Baby Shower Numero Dos

This baby shower business seriously wears me out. I know you feel so sorry for me. But really...drinking that punch, opening those gifts, eating that cake...it really does a number on ya!

On Saturday we had another baby shower, this time thrown by some of our good friends in Houston. Kim, Georgia, Jessie, & Andrea (who sadly couldn't be there since she's in the process of moving back from KS) did a FABULOUS job and completely blew me away. I knew they had been working hard but had no idea what to expect. We had wonderful food, great punch, fantastic cake, beautiful decorations, etc etc ETC. This sounds very pregnant-woman of me, but I could not stop crying* when we got in bed last night because I was SO overwhelmed and just feel so incredibly blessed to have such good friends who would do such a nice thing for us!

*Also most likely due to raging pregnancy hormones

So enough sap. Thank you SO MUCH girls for all your hard work! I had a great time!

(Again, these pictures might be a little out of order and I'm now getting too lazy to fix them)

Me & the hostesses (minus Andrea...boo). Kim, Me, Jessie, & Georgia

Me & Jake's grandmas

Opening the beautiful frame from the hostesses. We'd seen this in the store awhile back but I knew Seth would never go for it. They went behind my back and got it for me anyway! I was SO shocked and excited!

I love the beautiful facial expressions the camera captures when I'm opening gifts. I either look happy, high, sleepy, or confused.
Jake is definitely set on burp cloths after this weekend!

Precious precious outfit!

Ready to open gifts!

CUTE diaper cake (with block letters courtesy of Kedra - THANK YOU!!!)

Yummy cake and cupcakes! Thank you RJ Goodies! :)

Georgia made a cute wreath that we can use on the hospital room door when Jake is born. Seth isn't thrilled about the feathers but we told him he's not allowed to have an opinion on that one.

All in all, a wonderful weekend! I know I said it before, but this child is going to be spoiled!

Sneak Peek

Today I had a last minute, unexpected sneak peek at our little boy! Boy, was I shocked. The last time we saw him, I think he was less than a pound and his entire body fit on the ultrasound screen. That's not the case anymore!!

There were 3 slight problems though...

-He had hair...but only on the back of his head. Maybe they don't discuss the fashion faux pas a mullet presents while in the womb...? We'll take care of that...don't worry.
-His eyes were very squinty (probably takes after his mama)
-His lips were the size of Angelina Jolie's

See for yourself:

Baby boy didn't want to cooperate so his arm/hand stayed in front of his face the entire time. But you can sorta see those big lips and nose. So cute :)

And the biggest shocker for me? This sucker is weighing in at 3 lbs, 15 oz! That's almost 4 lbs if you think about it. No wonder I have been in pain! According to the charts, the babies weight should double from 30 weeks to delivery. I am 31 weeks, 3 days today so we're looking at a 7 lb baby I guess?? Let's hope there isn't a huge growth spurt in a month that leaves me to push out a 10 pounder. :)

Because not even my doctor would want to be in the delivery room for that.

In other news...this is how I found my parking situation when I left today at lunch.



Seriously big truck? That's not funny. Pregnant Mary cannot squeeze through small spaces like that!!!!! I guess that's what passenger doors are for.

Baby Shower Numero Uno

Blogger is being a bit of a brat today and won't let me move around my pictures. So you'll see them a little out of order.


No, this is NOT from the shower but I had to show my spoiled dog. Is he allowed on the couch? No. But I came in the room and he was all curled up like he was entitled to that cushion. And notice the remote control? What in the world? I really think my dogs watch TV during the day without our knowledge. They're probably big fans of Ellen.

Ok, back on track.

Yesterday, Seth's aunts threw us a wonderful shower in Schulenburg! It was so fun to have the first baby shower and really puts things in perspective. As in...yes, this child is coming soon! We had a really good time and are so grateful and blessed for all the wonderful gifts we were given! Jake is going to be one lucky (and spoiled) kid. Although I don't know how much he'll appreciate things like a bottle drying rack at first...but later he'll be so thankful.

It was funny to hear the moms/grandmas discuss the "newfangled" baby things they have nowadays. Everyone went crazy when I opened the wipe warmer...nobody really knew what the boppy was...and I heard more than one person brag about their cloth diapering abilities.

This is where I will stop one second and PRAISE THE LORD for Pampers, Huggies, Luvs, and anyone else out there. I prefer to throw away things dirtied by bodily waste instead of washing and re-using. :)

Anyway. On with the pictures. Thank you so much Wanda, Cynthia, Claudelle, & Kathleen!!! The shower was wonderful and more than we ever could have expected!

Rachel got to learn all about baby stuff. Opening a precious outfit from my Nanny.

Mom & Aunt Sally

Yummy cake!! It was super cute.

Me with our moms ("Nonnie" and "Nana")

Me & Seth's grandmas. Jake is going to have lots of great-grandparents!! 7 to be exact.

Cynthia, Wanda, Me, Claudelle, & Kathleen (hostesses)

I love hate to include 2 dog pictures in one post...especially one centered around babies...but I thought this was funny too. They have the whole yard to lay around in. And they choose to practically lay on top of each other. They look a little wistful...thoughtful perhaps?

31 Weeks and Draggin'

Phew.

It continues to amaze me how the simplest things completely wear me out.

We had our first baby shower yesterday in Schulenburg with Seth's family & friends! We had such a good time and were overwhelmed by all the wonderful things people brought for Jake! WOW.

