The Best Place on Earth?

I can't believe it's already Sunday night. So many fun things happened the last few days and I feel like I need just one more day before I have to go back to work...

Blake and Jack, our newborn twin "nephews", were born on Thursday morning! They are handsome, healthy, and now home! These boys were prayed about for a long long time and it was so exciting to finally get to meet them. Mom & Dad are doing a great job and it's obvious they'll be fantastic parents. The dogs also got to play with Buster & Berkley all weekend so everyone was happy. Congrats to Garrett & Kim!

Me with Jack (left) and Blake (right)

Friday afternoon, Paula and I headed to Ft. Worth to visit Dabney for a much anticipated girls weekend. We had a relaxing dinner at Joe T. Garcia's (where else? Dabs goes there EVERY Friday) and I even met some local celebrities! Well, not really, but in the blogging world they definitely are. During dinner I looked up and said, "Hey, that's Joe & Suz!" While the girls hid themselves behind their drinks and focused on the chips and queso, I got up to go meet this fabulous mom of quadruplets whose blog I've followed for quite sometime. Don't worry, I didn't do anything embarassing like ask for their autographs (give me some credit), but we did have a nice little chat and they were so sweet! Just like I imagined they would be.

Someone apparently thought I'd want a picture of this for proof:

Maybe it is kinda embarassing a picture was taken. Oh well.

Saturday was the day we'd been looking forward to for a LONG time. We got up bright and early and headed to CANTON! I didn't even know what to anticipate. I imagined not even having room in the car to store all our purchases. Worried that I didn't bring enough cash. Would one wagon be enough to cart around our goodies, or did we need another? Was it ok to have 2 corn dogs? Would we have enough time to really see everything in one whole day?

Well.

We thought we were pretty slick when we pulled into the "1st Monday parking lot", scored some $3 nearly front row parking, and it wasn't even that crowded.

For example:


I was a little disappointed right off the bat but didn't want to let that show...we started walking through the different pavillions and were so confused. We couldn't figure out what everyone made such a stink about. We were basically looking at crap (it's true) and it was smelly and a lot of stuff looked used. It was this point I started to get a little UPSET at my friends who had raved and raved about Canton. One even went so far as to call it "THE BEST PLACE ON EARTH!"

There was even some livestock for sale...and although I don't have anything against farm animals, I did not drive all that way to buy any chickens. So we then had to spend some time looking at the map which still didn't help a lick.




We had no clue where we were! And were about to start getting majorly ticked that we wasted an 1.5 hour drive on Junkville, USA.

I finally decided to ask some ladies who looked like old pros where the REAL Canton was. Because surely this wasn't it. Because where we were sucked. They informed us that we needed to move the car and head a couple streets over. We were apparently in knock-off Canton. JERKS!

Imagine our relief when we came upon this shining star...



Ah ha! If only we'd come down this street the first time around.

Once we were finally in the right place it was very obvious. Our first clue was the fabulous smell of corn dogs and kettle corn. Maybe I wouldn't have even cared if it WAS Canton at that point...because who can resist a corn dog?!

We spent the afternoon walking through rows and rows and rows and rows of little shops. Anything you could ever possibly want...home decor, baby stuff, antiques, rustic furniture, quilts, food, more baby stuff, and more more more! I was hoping to score big time on decor for J's room. Unfortunately, none of the vendors got the memo that LITTLE BOYS are sometimes born too and the world wasn't just all about little girls. So frustrating. So unless I wanted to get him a precious fluffy tutu, he was stuck with one little outfit. That's right. I drove all that way, got a baby outfit, a newborn hat, and some cheap knock-off sunglasses.

Hey, at least I got that corn dog!!!!!!

But all in all it was such a fun weekend and I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Just next time, I'd rent a scooter to ride around on. Talk about some swollen feet and sore hips! You'd have thought I ran a marathon. And we were still sore this morning. So pathetic.

I love my girls and can't wait till next year! We'll take the kiddos in slings and they'll sleep peacefully through the entire thing...

...right?

You are God Alone

It's funny how sometimes a song or scripture you've heard a million times before and never thought twice about can suddenly hit a nerve or cause you to smile.

I had a rough day. On the way home, Phillips Craig & Dean came on KSBJ and I was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.

(Baby J probably did too because he was flipping around like a maniac all day...probably saying "hey mom, CALM DOWN!")

You are not a god
Created by human hands
You are not a god
Dependant on any mortal man
You are not a god
In need of anything we can give
By Your plan, that’s just the way it is

You are God alone
From before time began
You were on Your throne
You are God alone
And right now
In the good times and bad
You are on Your throne
You are God alone

You’re the only God
Whose power none can contend
You’re the only God
Whose name and praise will never end
You’re the only God
Who’s worthy of everything we can give
You are God
And that’s just the way it is

This same God is also doing something incredible tomorrow morning...blessing Kim & Garrett with two precious twin boys! We have waited a looong time to meet them and are so excited for our baby boy to have some friends when he arrives!!

Exhausted but Finished!

I don't want to scare anyone, but I think I'm about to go all Extreme Home Makeover on my house. Doing a nursery was so fun and it makes me want to go ahead and do another!

Maybe by tomorrow I will think twice about that statement.

But I was thinking how cute it would be to go ahead and clean out the other extra room and paint it pink and brown! Just in case. Gotta be thinking ahead for #2, right? And if not, it could just be the "pink room". And now I just love the idea of chair rails. I asked Seth if he could put one in all the extra rooms. He looked at me like I'd gone bonkers.

