Bread making with the big girls!

Both my big girls have shown interest in making homemade bread and things from a rising dough (pretzels, bagels, cinnamon rolls). I told them to both make a basic white bread first and then move on from that. I asked if they would like to try a new bread each week and they both seemed to like the idea. We will start next week with a basic white bread and then move on to other things. Since bread making tends to take a little while they will work on different days. Gracie is extremely enthusiastic about the whole thing. This week we will be making a sourdough starter and even an Amish friendship bread starter (which Gracie wants to start). Watch out friends and neighbors because if we can keep it alive you will probably be getting some. I have always enjoyed making bread and I think both girls will like it also! It is always nice to come home to fresh bread baking! I used to bake bread every other day and Randy loved coming home to the smell! Now I don't make it as much but still love the process and can't wait for my girls to have that same experience!!

Our anniversary!

Randy and I have been married for nine years! Some days it doesn't seem that long (time flies when your having fun). Other days it feels like we have been together for 50 years (we are still having fun though :)! Our anniversary isn't a day we usually make a big deal out of. Every day is a day to show our love to one another and we don't really need a calendar to remind us of that. Most years we do go out to eat, which is a treat from my parents. This year was a little different though. I loved what my family did! They got us a pressure canner and a few books on canning. Randy and I have fallen in love with preserving seasonal foods so that was the perfect thing for us! Especially this time of year! My plans for our anniversary were to stay in, have our usual Friday night pizza night, and look through our new books. Ha! At 4:30 Randy called me and asked if he had some nice slacks and a nice shirt clean for his ceremony that night. How could I have forgotten when we were just talking about it the day before and I convinced him to go AND that I would be there for it!? He was inducted into the National Honor Society Friday night! I rushed to get ready because we were supposed to be there by 6. He got home about 5:45 and also rushed to get out the door. Fortunately it didn't start till 7 but we were a little late. It was a nice ceremony and fairly short but I had only had the kiddos order a couple pizzas and was afraid they would be gone by the time we got home so we went out to eat anyway. We went to Bojangles! Yes, fast food for our anniversary, we know how to party! We then came straight home and got ready for bed. Yup, really party animals! Bed by 9:30! It was a perfect day though and we both enjoyed ourselves and each others company very much. I am so proud of my husband and all his accomplishments!!

32 1/2 weeks

How far along?
32 1/2 weeks

Weight gain?
Ha!

Maternity clothes?
Yes!

Stretch marks?
No new ones, just the ones from the other kiddos which I notice more now.

Sleep?
Some nights I sleep great and others not at all. Always get up during the night a few times to potty and napping is getting harder since I can't get comfortable.

Best moment this week?
Finding out even though the baby boy is little and still has a little tummy it is growing and things look great! Praise God!!!! We have been watching cord flow and weight for a few weeks now but all looks good!

Food cravings?
Really the only craving is those ice cream drum sticks. I am craving Chick-fil-a a little but as long as I have food I am happy! I always seem to be eating something or looking for something to eat!!

Gender?
Boy

Belly Button?
It is almost flat now! Randy says when I pops out I am done cooking! lol

Movement?
He has his moments of scaring me because I don't feel him for a while and then he just has a ball in there! He is moving more but not kicking as much. I think space is starting to get a little tight in there.

What I miss?
Energy, sleep, being able to do as much without wearing down and needing to take a rest! Being comfortable all the time! Not having indigestion from just looking at food!

What I'm looking forward to?
I think the whole family is looking forward to holding this little boy! Hanni has even cried over wanting him now! I told her to wait just a few more weeks!




It is a pretty bad pic but it is me at 32 weeks! At least I have a pic to remember what I looked like! lol

Spring Break

Our spring break has been great!! The big girls got to go to the beach with our neighbor from Sun.-Wed. and they had a blast! While the big kiddos were gone the littles and I decided we were going to have some fun too and have somewhat of a staycation. We did do some work, but we had fun too.



These pictures were after our hard morning of work Monday morning. We took a huge pile of branches and some logs out of the front yard. Randy cut down a few trees there and we put fruit trees instead but to put the fruit trees in we had to clear out the cut trees. The kids and I had a lot of fun doing the work though.

Hanni has played a lot of dress up this past week! She even included her's and Gracie's stuffed animals!
On Monday afternoon, after we finished our tree removal, we went to Chick-fil-a and got food to bring home. We really worked up and appetite and I was too tired to eat in so we brought food home to mom and daddy. We got banana pudding milkshakes as a treat and what a great treat it was. Then the kids and I curled up for a rest time. Hanni ended up going to her room for more dress up while Eli watched a movie and I slept a little.
Monday afternoon we went to Lowes, the flower place, and to get some strawberries. The kiddos helped me pick out some flowers for the yard and a couple pots on the porch and at Lowes we got soil and a blue light bulb for the front porch so we could light the house blue for Autism Awareness. We all really had a great time!
Monday night Randy got into the house work, planted one of our trees and taught Eli how to take bark off logs. On Tues. he mentioned that he wants to learn to whittle wood so I guess I have to do research. I know it is a soothing activity so it may be right up his alley!

On Tuesday and Wednesday we had laid back days. My dear friend Amber came over on Tuesday and it was so good to catch up. She has been planning her wedding so we haven't seen each other as much. I am looking forward to summer when we can see alot of each other!
It was just so nice to have some down time in the beginning of the week.
Wed. night the girls came home and boy were they excited and had so many stories to share.
Thursday I had two doctors appts. They both went well and they are watching the baby for cord flow which has a little resistance but hasn't changed so that is actually good. If it changes and gets more resistance they have to watch even closer but so far so good!!! Praying it keeps going good! The baby gets another weight check next week. I can't believe I have less than ten weeks left!
Yesterday, Gracie and I went out for some secret missions.

It was so nice to get out with just Gracie and we had so much fun! We got Easter stuff and today she is going to assist in egg decorating! So proud of the young lady she is becoming!!!
We came home to a big play day for all the kiddos (and came home to this little diva).

Our neighbor dressed her up like a rock star! We have had such a great week and I am looking forward to the weekend! Egg dying, egg hunts, the bunny comes and lots of garden work!! What a fun spring!!!