I'll post picture soon. But for now I'm still trying to recover. I woke up this morning feeling like I'd 1) run a marathon yesterday 2) had a cold and 3) was run over by a truck. Simply ridiculous what a weekend away and a car ride can do to you at this point. Because now I'm almost 8 months pregnant. WHAT?!

Always, Sometimes, Never

Jessie did this on her blog and I thought it was fun. So naturally I had to take a stab at it.

I ALWAYS:

-buy Blue Bell ice cream
-check my email first thing in the morning
-check the bank account right after my email :)
-tell my husband that I love him
-get buyer's remorse...even if it's just groceries
-love to read books
-sing along with the radio. Jake gets some quality entertainment in the womb!
-shower in the morning
-plan ahead
-wait to pack until the last minute. Something about the pressure makes me pack more efficiently. (but this doesn't mean I haven't already made a packing list)
-wish I had more time
-am thankful for my fantastic friends!
-let the dogs lick my plate
-wish I could be on vacation

I SOMETIMES:

-don't put all the dishes in the dishwasher before bed (note: this is only a side-effect of pregnant Mary)
-get irritated when people don't respond quickly to emails
-feel super guilty if the dogs don't get a walk
-become grumpy when I'm hungry
-put things on a list that I've already done just so I can cross them off
-wish I lived in the mountains
-leave unfolded laundry in our guest bedroom for several days (or until the next wknd when I do laundry again)
-wish I'd chosen a different career (wait, who are we kidding...this is an "always"!)
-hate when plans change last minute
-take things for granted
-wish I could eat cereal for dinner every night

I NEVER:

-let a day go by without checking our mailbox
-enjoy staying up really late
-go the speed limit (please don't report me...I know I need to work on this!)
-like to go back to work on Mondays
-dreamed of being an accountant (still don't)
-enjoy cleaning the bathroom
-like confrontation (unless you work for Comcast/AT&T)
-miss an episode of SYTYCD (GO JEANINE!)
-leave any food on my plate
-pass up an opportunity for a DQ Blizzard
-want to deal with death
-want to be stranded in a foreign country where I don't know the language (weird fear)

Your turn!

The Stuff Dreams are Made Of...

Folks, I kid you not. The cafeteria downstairs is serving "Southern Classic Fried Chicken & Waffles. Choice of white or dark meat served over a Buttermilk Waffle with powdered sugar"


Um, excuse me?

After extensive googling, I discovered this is actually a quite popular meal. Who knew? I just assumed a crazy pregnant woman made it up because of a weird craving!

...But for those of you wondering, I just went with the turkey sandwich. :)

Feels Like I'm Born Again

Love, love, LOVE this new song by Third Day!

30 Weeks

I've said it every other baby post and I'll say it again. 30 Weeks?? Crazy!

Third trimester exhaustion has finally hit. At least I am still sleeping wonderfully at night but during the day I feel spent. A day without some sort of nap is one of the world's great injustices. This is also a problem because there are still 2 closets I've yet to organize... :)

But other than that pesky heartburn and my lack of energy, I feel good! I think I speak for all of us when I say I'm ready to say ADIOS to the summer heat.

Jake is approx 3 lbs right now and probably about 16-17 inches long. As a result, I feel even more large and in charge! So here we are at 7.5 months:


We had such a nice day on Saturday because we did NOTHING. Seth kept asking what I needed him to do. When I said "nothing" he would look at me a little strangely...ask again...ask if I was sure...ask me what was wrong...ask what I was hiding from him. That made me feel a little guilty! I finally got through to him that I didn't want to do ANYTHING but be lazy on the couch. And take naps of course.

Jake also got to take his first mini-trip to Lake Conroe on Sunday where we spent a few hours on the water. It was too bad we had to go back to work today. Life just isn't fair.

Since Nobody Thought the Last Video was Funny...

...I promise this one will make you giggle!

Let the Fun Begin...

We have an extra 4 legs staying with us this weekend...Georgia dog is one of our favorite nieces! And Tucker is, of course, in hog heaven. These two have been nonstop. I honestly don't know how they do it. It's exhausting just watching them!! Yesterday while I was eating lunch, I put the two of them outside.

Note: Maggie gets highly annoyed with other female dogs and keeps her distance.

When I went to let them in, this is what I found:
Please note that his front two legs are normally white. And yes, that is mud in his nose and eyes.

Maggie and I just stared at them from the other side of the door. Neither of us wanted to dirty up our clean selves to deal with this mess!!

Oh young love...

Sorry Paula & Ben. I don't think she misses y'all AT ALL. :)

Yep, Still Got It

You might remember this post where I discussed my greatest achievement to date.

Becoming a regular at Starbucks.

You know you're jealous of the people who have "the usual" or get a "Hey Jack!" when they walk into a restaurant.

Well, be jealous because that person is also ME!

I don't think I've been to my Kroger Starbucks in many many moons...probably not since February. All due to a small little thing called morning sickness. But once I got over that I think I just forgot how good caramel macchiatos really were. Sure, I've had the occasional drink but always at other locations.

So I promise there's a point to this.

I decided to go by this morning and who was working, but my favorite barista. Thinking she surely had forgotten me, I ordered my drink. She looked up and said, "ooh you're changing it up today??"

That's when I knew I'd left my mark. The "half-decaf" apparently threw her off. Then we had a little chat about my due date and babies and hot summers and off I went.

Yes folks, I'm living the high life.