Seth getting started on all the boxes. What a mess. Our house was covered in cardboard, styrofoam, and packing material.
Tucker had a blast helping Dad with everything. I have a feeling he'll be in this room a lot.
Done!

How precious is this???

This is a blank wall for now. But gives you a good look at the paint job. I am SO happy with the way it turned out! It matches perfectly.

Dresser and hutch. I need some decor...

It was hard to get a picture of the entire room because it's so small. And the lighting is bad. But it gives you an idea.

I am so grateful for Seth and all his hard work!!! He was such a good sport this weekend and didn't complain once. I guess we can say he's done his share of "labor" for now. I just wish I could've been a bit more help. But I love it all and am thrilled with the way everything looks!

THANK YOU SETH, WE LOVE YOU!!!

Who Needs A/C?

Uh, I do.

What a fun time of the year for the compressor in my (new) car to go out! For those of you who haven't known me long, I have fantastic luck with vehicles.

My very first car ('95 Pontiac Grand Am. Teal. Ugly.) broke down on the way home from the used car lot. Luckily it just ran out of gas but that is a very traumatic thing to happen to a 16 year old. I think we ended up replacing almost everything under the hood by the time all was said and done.

My second car ('98 Honda Passport) lasted about a year before the timing belt went out. This was after various other problems had been occuring that kept it in the shop around the clock. Thank goodness Paula was dating a handy little mechanic at the time. We also had to jimmy the trunk shut. Duct tape was something I had to keep on hand.

My third car ('02 Ford Focus) had motors break in 2 of the windows so we had to wire them shut. The brakes also had to be replaced, it made lots of funny noises, and then I got in a wreck so it was never the same. Duct tape was also a necessity with this one.

My fourth car was the trusty Civic. We all know and love this car. But it had some issues as well.

If you do the math, you'll realize that I've driven 5 cars in less than 10 years.

I think that's kinda a lot.

If you do more math, you'll realize I've never owned a brand spankin' new car. This is because I think brand new cars are a rip off. Personally, I think it's better to find one that is slightly used with low mileage to avoid the depreciation hit you take when you drive that sucker off the lot.

If you do even MORE math, you're probably thinking, "...but maybe it IS time you tried out the new car thing..."

Maybe you're right. But this '08 Mazda is the closest to new I've ever had. And luckily this was just a minor A/C problem compared to the transmission, alternator, or timing belt!! Luckily I also have a husband who knows cars and can diagnose said problems pretty quickly. Even more luckily, my car is still under the manufacturer's warranty.

Luckily.

Because we all know the last thing you take from a pregnant lady in the heat of summer is her A/C. Or her strawberry limeade from Sonic.

Oops

So my husband corrected me.

It was "The Summer of George" on Seinfield.

I was so close. And so far off.

But The Summer of Mary would be just fiiiine with me too!

The Day of Mary

I hereby call today The Day of Mary. I feel like this is from a movie or TV show. Wasn't there "The Day of Ross" or something on Friends?

Anyway. I finally got to redeem my "free prenatal massage" coupon from Seth. Heck yeah. When I got home I checked around to see if maybe he'd hidden more of those coupons around the house. He probably did, I just haven't found them yet.

I think I could definitely get a massage everyday. Seth assured me that "if I let him be a professional golfer", I could. Folks, I assure you, I'm not the one holding him back!

But it was wonderful and Michael the prenatal massag-ist (masseuse...whatever) is my new BFF. He also had an explanation for all my lower back pain. Supposedly. I told him it bothers me most of the time, pregnant or not. A few minutes into the massage he had an "aha!" moment and explained that my hips were out of alignment. Huh? Do I walk funny? Have I had a gimp hip for 25 years without knowing it? Am I the ONLY one that hasn't known this?

I'm still a little suspicious about his diagnosis. But if you want to feel sorry for me you can. I won't stop you.

After that I got a much needed haircut and definitely look like a hip mama-to-be now. Heck, I could've even thrown a mani/pedi in there (sky's the limit on my own day, right?) but I opted to go buy paint for J's room instead - YEA!

And there is our weekend project.

I love having my own day! Except I just got a phone call that hinted at this possibly turning into someone elses day!! Which is A-OK with me. More about that later...

I Think You Can Rub our Bellies for Good Luck

Hmmm...what do we have here? Can you guess who is who?

Kim: Delivering twins May 28th

Georgia: Due September 19th

Mary: Due October 12th

We had a friendly competition to see who had the biggest baby belly. I still can't decide who won...it was very close.

How fun it is to be pregnant with good friends! I am amazed and in awe of all the new babies that will be born (or have already been) in 2009. I mean, I know this isn't a new phenomenon or anything but it (obviously) hits close to home this year.

Good thing I'll have their babies to practice on, mess up on, drop, etc (KIDDING!!!) so that I will do everything PERFECT for mine! ;)

The Great Escape

Meet our children:

Maggie and Tucker...blameless, innocent, and sweet

Saturday morning we experienced what I like to call "The Great Escape". We were up bright and early (note: this is happening more and more on the weekends...not by choice. This fun thing has been happening to me where I wake up and can't go back to sleep like I used to). Seth had a return to make to Home Depot and left the house by 6:45AM (weirdo) to get started. I let the dogs out and went back to bed.

Seth got home around 7:50. Noticed that no dogs came running...nobody was barking outside...didn't think anything of it. About 10 minutes later he comes and wakes me up asking where the dogs are. I tell him outside. He says, "I don't think so" and proceeds to walk outside and notice the open gate.

