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!!

The best feeling in the world...

Monday night I was laying in bed about to fall asleep when I felt this little tickle in my lower belly. I just passed it off as my pants were moving since they were big on me. Well, I looked up can you feel the baby move at 13 weeks last night, because reality hit. It couldn't have been my pants. Sure enough I found out that since this is my fourth pregnancy more than likely it was the baby. It felt like it had always felt with the other three just a little lighter. Last night I was laying in bed watching Eli play a game and there it was again only a little stronger. Still light though. I pulled the top of my pants down off the area just a bit to be sure! lol The feeling lasted a couple minutes. After all the craziness in this pregnancy I am thrilled!! It truly is the greatest feeling in the world!!

Decorations of Red on a Green Christmas Tree and "Happy"

Well, Thanksgiving is over and it is time to get prepped for my other favorite holiday! Christmas!!! Who doesn't love the Christmas season?! I love it all! Even the shopping. Trying to get ahead and make life less hectic we put our family tree up last week but didn't decorate it. I bought a tree stand for the fancy tree in the kitchen since our broke a few years ago but it would fit/work so I just fit it as best I could. It is wobbly and leans a little but still so pretty. On Saturday and all day Sunday we worked on getting this house decorated. I decided to go all out this year since we haven't for several years. We got most of the decorating done but still have a few things to go. I took today off though and will finish tomorrow. I can't wait till it is all finished and looks gorgeous!!!

Hanni with the tree before they decorated it!

Our fancy but crooked tree!

Hanni with her bedroom tree!

Eli with the bedroom tree!

We also received a visitor last night! Happy the elf came down from the North pole. I hid the elf and read the book. The then looked to see if he got here yet. The found him and named him Happy. I haven't seen Eli smile this much in a long time. He loves Happy!! Last night while we all slept he decided to toilet paper our Christmas tree!!

Our mischievous little elf!

I am so thankful for the kids for helping so much with the decorations since Randy was busy with schoolwork this weekend. The did all of the harder work that I can't do for me so it will be great this year!! Thank you kiddos!!!!

I love Thanksgiving week!

I am seriously in love with Thanksgiving and the whole week leading up to it and the days after! I love all the prep in the kitchen the days before. Our menu was big this year (it usually is). I made my sweet potato casserole and I usually just make plain sweet potato casserole but to me it is just there for tradition. That marshmallow topped dish is pretty and traditional but it usually is the last leftover in the fridge and we just eat it on Thanksgiving because we are supposed to. This year though I put cranberries in it!! I soaked the cranberries in brandy and apple juice for a few hours before so. They were incredible!!!! But this post isn't about the sweet potatoes, it is about my love for all things this time of year! I love the big grocery trip for all the Thanksgiving foods. I love the prep work in the kitchen for two days before Thanksgiving. We do the sides on Tuesday and the pies on Wednesday. I love having to order pizza on Wednesday night because nobody feels like doing much till Thursday morning and because there really isn't any room to do anything! I love all of that! I also love waking up Thursday morning and getting the turkey ready, kinda racing to get the turkey in before the parade starts!! This year was a success!
I love the smells of the turkey cooking!

This year we had 6 pies and a cheesecake!

Ridiculous but so good!!
I also love the movies on the day after Thanksgiving! This year I taught my son about all those wonderful movies and just to curl up and relax and watch movies. He loved it!! There is always something nice about the day of rest after all that fun work though. We skipped Black Friday this year so I can take it easy. Ha! I try, I really do. My goal is to always get my tree decorated on Friday but it usually gets done on Saturday.
This year wasn't much different. Yesterday, the kids and I worked our little tails off to get the trees up and all the decorations up. We still have one tree to decorate and the indoor decorations to finish. Maryjo did the outside lights which are awesome!! Thank you, Maryjo!!! Like I said this is one of my favorite weeks of the year! I love the time leading up to Christmas! I love the family time! I love the food! I just love it all!! I hope everyone is having a wonderful blessed Thanksgiving week and weekend!!!

Pecan cream cheese pie

I am done! Well, until tomorrow morning at least. The sides are done, the pies are done, and the turkey is waiting to be prepared in the morning!! I will make the stuffing in the morning also! I love Thanksgiving and these pies sitting on the counter are a horrible temptation. Mom already asked if since we get one present on Christmas Eve couldn't we have one slice of pie on Thanksgiving Eve? Ha! Umm, that would be a big FAT NO!! I am so mean! lol

The pecan cream cheese pie I have been making for several years now. I got the original recipe from Paula Deen but have found a recipe that I like even better and started making that one a couple years ago. It is the funniest pie in the house. Everyone has always said it is not their favorite but I think that is because it is not the typical pecan, pumpkin, or apple pie. It is always the first one gone. Yeah right it isn't their favorite! They have been found out! For the past two years I have made two of these each Thanksgiving and they are both gone before the others are! Now everyone admits how great it is!! Maybe it was the recipe change though.

I got this recipe from my Some Like it South cookbook. The only change I make is I add a little more vanilla to both layers. I am obsessed with vanilla. Evidently Hanni is too because she helped make it today and poured alot more than I ever had! It will be great though!

If you like cheese cake and you like pecan pie this is the perfect pie!!

Pecan Cream Cheese Pie
1 9-inch deep-dish pastry shell
3 ounces finely chopped pecans
1 8-ounce package softened cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla (I put 2 1/2 to 3, like I said, I love vanilla!)

3 eggs
3/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tbsp. sugar
1tsp vanilla (I use 2 tsp.)

Preheat oven 375. Bake pastry shell for 10 minutes and then cool.

In a food processor, using steel blade, chop pecans (I use and knife and cutting board). Set aside pecans. Process the cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, 1 egg, and vanilla with steel blade until smooth (I use a mixer and mix it. It doesn't get as smooth but I don't have time to mess with the processor over Thanksgiving. The mixer works fine for me).
In another mixing bowl beat 3 eggs, corn syrup, 2 tbsp. sugar, and vanilla until well mixed (I use the wisk).

Pour cream cheese mixture into pastry shell, spread evenly. Sprinkle with pecans. Stir corn syrup mix again and carefully pour through a fork over pecans. This makes for a smoother pour and keeps it all from shifting, esp. the pecans. Bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes or until set. Serve chilled and enjoy!!!