I wonder how many times I have to go before they'll just let me cut in line. Or have my drink ready as I walk in the door...

Maybe I will get a "Send Mary to Starbucks" blinkie for the side of my blog where people can click to donate. That way I can really put 100% effort into this little experiment.

Hilarious

Maybe this kid is getting to me, but I find certain things hysterical nowadays. Like this commercial. I laugh out loud everytime I see it. I also keep asking Seth what he'd think if I told him I was from the future. For some reason this cracks me up. I'm pretty sure he's thisclose to having me committed.

Happy Wednesday :)

Faith & Prayer

For those of you wondering what in the world is going on with Baby Noah...check out his story here!

What a wonderful testimony to God's unfailing love for us. He is our Great Protector and Healer. Please continue to pray that Noah stays comfortable, with a normal heartbeat, in his mama's belly as long as possible. Well, not past December that is :)

Do you know how much I'd love for there to be a bench seat in my fridge right now??

I cannot cool down.

I think we're almost at the point where my husband thinks I'm a psycho. It's very Father of the Bride: Part 2 in our household. You know the scene...Nina & Annie are laying around the house dying of heat...and poor George Banks is in his winter coat and gloves. The other day I walked in the house to find the thermostat on 77.

Excuse me??

Maybe 2 months ago this would've been ok. But I can assure you it's most certainly NOT an acceptable temperature anymore. I feel like all the fans are on full-blast...and clothes make it all the more unbearable.

All the while, Seth is laying on the couch with a blanket and pj pants.

You know how much I'd love to wake up to some snow-capped mountains??

Also, if you happen to be in the frozen food aisle at the grocery (shopping, not cooling off) and you think the new Weight Watchers meals look appealing because of their new box designs...don't be fooled. They're still bland microwaved meals. I was blindsided by their new turkey cutlets with potatoes and some sort of apple, cranberry, butternut squash medley. Like Thanksgiving in a box, right?

Wrong.

Good thing I bring about 5 additional sides to lunch or else I'd be up a creek.

Wedding Sneak Peek

Click here to see Brittany's sneak peek of pictures from my sister's wedding last month. She did a wonderful job and Emily looked beautiful!

Saying "I Do" the Right Way!

I know you've probably all seen this by now, but just in case.

I'm not quite sure my wedding party would've been this cooperative. I could be wrong. Maybe Seth & I can renew our vows one day, complete with a choreographed dance.

It's Not Fair!

I loved the Proverbs 31 Devotional I received today. Because how many times in life do we say, "It's NOT fair!"?? I am so guilty of this.

-It's not fair that life isn't always easy
-It's not fair that things don't always go my way
-It's not fair that God may have a different plan for me (and He won't tell me what is is yet!)
-It's not fair that everything always seems to work out for him/her
-It's not fair that ___________.

And on and on and on and on!

Hello, my name is Mary. Welcome to my pity party!

It's mostly rooted in selfish human desires. And my inability to sometimes comprehend God's deep love for me. God has a plan for each of us that sometimes takes just sitting back and letting what we think "isn't fair" happen in order to reveal His much greater purpose. And when you think of it that way, I'm a little relieved He's in charge of my life...not me. Because that would be a train wreck!

So think about what Lysa has to say today...

Temptation

23 Jul 2009

Lysa TerKeurst

"The mouth of the righteous man utters wisdom, and his tongue speaks what is just. The law of God is on his heart; his feet do not slip." Psalm 37:30-31 (NIV)

I think I've discovered one of the biggest tricks Satan plays on us girls to get us to give into temptation.

"It's not fair." It's not fair that others seem permitted to have this, do this, act this way.

It's not fair that God won't let us eat of the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden... one little bite wouldn't be so bad, right?

It's not fair I can't buy that new thing I really want... just a little debt wouldn't be so bad, right?

It's not fair that I have this body that I have to watch everything I eat when that girl eats junk and stays a size 4... one piece of cheesecake wouldn't be so bad, right?

It's not fair that we can't have sex before we're married when we're so in love... experimenting one time wouldn't be so bad, right?

Our flesh buys right into Satan's lie that it's not fair for things to be withheld from us. So we bite into the forbidden fruit and allow Satan to write 'shame' across our heart. Once you taste the forbidden fruit, you will crave it worse than you craved it before, giving temptation more and more power. And given enough power, temptation will start to consume our thoughts, redirect our actions, and demand our worship. Temptation doesn't take kindly to be starved.

I don't know what tempts you today. But, I do personally know this vicious cycle and I'm here to give you hope it is possible to get past it. Just typing that sentence gives me chills. Just a couple of months ago, I wondered if that would ever be true for me.

I've been on a very strict eating plan since April. Part of this plan is no sugar. Which doesn't sound so bad until you realize sugar is in just about everything we enjoy eating. Breads, pasta, potatoes, rice and not to mention all things bakery-licious.

It has been challenging at times that's for sure. But while I was on vacation recently and watching others enjoys an abundance of treats, I started to have a little pity party and those words crept into my brain: "It's not fair." In that instant, I squirmed in my chair and thought, "I'll just take one little bite... maybe two... I've been so good... this is vacation... everyone else is indulging ... OH MY STARS WHAT ARE YOU DOING LYSA!"