It takes him all of 2 seconds to convey to me that the dogs are GONE and it takes me all of 0.5 milliseconds to get out the front door with the car keys before I have to run back inside and put a bra on. Sorry if that's too vulgar for the blog. But really. It wouldn't have been good.

At this point I am hysterical, not knowing if they've been gone for 10 minutes or an hour. And of course I put them outside because I was irritated so I'm thinking, "OMG, the last time I saw them I was mad at them...." and so on.

Please note I still had my glasses on and my nightguard in. Embarassing.

Seth, being the rational one, starts close to home. Me? I head to the main road, petrified that they're already out of the neighborhood and headed for the tollroad. I drove around screaming their names, stopping anyone I saw, praying SO VERY HARD to God to help me find my precious puppies and that He couldn't do this to me NOW, not NOW!!!!!!!!! I was already asking myself if I'd continue to look all night long if they weren't found. How many signs I would put up...why oh why isn't Maggie microchipped?? Oh yeah, did I forget to mention their collars weren't on?

That was a lot of stress for a pregnant lady.

To make a very long story sorta short, our doggies were found. A man I had questioned saw them shortly after I came by his house and walked them over to our street. Saw the open gate, put two and two together, and made sure they were safely home. Seth called me with this news when I was nearly at my breaking point so I sped home to hug and kiss the dogs after giving them a stern lecture to never stray from the premises again!!!

And of course, at about this time, Georgia calls asking if we want donuts. Remember the last time she tried this? Also dog chaos. Maybe God knows right when I truly need a donut and answers some prayers :)

"I'm sorry, Mom, I'll never scare you like that again!!"

Oh p.s. Were you wondering how the gate was opened? Talk to this guy. Clever little brat knows how to open the doors and apparently applied the skills to the fence gate as well. As soon as they were back he ran outside, jumped on the gate, and tried to manuever it open with those paws of his. The backyard is now locked.

Sheesh!

Progress

First, here I am at 19 weeks. I apologize for my weird face. We took this picture about 18 times because shadows, dogs, or bad facial expressions kept getting in the way. Look, I even wore a skirt this time!

We had a busy weekend. Thankfully Seth had lots of energy!! We went and picked up a swivel chair and ottoman from a lady in the Woodlands who gave us a STEAL of a deal. In fact, as soon as we got in the truck I told Seth to floor it because I was afraid she was going to change her mind! It's khaki and in fabulous condition. I'm hoping I don't even have to recover it for the baby room. It was so cute because she had 3 little boys that were all yelling, "Bye chair!!" as we left.

Seth also added a ceiling fan and chair railing in the baby's room. I promised him it would be a quick job. (Luckily it was) It looks so cute and I can't wait to paint the rest of the room! He painted the railing yesterday afternoon and the house stinks. Even with windows open and the fan on. In fact, I think the smell made me kind of giggly yesterday.

Kidding.

But note to self...if you paint something with oil-based paint and shortly after you smell things that indicate the house is about to blow up...don't worry, it's just the paint. I had been warned about this but completely forgot. So when I was doing laundry I thought we definitely had a gas leak because of the stench coming from the dryer. Nope, just the paint. Something about the heat burning/mixing with the oil in the paint? I don't remember. Anyway, it wasn't good.

Here are the pictures of the room:






I've (almost) picked out the colors for the room. As I predicted, it was too hard of a decision for one weekend :)

We had a little more excitement but I'll have to save that for my next post...

Word Vomit

You are going to wonder what in the world goes through my little mind everyday when I'm finished with this post. The thoughts move quickly so I have to make sure to get them all down before I forget.

Sometimes I wonder how I keep up!

About a year ago, we were discussing The Purpose Driven Life in our Sunday school class. Of course this got everyone thinking about God's purpose for their life...were they doing what they were supposed to...were they living life the right way...etc. We went around sharing our thoughts, hopes, dreams...

Cue Mary's word vomit.

Mary: I feel like I just haven't figured out what my purpose in life is. I know it's not to be an accountant. And it's too late to be a celebrity...oh shoot.

Rest of class: Hysterical laughter...looks of awe...whispers of "did she just say what I THINK she said??"

Mary: Well, that's not what I MEANT...

And I have never been thought of the same again. The conversation followed with "Well, what sort of celebrity do you want to be??" and "There's still time...what about American Idol??"

Yeah...folks...not what I meant. Although I'm not sure what I did mean. Maybe I was referring to my childhood dream of being an Olympic gymnast or a Country music singer. And usually if you're not successful in one of those things by the time you're 25, it ain't gonna happen.

HOWEVER.

Today, my dream has been semi-achieved. I am a celebrity! Sorta.

Remember when world-famous author, Marla Taviano and family, came and stayed with us? (yes Marla, I'm buttering you up to be in your next book) She has been blogging about their zoo adventures in Texas and finally got around to discussing their favorite zoo...their favorite host...

ME!

Well, she never said favorite, but I just know these sort of things. I mean, we had Blue Bell ice cream. Which apparently everyone else had offered them as well, but to be fair I probably had the idea FIRST.

So, in a way, I think I might officially be a celebrity now. Maybe I need to set up a twitter account. Or find a bodyguard. Or ditch Babies R Us and start buying my child Gucci and Prada onesies!

Gosh, it is HARD being famous!

Oh what fun. Thanks again Marla for y'alls visit. You know we had fun and we can't wait until next time! Have I mentioned she has a basement??

In other news...

