to wake kids up! Too funny, I think we were more excited than the kiddos!! None of the kids are allowed in the living area until we call them to come down the hall together.

This was my parents rule for me when I was growing up and I loved it! Even as a teen I would wait patiently for my parents to be ready for me and then go out.
I already had coffee made and breakfast laid out so it wasn't a long wait.
We just did danishes and cinnamon rolls this year instead of a casserole and it was so much easier. We all sat around and ate and then it was stocking time! When we do stockings we just do some candy and fun little toys for the kids. Nothing really big just fun junk. Then we got to the presents!! Some of the big ones were unwrapped and they had already seen them. The family got a computer and printer. Eli got a bike and Hanni got an electric bike that hooks up the the tv. Also Hanni got a doll house which was already put together. She tried to play with it while waiting for stocking clean up. Hanni loved it!!
There was a ton of cool stuff this year! My favorite presents were the games. We got so many new games between all of us! I'd like to start playing more board games as a family so talk about perfect!

We always play games around Christmas but then the rest of the year we never do. I think I am going to make a family game night!
All in all it was a great Christmas!! We had so much fun and celebrated for several days after by not getting out of our pj's! Perfect family time!!! I am not ready for it to end but today is New Years Eve and another adventure is around the corner!!

Oh, I am behind! Gracie's bday!

Ok, so I am pretty behind on my blog, but before I do our Christmas post I'd like to talk about Gracie turning the BIG 13! Gracie turned 13 on Dec. 22! I truly can't believe it has been thirteen years! I look back and can't believe she was so little at one time but I will always think of her as my little baby!


Gracie with Grandma!

This is Gracie with my grandma who came to town to meet her great granddaughter soon after she was born. Gracie is name Grace Elizabeth. Grace is after my mother's mom and Elizabeth is after this lady. Unfortunately neither Gracie or I have met my Grandma Grace but I was so blessed to have my nana in my life who is my mom's stepmother! I look up to both these ladies so much as they were both wonderful women!! I am proud to have my daughter named after these two ladies!!!

She always loved going out visiting friends. Now she is more of a homebody like me but she still loves to visit with her friends!

Gracie loves animals and wouldn't surprise me if she ended up working with them when she gets older!

Definitely a daddy's girl!

Most definitely the house diva, although I think Hanni has become even more of a diva now than Gracie ever was! Great training Gracie! lol

Gracie loves her little brother and sister more than anything in the world. She has always been a great big sister and I am blessed to have kiddos as close as these guys are!

Poor Gracie's birthday falls extremely close to Christmas. That mean no big parties or anything. This year we found out the gender of the new baby on her birthday. She was really excited about that but still her poor birthday got a little overshadowed. We did have cake as a family and opened presents though!!

Gracie loves to do nails and asked for nail stuff for Christmas so I got her a how to paint fancy things on your nails book. We had this book years ago but Gracie was a little young for it then! She loved it!! She also got some art stuff and room decorations!! All in all it was a good evening and we had so much fun. I am thinking about half birthdays for her since she kinda gets the short end of the stick each year. Just a thought though!

It's a....

Well, on Dec. 22 I went to get an ultrasound and got started on my progesterone shots! I am pretty happy that I can do these once a week instead of remembering to take something every night! I am also, thankfully, not afraid of shots. The suckers hurt though for a few days after they are given. I can't even feel them as they are given though.
During the ultrasound they were able to find out the gender!! We asked to not know and for them to put it in an envelope. Randy was working and I didn't want to find out without him. I did that with Eli and knew for about a week before I could tell him due to him being in the military and away. I wanted us to find out together. I love the idea of cake reveals and have seen many lately. I decided to give the envelope to our neighbor and had her make a cake! So sweet of her and I was so excited to be able to share this experience with her. She came over that evening and we cut the cake!


Yup, we are having a boy!! Eli is thrilled!!!!

16 weeks!

How far along?
16 weeks

Weight gain?
Still not going there but I think it is about the same as last post. Went to a doctor yesterday and they didn't weigh me there.

Maternity Clothes?
Still when I go out I wear them but at home I just wear pj's and sweats.

Stretch Marks?
Still only the ones from before.

Sleep?
I am still not able to sleep later in the mornings but have been sleeping an extra hour some days! I also still nap almost daily.

Best moment this week?
So many, yesterday we had an ultrasound and got to see our little one. Also last night my dear friend made a cake for our cake reveal and we found out it is a boy!!! I also got put on progesterone shots yesterday. I get these weekly instead of taking the daily stuff. Painful but so relieved that it is only once a week!!!

Food cravings?
If you mention something I crave it. I am usually satisfied once I eat it but I have been craving a little bit of everything.

Gender?
We all found out last night!!! It's a boy!!!!!

Belly button?
Still in.

Movement?
Still feeling it every now and then but a little stronger sometimes when I do feel it! More like popcorn popping instead of the butterflies!

What I miss?
Energy!

What I'm looking forward to?
Shopping for our little one. Now that we know it is a boy we can start planning on a theme and a little shopping!!

14 Weeks

14 weeks

How far along?
14 weeks

Weight gain?
Not going to go there!!!!

Maternity clothes?
Some when I go out. I usually wear sweats or jammies at the house.

Stretch marks?
Only the ones that my other babies gave me. No new ones though.

Sleep?
I'd love some please! Actually I usually go to bed by 10-11 and wake up once to go potty. Although I usually go to bed that late because I going potty all evening! I wake up by 5 usually (not by choice!). I then have to take a nap each day! I love sleep and am tired all the time and would love to sleep all the time but mornings I can't!!

Best moment this week?
Hearing the heartbeat and getting set up with my next appt at a different doctor where we will hopefully find out the sex and get put on progesterone shots instead of this other progesterone I have to take daily!

Food cravings?
Yes! My cravings change from day to day but I am always "hungry"! I always want to eat!!! Most cravings are for the most unhealthy of foods though!

Gender?
Hopefully we will find out at the next appt. Not sure how that visit is going to work though.

Belly button?
Still in.

Movement?
I got some fluttering last week and will feel just some slight movement every now and then but not on a regular basis yet. I can't wait till it is on daily basis!

What I miss?
Energy and being happy go lucky all the time! I am always worried and in a weird mood half the time!

What I'm looking forward to?
Well, what we all look forward to, holding our little one for the first time. I am also looking forward to finding out the sex and start planning the colors and scheme!!

I am so excited to have hit 14 weeks. I am now out of the first trimester and able to do a little more although I am supposed to be still taking it easy!! I am hoping some of this tiredness will let up but if not I'm ok with that. I am not cramping as much and most days feel great! I go in two weeks on the 22nd to a new doctor to get put on weekly progesterone shots and hopefully an ultrasound to find out the gender but not quite sure how this works. I don't know if they will do the ultrasound then or schedule one. I am really hoping it is in two weeks!! I am currently just truly thankful and feel like God has blessed us so much with our new little one!!