In that moment of extreme temptation, I realized me having a pity party was a clue I was relying on my own strength… a strength that has failed me before and would fail me again. I had to grab hold of God's strength and the only way to do that was to invite His power into my situation. I mentally gave God control of the situation by reciting truths I'd been banking up in my heart. "I'm more than a conqueror." "Lead us not into temptation but DELIVER us from the evil one." "The law of God is in his heart; his feet do not slip."

Soon, it was time to get up from the dinner table and walk back to our room. And I've never felt so empowered in my life. Had I said yes that first night of our vacation, there would have been more compromises in future meals. Compromise built upon compromise equals failure. Instead, resisting temptation allowed promise upon promise to be built up in my heart, which equals Holy Spirit empowerment!

Like I said, I don't know what you might be struggling with today but I can assure you God is fair and just. There is a reason we must face this. The struggle may be painful in the moment but it is working out something magnificent within us. As James 1 promises, "This testing of your faith develops perseverance and perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature, complete, not lacking anything."

Oh sweet sister, that is the cry of my soul. My taste buds lie as they make empty claims to satisfy me. Only persevering with God will make me truly full, complete, not lacking anything. Press on sister. Press on.

Dear Lord, help me to see my sacrifice in light of Your truth. The truth is, this sacrifice is a necessary part of me seeking You - the only true fulfillment and satisfaction of my body, mind and soul. Give me strength, Lord. Remind me to rely on Your truth and Your Spirit to empower me moment by moment. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

A Wednesday Funny

Bare Necessities

So I realize there are several things I've been meaning to discuss that have somehow been moved to the backburner.

1) WD-40

Have we ever discussed how FABULOUS this product is?? According to their website, it has more than 2,000 uses! Silly me, I thought it only fixed squeaky doors. Did you know it can remove gum, sticker, and crayon marks? It can also remove nailpolish, grime, clean piano keys, and remove those stubborn temporary tatoos! Did you know they make a handy WD-40 travel stick (similar to the Tide stick...another wonder)???

Simply amazing.

This weekend I had Seth get out our trusty ol' friend because the squeak on the pantry door was driving me nuts. After I saw how quickly it worked, I jumped up and started opening and closing all the doors/cabinets in the house. What a fun game!!! Should I mention it was Friday night and we were oiling the doors? How embarassing. But satisfying all the same. Except now we can't hear when Tucker opens the pantry door. Because as I've mentioned, the pantry is his second home.

2) Liam Neeson v. Jack Bauer

We finally watched Taken this weekend. My sister and boss have been bugging me for months about this movie. Now I know why.

Liam Neeson makes Jack Bauer look like a pansy. There's just no other way to say it. Let's just say that if I'm ever kidnapped...I hope he's the one they send looking for me!!

3) Espresso

I've always wondered why I can't find bags of espresso in the coffee aisle at HEB. I just thought it was too high-class to be sitting on a grocery shelf. Little did I know that espresso is simply finely-ground coffee! Or, according to Wikipedia, espresso is a concentrated coffee beverage brewed by forcing hot water under pressure through finely ground coffee. Amazing.

No wonder my caramel macchiatos cost an arm & a leg. Another reason why I need an espresso machine at home. And now I'll save tons of money because I can just buy coffee beans instead of continuing on my quest for bagged espresso.

Thank you Cathy for enlightening me!

(Don't worry Seth...the espresso machine is last on my list right now. But maybe one day???)

4) So You Think You Can Dance

Goodness. They just keep getting better. I love Jeanine! She is a gorgeous dancer. But I love Kayla too. And sweet Randi just had the sweetest smile so we were sad to see her go. But I definitely think Brandon and Ade are our 2 top guys and J&K are the top 2 girls. Although they're all so stinkin' good it really doesn't matter at this point. Let's all just high-five to the fact that Kupono and his homeless man wardrobe are gone gone gone!

Is it too much to take Jake to a NKOTB concert and the SYTYCD tour all in the same year?

5) Pedicures. The good kind.

As most of you ladies know, you can't have a good pedicure without some quality scraping. Unfortunately, most nail salons out there have ceased using the aforementioned scraping technique because of sanitary reasons. Instead, they have resorted to simply scrubbing your foot, which, we all know works like crap.

Imagine my DELIGHT when Cathy took me to French Nails in downtown Houston (well, what I consider downtown at least. Really more like I10 and the Beltway.) Not only did they have the water hot and ready for my dainty toes (too often they try to pass lukewarm as acceptable at these places) but they most definitely used the foot scraper!!!

I don't care if they're sanitary or not. They get the job done. I even think I might consider driving that far more often if I can ensure my feet are as soft as they are today. Worth the extra $2 I added on the tip. Why can't more nail people use them as an example? Break the health code, I don't care!!!

Whew. That was a lot in a little amount of time. NOW we're officially caught up.

7 Months

Really?? SEVEN MONTHS?! This. is. insane.

Want me to help you put it in perspective?

Our child will be here in 9-12 weeks. That's about 85 days. Or about 4,000 consecutive episodes of Saved by the Bell. Or two 6-week report cards in school.

I could go on, but these calculations are making my head hurt.

So here I am. I'm always shocked when I look at these pictures. Because I really feel like I look different in person then on camera. Especially because a co-worker just realized LAST WEEK that I was expecting. I mean, come on. Why else do you think I hang out in the kitchen so much?? Seeing as I already feel large and in charge...I can't imagine how I'll feel next month.

I even went back through the old pictures and found one from April. This is when I was about 13 weeks pregnant I think...

Uhhh....yeah. Big difference!