We narrowly averted a major fashion disaster this morning in the Anderle household. My dear sweet husband attempted to wear a black polo with his brown belt and brown dress shoes. I gently explained WHY this was not ok. He didn't understand. Because why would he wear his black shoes with jeans? That would look stupid.

(He changed into a white polo shortly afterward)

I was also nearly sideswiped off the highway on the way to work today. That has been the first time I wished I owned a "Baby on Board" sign. Dabney has been trying to get me one now for weeks and I told her they were out of style. Nobody uses those anymore. But road rage in check, I wanted to drive right up to that crazy lady and hold one up in her face. Alas, no sign. She'll never know. At least my baby is safe!

Oh gosh, I had lots more to say and now I've forgotten everything.

I'm heading to Lowe's in the morning to pick out paint colors for the baby room. This will no doubt consist of pacing, sweating, flagging down strangers and asking their opinions, calling friends in a panic trying to describe colors over the phone, and then wondering if I really truly found the best color or did I ruin my baby boy's life forever??

I'm going to start praying now.

Happy Friday!

I Think My Child is Cramped for Space

Today I told Kim, "I feel like someone is trying to rip open my uterus!"

She replied, "Someone IS!"

Hmmm...good point.

On that same note, when I woke up this morning I felt like I'd either been run over by a train or had climbed a mountain yesterday. Seeing how neither are that likely, I'm thinking J is to blame. My calves were especially sore.

Which brings me to one of my worst fears: Charlie Horses

There's no way I could've had one in both calves without waking up. So perhaps it was just a warning. But talk about wretchd pain. See? This is why I'm concerned about labor.

This is also why Seth is petrified of Mary being in labor.

Anyway.

I better get the TV tonight because I am stoked for the Grey's finale! I can guarantee there will be tears. It's so bittersweet though, all these TV shows coming to a close. It means we have to sit in angst with our unanswered questions ALL SUMMER LONG...

-Will Violet die? (doubtful)
-Why haven't Jack and Renee kissed? You know they want to.
-Will MerDer EVER get married?
-Will Castle be renewed next season (I hope so!)
-Are Robert & Kitty going to reconcile??
-What will be the fate of Wisteria Lane?

And more.

I mentioned the other day that I was going to have to begin the meticulous, agonizing, daunting task of deciding which TV shows to drop when baby comes. If you haven't noticed, I'm slightly addicted to the tube. But this doesn't mean I can't cook, clean, read my book, blog, and play with the dogs at the same time...all the while scratching Seth's head.

My boss looked at me like I was nuts and said, "Are you kidding?! When this kid comes, you'll have nothing else to do BUT watch TV!"

I won't lie. This excited me a little. I got semi-hopeful.

But then I realized I probably don't want to be feeding my firstborn while Eva Longoria-Parker is slutting it up only 10 feet away...or while terrorists are blowing up cities left and right.

Or do I?

Clearly, lots of big decisions to make over the next few months.

You've GOT to be Kidding Me

Please don't tell me the season finale of 24 is going to come down to saving Kim Bauer's life.

Give.me.a.break.

WAHOO!

Next Thursday, May 21st.

You know what we'll be watching!

Everyday Should be Mother's Day!

Today was a very weird day for me. I guess I never really considered that mommies-to-be would get to celebrate Mother's Day also. And it was just kind of surreal...it made our big event in October seem very soon!

(Funny that a holiday would make me feel this way and not the boxes of baby furniture in the garage)

Our furry children woke us up bright and early...Seth got up to keep Tucker occupied (and apparently run to the store) while I slept a little longer. When I finally woke up, Seth suprised me with some beautiful flowers!

He wanted me to know he actually arranged this bouquet "from 2 different packages of flowers". We have quite the artist on our hands here, ladies! He was going to make me breakfast in bed, but due to the mass quantities of queso and pizza consumed last night, I decided breakfast was out and walking the dogs seemed more enjoyable.

Except somebody forgot to tell me about the 196% humidity outside this morning but that's neither here nor there.

Seth, J, Maggie, & Tucker also got me a prenatal massage which I am so excited about! My back and feet will be eternally grateful. Now I just have to figure out when I want to go. Well, the answer really is everyday but I guess I just have to pick one.

We had a nice lunch at Palotta's with Seth's family who got to come in town for the afternoon to celebrate with us. Top that off with a nap and talk about a good day!

Happy Mother's Day to all our mothers, grandmothers, and mothers-to-be!

Operation Backyard Improvement: Phase 85,000

Last weekend while I was in SA, Seth took on the daunting task of laying slate tile on our back patio. We'd added extra concrete awhile back but wanted to finish it off with slate so that something looked halfway decent out there!

He worked all weekend laying the tile and was definitely thanking his lucky stars that it wasn't his full-time job! But he did a GREAT job and it will be so nice to have out there. On Thursday evening, Matt & Garrett came over to help him finish up by grouting the tile. It was a messy job and I was there mainly for moral support (and the pizza provider).

THANK YOU SO MUCH, GUYS!! We are very appreciative of your help. It was nice to finally get it finished up. Now Seth just needs to clean up a little bit out there and seal the tile. Easy as pie.

Seth hard at work

As soon as I walked out with the camera they all groaned and asked me not to post pictures on the blog. They know me so well!

Messy job

The finished product! Just a little dusty.

Miss Maggie is so proud of her new patio!

Thank you Seth for all your hard work! I am lucky to have someone willing to take on these sort of projects...cause Lord knows I have plenty of them!

Phase 85,001? Fixing up the grass...

Big Baby Weekend

We have finally made some progress on the baby front! I was worried at first that everything would take forever...now I'm thinking this nursery might be finished before summer is over and we'll just have to put a baby doll in the crib to pretend!