I go back to the doctor tomorrow for my check up. I'm going with lots of questions. Mostly because we think I've been having some contractions. I'm sure, if anything, they've been Braxton Hicks but it is a weeeeeeiiiird feeling. I talked to the dr. last week and they weren't really concerned and just told me to stay hydrated. Hm ok. If they're not worried, I'm not worried I guess. But how strange to sit there and watch my stomach tighten up and to even think about "timing" anything.

Are we really ready for this?!

And if you've seen 2 really good looking pregnant women walking around the neighborhood in the mornings...don't worry...it's just me and Georgia. The price we women pay to stay fit. Although our pace has slowed a bit...but I am determined to walk until the bitter end. It's not exactly comfortable but I know it will be worth it later.

That's what they say at least.

So hello, third trimester! You used to seem so far away...

By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of his head to his heels. He can blink his eyes, which now sport lashes. With his eyesight developing, he may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. He's also developing billions of neurons in his brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

A Trip Back in Time...

Dear Jake,

While you were still in my tummy, I took you to a New Kids on the Block concert. Your daddy didn't want me to take you, but I knew it was something you needed to experience. We took it step by step. Although the boys are grown up...and their outfits aren't the same...it was still just like old times. Girls showed up with their crimped hair, leggings, and Units. You would've been so impressed. It really was the Right Stuff. We even decided to change your nursery up a bit and add some old school posters of Joey and Donny. Keep on hangin' tough in my womb...we can't wait to meet you!!

Love,
Mom :)

I apologize for the poor quality of pictures...they were all taken on my phone. And really, there was too much screaming and jumping around going on to really get some quality Kodak moments...

Traci & Sheila

Mallory & Joanna

Cara & Erika chilling until concert time

Before we knew what we were really in for...

Well, you can't see anything...but you can just IMAGINE!

And for the moment you've all been waiting for...

I discovered the CAMCORDER function on my phone Saturday night. God bless Samsung. I'm so excited to share this little jewel with everyone. For all of you who couldn't make the concert...listen closely...you might hear some "Ohh oh oh oh oh........Hangin' Tough....." in the background...

Ode to the Shop-Vac

I realize it's a little late for a "what we did last weekend" post but you know what? It's my blog. I'll do what I want.

Last Saturday morning it was Anderles v. Garage!

Our garage was a mess. I'll just give it to you straight. Both of us are guilty of chaotic organization. Meaning...we know where everything is...it just might not be in the most sensible spot. (Did I mention the paintbrushes that were in our pantry?) A robber would've had a terrible time locating valuables besides the TV and the cars.

So it was hot...it was humid...but we did it anyway. I started off the morning with a "garage cleaning" cheer (how else was I going to get Seth on board??) and off we went. Let me stop right here and say what a wonderful invention the Shop-Vac is. We've had one, it just doesn't get used nearly as often as it should. But I went to town! We cleared everything out of the garage, threw out things we hadn't used in 1+ years, put everything in its appropriate places and got all that grass, dirt, mulch, trash, etc off the floor.

Seth tried to stop me when I started shop-vac'ing the lawn mower and, you guessed it, the shop-vac itself. But I couldn't stop. It was addicting. I was like a kid in a candy shop. I wanted it ALL clean. Everything spotless! And that handy contraption will suck up anything! Probably even the dogs if I wanted it to. Shame on me.

Anyway, here is a picture of our completed project. Probably doesn't look THAT impressive to some of you, but believe me...when you're limited on storage up in the attic, there's nowhere else to put this crap these treasures.

Look - I can even open the door on my car without hitting the wheelbarrow now! Jake is going to be so GLAD we got this done. It's probably the first thing he'll comment on when we make it home from the hospital. So son...you're welcome.

On Sunday, we had a BBQ with our church class. It was quite a different scene from last year. As you may remember, we've had something of a baby boom. And when I say baby boom, I mean it. I think we counted 12-13 babies that have been/will be born in 2009? And don't worry, we're already racking them up in 2010. I guess, similar to the shop-vac, it's addicting?

So here is just part of the group...I thought it was so funny to look in the pool and see the massive amounts of floaties. Good thing those swimming diapers don't leak. For the most part...

We had a fun time catching up with everyone, dining on hamburgers and hot dogs, and eating some yummy desserts! We are so blessed to have such great friends and a wonderful support group. Daily affirmation that we're right where we need to be. God is so good! Thank you Gary & Tami for hosting all of us!!

And that my friends, is pretty much it in a nutshell. This weekend is sure to bring some classic pictures, as I will be attending my first NKOTB concert (7 months pregnant mind you...watch out teeny boppers!). If anyone has any extra paraphernalia from the 80's let me know. We just might need it.

Happy Wednesday!

You Can't Sue for Stupid.

Check out THIS article. How ridiculous.

As my husband said, "You shouldn't be allowed to sue for stupid."

Agreed.

He continued with, "I will lose confidence in our court system if she wins. She exhibited gross negligence by walking and texting at the same time."

Guess that business law class last summer session paid off, eh??

I am definitely not guilty of ever walking and texting. I make sure my caboose is firmly planted in a chair before ever whipping out that keyboard.

Brick Walls and Nesting

...as in, I think I've run into one.

I have been exhausted this week! Yesterday I even took 2 naps. This is pretty untypical Mary. Food hasn't been that appealing...I'm falling asleep while watching TV...it's like my first trimester all over again.

Joy.