No, that would be weird.

This morning we went shopping for baby furniture. I had heard it could take a few months to come in so we wanted to get an early start just in case. I am so proud of Seth because we were there for about 2.5 hours and he did not complain ONCE! There were a lot of great selections and being the super decisive people we are (uh...right) it took no time at all.

Or maybe I was pacing around the store in a sick-to-my-stomach tizzy, but whatever.

AND, best part is, they had everything in stock! So we came home with the furniture today!
We got the convertible crib, double dresser (not the one pictured), hutch, nightstand, and mattress in the "Siena" color (think cherry-ish).

Lo and behold, when we got home, there was a package on the doorstep! I thought, "No...it couldn't be..."

But it WAS.

J's bedding came in today also - a week early!


It is so stinkin' cute and I cannot wait until we have the room painted and can assemble the furniture and get everything set up. This is gonna be one stylin' baby boy. Watch out ladies!

Hangin' Tough

As I'm sitting on the couch watching NKOTB perform on the Today Show, I'm realizing that in 2 short months I will be Hangin' Tough with the best of them!

(And a nearly 7 month pregnant belly)

I'm wondering though...do they feel silly at ALL singing these songs? Or does it not matter since they're finally making money again and a new name for themselves?

I'm also upset that I don't have any vintage NKOTB apparel to don for the concert. I wasn't cool enough to own much (any) of this back in the day and I doubt it looks hip to wear a poster around your waist.

And I want to know why they were wearing BRIGHT white shoes with their black outfits. That's a no-no in my opinion.

I'll make sure and cover all this material when I meet them backstage.

17 Weeks

I really try to look nice for these pictures. Unfortunately the only times I remember are right before or after we take the dogs on a walk. Hence the messy hair and same ol' shorts.

Hey, at least it's not my Halloween pj pants!

Apparently the camera does add on a few because my sisters were sorely disappointed this past weekend when they saw me. I guess I still look like a normal person. I will relish in this fact because I know it's only a matter of time before I am waddling around the house.

In fact, as a nice friend told me today, "You better hurry up and work on the nursery because pretty soon you'll be too fat and tired to do it."

Speaking of the nursery, I finally ordered our (baby's) bedding today - YEA! I have been searching for the past month or two, officially driven several friends crazy, and agonized over the room our son won't remember. I am so relieved to have this behind me and just pray I like whatever comes in the mail!

So yes, this means Seth has his plate full. He is being so awesome and enthusiastic (mostly) about getting ready for baby. This past weekend while I was in SA, Seth stayed here to lay slate tile on our back patio. He didn't quite finish but it sounds like it was a back-breaking job...one he said he'll never do again no matter what.

(This is why we will never buy a "fixer-upper")

I would include pictures but I want to wait until he's finished. We still have to grout the tile but it looks great and I'm so excited to have at least one thing that looks nice in the backyard. What about the grass you ask? Yeah, we're not talking about that.

Emily's shower turned out really nice and I had a good time in SA catching up with everyone. I can't say the car ride was a barrel of monkeys though. I told Seth he is now officially my personal chauffer. It was killer on the back! If only we had one of those big conversion vans where I could just travel on the pull-out bed in the back...

...on second thought, maybe not.

My New Best Friend

The snoogle.

This thing is a fantastic invention of our times. No, you don't have to wear stupid looking blue star pajamas to use it, but the name says it all. This pillow has been a life saver! It has all the qualities of snuggling with your husband but doesn't radiate body heat and doesn't move during the night. It also helps support your back and belly and I'm thinking I will need to use this every night even after the baby. Sorry, Sheila you might have to pry it from my snuggling arms and legs!

In a Pickle

What is this, you ask? Disgusting I know.

This is how my husband eats his dill pickles. I just had to document this because who has EVER seen a person eat a pickle ala Tom Hanks with baby corn style in Big??

It's just so weird.

This is the same husband who slept with a dryer sheet on his head last night because he thought he heard a mosquito in the room. I don't know if it worked but I guess OFF has a fiesty competitor now...

And these things just make me love him more!

I am headed to SA sometime today for Emily's wedding shower. Against the better judgment of my husband and the strict advice of my doctor to "be WISE".

No, I will not be wearing a face mask. That would not go with any of my outfits.

How NOT to Avoid Swine Flu

What are Little Boys Made of?

Well, we're about to find out!

Again, taking pictures of these ultrasounds with my camera phone doesn't really do them justice. But meet our baby boy! Let's call him "J". Don't want to reveal the name before it's time...

We received 100% confirmation today that our baby is all about mud, trucks, and dinosaurs. And books of course. And he definitely already loves the dogs. It's amazing the things they can tell you in ultrasounds these days! Technology, sheesh.

Everything is still looking great. I was actually measuring almost a week ahead of schedule which is probably normal. He is already so big - almost 6 oz I think is what she said. About 7 inches long. Which seems really big for a baby I've yet to feel! It's coming though.

Now I have permission to start planning this nursery in full force. Not like I haven't been doing that already. I am currently in the process of convincing my husband why our son needs the CUTEST bedding in the whole wide world. Because we know how much they remember their first bedding. And boys especially will want to pour over the photo albums and show their friends how cute their nurseries were when they were little...

...right?

I'm Such a Teen

There are 2 weeks left in our billing cycle and I've exceeded my text message limit...again.

I thought this only happened to teenagers.

Of course they're probably on the 18 jillion texts a month plan so this never ends up being a problem for most of them. I just love texts for convenience sake. You avoid a long phone conversation and get the quick & dirty answer you're looking for.