I am going to see My Sister's Keeper tonight with Jessie & Andrea although I am boycotting it in my mind. I happened to discover the end of the movie which is NOT AT ALL like the end of the book. I hate when movies do that. What's the point? Yet, we're still going because it's gotta be a good movie still...right? Plus, I have no other excuse to eat milk duds in the dark.

I've also scheduled Operation: Garage Clean-Up for this weekend. I'm trying to sound super pumped about it!!! Our garage definitely needs it. Even though we can't fit two cars in there, I still don't like to pull in having 80 million bags of top soil...a wooden Halloween witch...the Christmas tree...random other messes, plus a framed 8x10 of Sam & Sheila's prom picture* in plain view.

*We love White Elephant gift exchanges!

Seth is not as happy about the nesting that has been happening around the Anderle household. An item of particular contention is the massive kitchen cabinet/pantry reorganization that Kim helped me with last weekend. She is a LIFESAVER. You would not believe how inefficiently I had arranged my cabinets and drawers. Now I have plenty of room for bottles, sippy cups, kids stuff, etc and MORE! It was also helpful to clean out the pantry. Kim made several comments during the process, such as:

-Wow...you got a lot of CRAP for your wedding

(yes, we're highly aware)

-Wow...people gave y'all way too much A&M stuff!!

(again, yes, we're highly aware)

It was about time to clean out some of the stale cappuccino mixes I'd bought at the Nutcracker Market in years past. You know...things that look so good you can't resist...then you make one or two mugs and move on. We also discovered a spoon in an old jar of marshmallow creme.

It's amazing the treasures you can find.

Back to the point of my story. My husband can no longer find anything in the kitchen. He helped me unload the dishwasher earlier this week. Big mistake. I appreciate his attempt at patience but it took him about 5 cabinets to find the correct resting place for our measuring cups.

Mostly because they're in a drawer now.

But this is all very BENEFICIAL for our future family. And after we tackle the garage...we will tackle the master closet.

Don't even get me started on that...

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas

1 lb chicken breast, diced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
10 corn tortillas
1 1/2 cups grated monterey jack cheese or Mexican blend cheese, divided
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup flour
1 (15 ounce) can chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilis
Chili powder
Cumin


1. In frypan, cook chicken and onion together in oil over medium-high heat until chicken is just done. Add chili powder and cumin to taste.

2. Divide cooked chicken evenly between 10 tortillas; add 1 1/2 tablespoons cheese to each tortilla. (We shred the chicken first but that's a personal preference!)

3. Roll enchiladas and place seam-side down in 9x13" baking dish that has been lightly sprayed with no-stick cooking spray.

4. Melt butter in a medium saucepan; stir in flour to make a roux; stir and cook until bubbly; gradually whisk in chicken broth then bring to boiling, stirring frequently.

5. Remove from heat; stir in sour cream and green chiles; pour sauce evenly over enchiladas.

6. Top with remaining 3/4 cup cheese (baking dish may be double-wrapped and frozen at this point) and bake at 400° for 20 minutes until cheese is melted and sauce near edges of baking dish is bubbly.

I Think They'll Lift the Burn Ban...

Ah, the beautiful sound of rain! Seth thought today should be declared a national holiday. As you can see, I'm still stuck at home. Our heroic neighbor Jeremy is out there saving the trash cans from an early death. Gotta love how people work together.

I originally titled this post "Famine to Flood?". Then Seth told me famine was a lack of food, not rain.

Whatever.

Don't they sorta go together anyway?

Less than 100 Days...

(insert panicked face here)

Maybe you didn't catch that. LESS THAN 100 DAYS! This is so weird. And honestly...I still don't know if it's hit me that there is a PERSON growing inside of me. But I am nearly to my third trimester and luckily I can still move. I think back at the beginning of my pregnancy I thought I would be bedridden and too big to function at this point. Thank goodness I was so naive. :)

I feel fine and everything seems to be going great! We can see a lot of movement from the outside of my belly which is just unreal. I thank God everyday that He's given us such an incredible blessing! I go back to the doctor in 2 weeks and will start seeing him every 2 weeks until month 9. Again...weird.

So here I am at 26 weeks:

I finally decided to buckle down and find some decorations for Jake's room. And it looks like it's going to require some DIY work since the lack of baby boy decor in the stores is just depressing. Guess now is as good a time as ever to engage my inner creative genius...

(insert another panicked face)

In the meantime, PLEASE continue praying for Baby Noah. His heartrate remains the same and mom is still in the hospital. They are considering releasing her but will continue weekly monitoring as long as the high HR remains consistent. I know they are tired, frustrated, emotional, and depending on God more than ever. And we can all play our part by praying!

Orange Crush Ice Cream

(a.k.a. Heaven)

1 liter orange crush
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 small can of crushed pineapples, drained

Mix all 3 ingredients and pour into your ice cream maker. Prepare as you would with other homemade ice cream. Hopefully most of you aren't cranking the handle anymore.

We make this ice cream every July 4th (does 3 times make it a tradition?) and it is YUMMY! We may or may not have polished off the entire container of ice cream this weekend.

So good, so refreshing, and definitely something the kids would love too!

Mercy Me!

For the first time...in the history of our dogs...they did not wake us up this morning.

I almost panicked when my eyes opened. Sun was streaming in through the blinds. I hadn't set my alarm, because really, what's the point? I was almost afraid to look at the clock in case the sun rose extra early today. But I took the chance.

It was EIGHT O'CLOCK.

For the first time...in the history of our dogs...I had to wake the dogs up.

Ah, I love them!!

Petition for Prayer

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart.

Jeremiah 1:5a

God gives us the amazing privilege of praying over one another. Prayers aren't always answered in the specific way we may ask, but it's incredible to think that my tiny requests are given attention and don't have to compete with all the other million prayer requests in the world right now. God is GOOD!

Again, I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them.

Matthew 18:19-20

Jesus teaches us about the power of prayer, especially in groups. I love the verse above - it gives me chills. And it reminds me that prayer is so important in our lives...not only for our own spiritual relationship with God, but for our relationships with each other and in building each other up.

Today I want to ask all of you to start praying for a very special baby and his parents. Baby Noah is at about 18 weeks gestation and has a sick heart. He's been diagnosed with SVT (rapid heart rhythm) and so far the doctors have not been able to bring his heart rate down. His mom is on some pretty potent medication in hopes that will fix the problem. As of today though, his heart has become slightly enlarged and has some fluid that's beginning to settle around his tiny tiny heart. The SVT has been going on at least a week that they know of and they need his heart rate to come down ASAP.

If you could just take a few minutes out of your day to get down on your knees and pray hard for this sweet baby boy, I know it would mean the world to his family. And I thought it would be really cool if you could leave a comment on my blog to let them know you've prayed and I'll make sure they're passed along to the family. But whoever you are...whether we know each other or not...heck, even make the comment anonymous if you want...help me show this family that they are LOVED and that there are zillions of good vibes being sent up to Heaven!!

For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways...

Psalm 91:11

Fun with Jake

At Emily's wedding, Brittany decided to have a little fun and take some belly shots. Seth, of course, was so uncomfortable!!

I'm gonna take a wild guess and say he hated school picture day...

But Brittany does fabulous work. You might remember she took our "family" pictures last Christmas and even got some awesome portraits of our pups. So check out her website and show her some love if you ever need professional pictures taken!

We are ready* for you, baby boy!!

Me at 24 weeks

Being silly

Thanks again Brittany! Can't wait for you to take pictures of Jake in a few months!

*When I said "ready" I meant like excited...not technically ready. Because I still need to reorganize the kitchen cabinets, clean out another bedroom, get the backyard in better condition, finish decorating the nursery, and a few other things.... :)

What Do I Know of Holy?

I made You promises a thousand times
I tried to hear from Heaven
But I talked the whole time
I think I made You too small
I never feared You at all No
If You touched my face would I know You?
Looked into my eyes could I behold You?

What do I know of You
Who spoke me into motion?
Where have I even stood
But the shore along Your ocean?
Are You fire? Are You fury?
Are You sacred? Are You beautiful?
What do I know? What do I know of Holy?

I guess I thought that I had figured You out
I knew all the stories and I learned to talk about
How You were mighty to save
Those were only empty words on a page
Then I caught a glimpse of who You might be
The slightest hint of You brought me down to my knees

What do I know of You
Who spoke me into motion?
Where have I even stood
But the shore along Your ocean?
Are You fire? Are You fury?
Are You sacred? Are You beautiful?
What do I know? What do I know of Holy?

What do I know of Holy?
What do I know of wounds that will heal my shame?
And a God who gave life "its" name?
What do I know of Holy?
Of the One who the angels praise?
All creation knows Your name
On earth and heaven above
What do I know of this love?

What do I know of You
Who spoke me into motion?
Where have I even stood
But the shore along Your ocean?
Are You fire? Are You fury?
Are You sacred? Are You beautiful?
What do I know? What do I know of Holy?

-Addison Road

Love this group and wanted to share :)

R.I.P.

You're probably rolling your eyes thinking, "Not another blog about MJ...or Farrah...or Ed...or even the OxiClean guy!"

Don't worry. This is about something MUCH more important.

Yesterday I had to bid farewell to my most favorite necklace of all time.

She's a beauty, isn't she?

This necklace was fabulous for many reasons. Most being that it went with EVERYTHING. Perhaps I over-wore it. But how could you not when you owned such a fine piece of colorful flare??

I packed it in our bags this weekend, carelessly throwing it in the side pocket. I somehow forgot the importance of a jewelry roll, bathroom bag, or heck even a ziplock bag. Needless to say, while unpacking last night, I pulled out a bead (the pretty turquoise one on bottom) without a necklace attached. It was at this point I comtemplated falling on the floor and crying...while kicking my legs screaming, "LIFE ISN'T FAIR!"

You'll be glad to know I didn't do that. Instead calmly gathered the remains and put them in a plastic bag.

My most coveted Francesca's necklace. Broken. And out of stock.

Can life get any worse than this?!

Maggie & Tucker the Cow Dogs

Meet Pearl & Penny:

Well, it's kinda hard to see them, but yes they are the Anderle's pet calves. I'm not sure my in-laws consider them pets (ok, I know they don't) but they have names, therefore we'll have them be dear family pets for now. Because named calves will never go to the slaughter right?

Right??

Maggie & Tucker spent a good portion of the weekend barking at the two of them. Not so much as a moo back from either cow. Did you also know cows don't like to be pet? I managed to learn this the hard way.

Anyway. We went to celebrate at our cousin Ali's high school graduation party this weekend and safely made it without melting. It was close though. The 185 degree temps sorta suck the energy out of you. This is about the part of summer where I start saying, "Yes, winter IS my favorite season of the year!"