Sigh.

So stop texting me and I won't text you? Deal?

This is what it looked like in my neighborhood this morning:

Well, maybe not exactly, but close.

It was one of those mornings where I was so GLAD to have an SUV. Not to dog our precious Civic (may she rest in peace) but there is NO WAY she would've been able to conquer the rushing waters we encountered on the way to work this morning.

Of course that could've worked to my advantage and left me stranded at home. Dang it.

For those of you not in Houston, I promise...it really doesn't rain all the time! It just seems like it.

Schools have closed down, companies have delayed their start times, people are stranded and floating off into the Gulf of Mexico.

(I made the last part up...but I'm sure it's happening)

I'm mostly worried about our poor potted hibiscus plant. We got it Easter weekend and she's had a rough few weeks to say the least. It was finally starting to look healthy again yesterday...until the monsoon came. We brought it in the garage overnight but I have a feeling it's gasping for breath as we speak. Drowning in your own pot...that's gotta be rough. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I don't think the weather we've been having would technically be classified as "tropical".

Hopefully this lets up or else I might be taking our yacht home from work.

You'd Want to Look Good Too...

Tonight when I was in the kitchen...one second I was fine...the next I was doubled over in pain. Pure, gut-wrenching, stabbing pain. It took my breath away and I barely made it to the couch.

Thank you round ligament pains!

Kim is the only person I've heard talk about these...silly me, I thought I'd already been having some ligament pain but not like tonight. It brought me to tears. Which isn't saying a lot but I promise, this was awful. It wrapped around my entire lower abdomen and back...even my right leg was throbbing. It lasted about an hour and finally faded.

This basically means my uterus is growing and the ligaments are stretching and thickening to support it. So I guess it's all for the greater good but MY WORD.

Little Baby A got a talkin' to, don't worry.

There were a few minutes where I was afraid we were going to have to head to the hospital. And you know what my main concern was?

I had just washed my face and taken off all my makeup.

Would I be able to reapply all the makeup and fix my hair before we reached the ER?

Luckily it didn't come to that. But next time I'll know. Just leave the makeup on.

I Need a Drink

This would be the perfect morning for a Bloody Mary.

If I actually drank those.

(And if I wasn't pregnant)

Seth is at the lake for a guy's weekend and the dogs are out of CONTROL. It's like they have this extra sense. The one that says, "Heck yeah! Dad's gone, we can do whatever we want!"

This could also be due to my lack of discipline but that's neither here nor there.

All I wanted to do this morning was sleep in past 6am. 6am is the time in Tucker's internal clock where he's supposed to come over to my side of the bed, lick my face, paw me, etc. So around 6:30 I let both dogs out into the muddy backyard. Fastforward 2 hours where I've been hearing rough housing, growling, barking, running, and the like. I go to let them in and quickly realize that my dogs have been mud wrestling and are nearly unrecognizable.

Between hauling them outside to get them a bath, the dogs freaking out when they realize it's bath time, Georgia showing up with donuts seeing me about to lose my mind, me still wanting to go back to sleep, and my belly feeling really uncomfortable this morning...

...wouldn't I technically deserve that drink??

This is why I'm going to Starbucks. I'm not even putting make up on. And I think I'll go to Barnes & Noble today too. Both things that make me a happier person.

At least when my child wakes up early I won't have to throw him out in the backyard.

15 Weeks and Counting...

Can you believe I am already 15 weeks pregnant??

I had to run to Target today to try and find some clothes. Some of my shirts are getting a little snug and the maternity clothes are still too big (most depressing trip ever...not only are they still big, they are UGLY). So I'm at the awkward fat stage. It stinks. Hopefully in the next month or so my body will commit to some sort of shape so that I can do something besides just wear unbuttoned pants. And I don't understand how there is that dramatic of a difference. I've only gained maybe 3 or 4 pounds...maybe it's just being distributed differently now.

We go back to the doctor on May 1st and are HOPING to see Baby A again. The nausea is mostly gone but I've still been picky with food. And oh my goodness I want soda so bad, but I am trying to restrain myself for the most part and just stick with water. I had to get a pillow for my chair at work because it is so uncomfortable to sit up straight. I almost have to recline. And I've had a lot of lower back pain too. It just keeps on getting better, folks! But I'm not one to complain so.......

:)

We just pray for a healthy pregnancy and a healthy & happy baby! We can't wait until October...it can't get here soon enough!

And We Just Thought We Lived in a Zoo...

Saturday night we were BLESSED to have Gabe, Marla, Olivia, Ava, & Nina stay the night!

Who are these people, you might ask? How do you know them?

Well. We didn't.

You might remember a book giveaway I did a couple of months ago on the blog...From Blushing Bride to Wedded Wife. I loved the book so much that I felt compelled to email the author and let her know how it had impacted our marriage. Lo and behold, she wrote back, and an online friendship began!

Marla is now working on her fifth book called 52 Zoos in 52 Weeks. I didn't even know there were 52 zoos to visit! And surprisingly, as we found out yesterday, there are actually hundreds more zoos than that! Who knew?

So, if you used your context clues, you can probably figure out that their family is traveling to 52 zoos in 52 weeks. The past week or so they have been on their tour of Texas & Oklahoma zoos. All the way from Columbus, Ohio. Instead of finding hotel rooms, they stay with friends, family...maybe even VERY COOL but complete strangers. God has blessed their journey tenfold. They have free tickets to all the zoos...get to meet amazing people along the way...all the while experiencing the breathtaking animals God has created. And I checked...they never get tired of zoos!

So to make a long story short, I had offered our house up when they came to Houston. Obviously, she'd read my blog and knew how much we had to offer (kidding) and that was that.

We had such a FUN time with Marla, Gabe, and the girls! I was worried the girls would be bored since we didn't have any kids or fun toys but that didn't stop anyone. Who knew we had an awesome running track through the living room and hiding places under the coffee table? F-U-N. I was amazed at how well the girls played together...none of the screaming, fighting, and pulling hair that I remember growing up!

After dinner we made some ice cream sundaes and Nina (3 yrs) was especially hilarious...

Nina: I keep bumping into stuff in my ice cream
Marla: Wait, what?
Nina: (Sad face)

Um, folks she was "bumping into" her sprinkles! What a nut!

God has had a hand in each step of their journey and I feel like He definitely had a plan in having us all meet. Marla, we are so thankful we got to meet all of you and can't wait until next time! Because you know I will definitely be coming to Ohio to check out that basement of yours.

Yes, she has a basement. How cool is that??

Me & Marla

Seth, Me, Ava, Nina, & Olivia...with our serious faces

Come see us again soon!

Organized Chaos

Ever since I found out we were pregnant, I went into a panic mode of sorts.

Some of you are smiling knowingly and saying "ah nesting!"

I'm not really sure this is nesting. Like I said, I think it's more of a panic mode. A final countdown of sorts. I have this instinct that I'll never be able to get anything done again after this kid comes. It's not unusual to find me running around thinking, "OMG, only 6 months left to get that greenery to cover the lamp cords!"

My list includes anything from the aforementioned greenery...to a new printer (b/c what if Baby A needs to fax or scan something??)...to getting new soap dispensers for our bathroom (that's what I get for registering for cheap ones at the wedding!)...to finding placemats, armatale serving pieces, curtains, ceiling fans, and more.

(Most of which Seth has veteod. But don't worry, he doesn't understand how important serving pieces will be to our son yet.)

A very important thing on the list was my most dreaded.

Organizing old photos.

Something happened around May of 2006 (perhaps a college graduation?) and my natural instinct to organize pictures must have stayed behind in College Station. I had stacks and stacks and envelopes and more stacks of pictures documenting anything from Bachelorette parties to football games. You name it, I have a picture of it.

(Unfortunately)

So while getting things cleaned up for our visitors tomorrow night (more on this later), I decided, what the heck, let's get those pictures organized! I got a couple photo boxes at Hobby Lobby and went to work. Then, when the entire bedroom floor was covered in pictures, I moved on to Plan B. Which was...try to organize these photos into some sort of timely fashion and just put them in the box.

So I did. I did something so uncharacteristic of me and just started writing labels like "Fall 2004" or "College - Misc" or "Pre-2006" or "More Misc, etc".

And let me tell you folks. It...felt...great!

I realized that 20 years down the road, I wasn't going to care what month and year I ate at Texas Roadhouse with friends...or which Spring Break that was...I'll just think "hey, this was in college." And I'll be happy with that.

And I am so relieved to have this done!!! I thought the day would never come. And thank GOODNESS we're entering the digital age where people hardly even print pictures anymore. Thank goodness for digital scrapbooking, photobooks on Shutterfly, and being able to publish your blog even into a handy dandy bound book. I think it saves us all some of our sanity.

In the meantime, we'll be building our ark here in Spring because the rains are a'comin! The first day of the MS150 was even cancelled because of the weather, which I believe is the first time it's ever happened. We were getting all sorts of email updates today and then by 4pm they flat out cancelled Saturday's ride. And let me tell you...if I was actually getting on the bike this year...I'm not even sure I'd get up to start in La Grange on Sunday morning. So I commend all of you who are still planning to ride!

If you want to show any last minute support, check out Erika or Trisha's blogs to support them in riding for a cure!

All for now.

Cuteness

Is this not stinkin' cute?! I was ordering a baby gift for a friend from Jaime's Etsy Shop and could not RESIST this cute onesie. I know Jaime from SA and she is so very crafty...y'all need to check out the other precious things she makes too! She also threw in an adorable burp cloth to match the outfit.

Baby Anderle's FIRST OUTFIT!

And only outfit...for awhile at least. I am still waiting to buy much for this kid, lest someone should come back and say baby boy is actually a baby girl. But it was kinda fun to get one thing!

Ok two things. But the 2nd is his Halloween costume which I've had for about a year already. Except I looked at it last night and even though it says 0-9 months...I think about 3 newborns could fit into it! Oh well, at least it's a cute picture opportunity! :)

24...3...2...1

This is how I feel right now:


(I am a little excited I figured out how to edit pictures in Paint. Yes, I realize they're probably doing this in 1st grade but I am excited nonetheless)

I am FURIOUS at Tony Almeida! I am so mad I couldn't even calm down to go to bed last night. Seth had to keep reminding me "it's just a TV show" but GOOD GRIEF! I knew Tony had something else up his sleeve but never thought he would still be a full-blown bad guy! I thought he just had some sort of illegal sidejob going on. Unless stealing bio-weapon canisters is a side job. Kids these days. I swear, if we find out the VP is in charge of all of this in one of the last episodes...I'm just going to say I called it.

I think we just have to keep hoping that this is all somehow part of the greater good. But I do know Bill Buchanan would NOT be happy with this. Not at all. Probably not Chloe either but who cares about her.