At least it's a fantastic excuse to stay inside and eat ice cream.

As you can see, the dogs were WORN out after all the cow herding. I thought this picture was precious. They slept like this on the way home. And you KNOW Maggie was tired because she would've never let Tucker do this otherwise. Isn't it sweet? They love each other!

So glad this is a short week!! I plan on relaxing...finding decorations for Jake's room...and maybe catching up on some movies. Sounds good to me.

Faithfulness

Let's just say that recent events on TLC have had me ITCHING to write a vent-ful, frustration-filled blog post lately. And everyday this somehow slips my mind. I finally decided that maybe God didn't like my initial approach and the words I wanted to say. And I'll admit, they weren't nice. They weren't gentle, they weren't kind, and they sure weren't Christ-like.

So instead, I choose to petition prayer over the Gosselin family. Do I agree with the decisions they've made? Absolutely not. Does my heart ache for Jon, Kate, and all 8 of those impressionable children? Most definitely.

I read that on The View earlier this week, Barbara Walters made a comment about how "if you have more than 5 children, you shouldn't be allowed to get a divorce."

I disagree.

If you have any number of children you shouldn't be allowed to get a divorce (barring extreme circumstances). And actually...children or not...once you and your husband have made that committment to God...you should honor it. No matter what it takes. Nobody said marriages weren't work.

I watched in tears on Monday night as they announced the future plans for their family. I hoped and prayed they were making a wise decision and merely cancelling the show. This was shortly before my husband made me turn off the TV and pointed out that I was just fueling the media and their decision by supporting the TV show.

Touche.

But I've realized it's not in my job description to judge. It's not my responsibility to lecture, to condemn, to really tell all of you how I feel about this subject. But it IS my responsibility to pray. To lift them up. To get down on my knees and ask for the Lord's intervention. In this situation and many others.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.

Romans 8:26

I don't really know how to pull this together but this situation and the intense scrutiny they've been given by the media got me thinking about how there is SO much more in life than celebrities, TV, money, our "wants", etc. God doesn't want us to put our focus and trust in such worldly things and how we can get so caught up in that stuff is beyond me. We spend too much time worrying, overanalyzing, not trusting God's plan, and trying to do things our own way.

When it's really so simple!

Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty..."

John 6:35

Jesus takes care of our every need and simply calls us to follow him with a childlike faith and wonder. Put our trust and hope in Him...He'll take care of the rest. Will it turn out the way we WANT it to? Maybe not. But how awesome is it that we are loved...that we are protected...and that we are saved???

Ok, enough of me. I'll let God say the rest. I love this song by Jars of Clay. And the video is so powerful. Again, maybe none of this really comes together in a coherent way but it's all been on my heart and I think I was supposed to share. So enjoy :)

Just Trying to Provide for my Firstborn

Everyday I enter Graco's "The Heart Knows" Sweepstakes. My chance to win a welcome home party package for baby Jake valued at $25,000!!!

I desperately need to win this contest, for obvious reasons.

I have over 50 entries (you can only enter once a day) and so far...nuthin'.

I'm still holding out though. Mostly because this includes a professional photographer/videographer to commemorate the event...$5,000 to start the baby's college fund...hotel accomodations for our visitors...cash...baby gear...and more!

So imagine my heartbreak when I really read the rules. The sweepstakes is running from April 1, 2009 to March 31, 2010.

WHAT?!

I mean, I guess we could always have a delayed welcome home celebration for Jake. But he'll already be at least 6 months old before they get all the details ironed out...and Lord knows it will take the camera crews about 8 years to find our neighborhood since the cable company has a hard enough time with the directions.

I just don't know if we can give our son the life he deserves without being able to offer him a party package from Graco!

Obviously you see my dilemma...and obviously you are sitting at your keyboard mourning with me right now.

And it's not like the 100 degree temps are going to put me in a better mood about this.

Sorry Jake. I tried.

Freak Out

Clearly I am freaking out.

I have been contemplating changing the look of my blog for WEEKS and now my stupid computer won't let me access scrapblog.com to make a new header.

Seriously?? I can't leave my blog in this under construction phase for long! My fans will NOT be happy.

So pardon the dust. I am working on it :)

Happy Father's Day!

Have I completely gone overboard on posting the last couple of days? So sorry. I'm on a roll.

I hate that I don't have any good pictures to post of dads from this past weekend but I don't want Father's Day to go unmentioned. Because all the dads out there deserve some recognition!!

Seth celebrated his first Father's Day (although he will argue against that) with a brand new TaylorMade Burner Driver. If you don't know what that is, don't worry, I didn't either until several months ago. He's had his eye on this golf club for FOREVER but refused it as a birthday/Christmas gift. I finally decided to bite the bullet and take care of this myself. Except when I gave it to him, he thought it was just the swivel sweeper because of the way I was standing with my arms on top of it.

Really?

Anyway. It was the LEAST Jake, Maggie, Tucker & I could do to show our appreciation for how he takes care of our family! I am so fortunate to have such a Godly man to go through life and raise a family with. The dogs are so blessed he scoops their poop once a week. And Jake...well...he'll be that little guy's hero NO DOUBT! And his baseball coach. And any other kind of sports coach. And his ESPN watching buddy.

Maybe Jake might need a break.

Kidding!

So thank you Seth and I hope you enjoyed your first Father's Day!

Also, happy Father's Day to both of OUR dads! We love and appreciate you!