However, I DO think Jack is onto him. There has been something nagging at the edge of his brain and he hasn't quite been able to wrap his arms around it...but I think we'll see that pretty quickly. Jack will see the light soon enough.

Other thoughts:

-I wanted to slug Kim Bauer if she said "daddy" one more time. For real. Has she EVER called him daddy in the history of the show? Doubt it.

-When is someone going to shoot Olivia Taylor???

-During the beginning of the show I was already beginning to formulate a blog post in my mind about how Agent Moss was FINALLY cool! So it made me even more angry when Tony outed him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-This is by far the best season since season 3. Without a doubt.

There is no way I can wait 6 more episodes to find out the ending. I'm going to have to start checking my websites for spoilers. This is just ridiculous!

Monday Musings

- Is it just me or does that new Hannah Montana movie actually look KINDA good???

- I am the proud owner of NKOTB tickets when they come to The Woods in July!

- Do the above two make me sound 13?

- I think it's about time to break out the belly band. I think I heard my pants snap when I leaned forward this morning...

- It seems like we have something going on every weekend through July. This stresses me out!

- I HAVE SO MANY BOOKS TO READ!

- I am actually starting to enjoy watching golf on TV. What is happening to me??

- We had crunchy tacos last night and I thought they were disgusting...when do I get to start liking Mexican food again??

- Is anyone else so excited for SYTYCD to start?!?!

- I'm a little sad but pretty relieved I won't be heading to Austin on my bike this weekend. Sorry guys. But good luck to Team Anadarko!

Ok, that's all for now :)

The Meaning of Easter

One morning this week during the Focus on the Family segment on KSBJ, they were talking about the meaning of Easter. And I think so many times it gets blown off, misunderstood, or just taken lightly.

I get frustrated when people tend to focus year-round on the DEATH of Christ. They mourn pictures of Him on the cross, weep over his pain, and have a general guilt over His sufferings. While it is critical to remember to sacrifice Christ made for our sins, this is NOT what God wants us to focus on! During the segment they mentioned, "Without the resurrection, Christ's life is meaningless." And that is so true. Everything He came to earth to represent, teach, or rebuke becomes meaningless if we forget that He is alive in all of us. Jesus dying on the cross is not the miracle...but the empty tomb is! I think God wants us to feel the same joy Mary Magdalene felt when she saw that stone rolled away and Christ's body missing!

Today is what we call Maundy Thursday...the day to commerorate Jesus' Last Supper with the Apostles. We remember several significant events including Jesus' washing the disciples feet, the institution of the last supper, the agony of Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, and the ultimate betrayal by Judas Iscariot.

It's funny that tomorrow is considered "Good" Friday considering it is the day to remember the crucifixion of Christ! I think these two important days often get overlooked in the hype of the Easter bunny, egg hunts, and baskets. I can't even imagine how difficult it could be to try and teach your children all these important things about Christ's life when they're running around trying to find the best eggs! And we talked about this last night at Bible study...where in the world did the Easter bunny come from anyway? And eggs?? Why not the Easter chicken?

Anyway :)

I feel like I'm writing this post into a brick wall, but I think that the older I get, the more I realize just how important and SPECIAL this Easter holiday is to all of us. We are so incredibly blessed to have a Savior full of grace, forgiveness, and love no matter what we do or how bad we screw up.

Take time over the next few days to really thank God for his sacrifice. HE IS ALIVE! I hope you can experience the same JOY I do in knowing that, because of what we celebrate this weekend, I have a first-class reservation in Heaven.

Right next to Seth, a Marble Slab, and a Barnes & Noble.

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die"

John 11:25-26

Dancing Queen...and King

We're crossing our fingers that Baby A has moves as good as these!

p.s. And to my family...who does this little boy remind you of???

Wedding? What Wedding?

The day has finally come. Or maybe it's been here and I never realized it. But what people say is true...you just don't remember much about your wedding!

Yeah I remember what I wore...what the wedding party wore...what I ate. But everything else is kinda a blur.

This is why I think people make WAY too big a deal about weddings and getting every last detail perfect and spending horrific amounts of cash for nice invitations.

Because you don't remember it anyway.

And it's the memories you make from there on out that really count. It's not about the G's you drop to make the day perfect...it's about making sure you're standing at the altar with the person God chose for you to live your life with. It's about meaning those vows with your whole heart and not breaking them. It's about beginning a life with your best friend!

And I am so thankful I did.

So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.

Matthew 19:6

Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 3:12-17

Two Times the Fun!

This past Saturday we had a shower to help Kim prepare for Blake and Jackson! It's hard to believe these little boys will be here before we know it. They got tons of cute clothes and toys...it's just a good thing these two won't be spoiled rotten!

Our yummy Lindy's cake

Look at those tiny outfits!Hostesses & Kim

(Me, Tanya, Kim, & Kedra)

Thanks to Kedra for opening her house and to Kim for letting us share in this exciting time!!! We can't wait to meet the boys and I know Baby A can't wait to meet them either!

More Pictures

Some of you want to see these...some of you don't. Gosh, it's hard to please everyone!

There hasn't been a dramatic change yet in the belly department. Still wearing my same clothes. Seth keeps asking when I'm going to start showing so he can talk to the baby. I thought that was cute of him!

I wish it would be noticeable sorta soon though (famous last words, right?). I had a dermatologist appointment today and when I mentioned that I was pregnant the nurse seemed a little doubtful and gave me a strange look. I want people to believe me when we eventually go to register and get furniture!!

So here I am at 12 weeks...


And here I am at 13 weeks...

Is this pregnancy taking forever for all of you or just me???