Kendra's 3 yr old pics

 I got a 50 mm lens a few months ago and have really been reading about photography and getting better with this lens.  I think these are some of my best yet and am really hoping to get better.  I need to find a new location though!  I tried out an orchard and the lighting was off and she kept getting so distracted by petting a cat that we went back to the trusty door and brick wall on Kentucky St.  I swear the lighting is perfect there and I love the brick and old door, but all my stinkin good pictures end up being taken there!  Oh well, if it ain't broke right?

 So classic Kendra!  Little goofball!

 If I could bottle up her smile and laugh and sell it, I would be one rich mama!

 What you don't see from my outtakes are that every couple pictures looked like this!  This is her pose of choice!

 Think we might be in trouble in 10 yrs with how gorgeous those eyes are! lol

My sweet, sweet baby girl is 3 and looks big here!  She still loves to cuddle and snuggle and give kisses and be carried everywhere, so at least she's not getting too big! 

5 yr old humor

Amidst a slew of nonsenical jokes Megan spouted off while driving the other day, I wrote down one that I loved.  "What do you get when you have a panda bear and a fish?  South America!  It's a joke, get it?! hahahahaha"  uh, no, no I don't....  Kid thinks she is sooo funny!

Pregnancy so far...

17 weeks before church

19 weeks before church

22 weeks, right before Trent's work Christmas party

So, this is the LAST pregnancy for me and yes, I have mixed feelings.  I did NOT enjoy getting morning sickness and awful killer headaches this time around from week 6-13.  I do not enjoy buying bigger bras before there's a big belly to compensate.  I found I had to eat small protein filled snacks often to stave off the sickness.  The constant eating has been nice in a way, but I seriously gained 5 lbs in one week, week 6!  Are you freakin' kidding me?!  Fortunately, that wasn't a trend because had that continued I would be one very unhappy pregosaur!

 I am still able to teach BodyPump at the gym, though I must admit, the pushups are getting to be a joke.  I can only do about 4 on my toes as compared to 40 before baby belly--yes, that's right, a 90% decrease, so awesome... but, I guess that's what happens when you gain 15 lbs in your midsection.

 I feel great right now, being 23 weeks and in the second trimester.  I have to use both hands to push myself up off the couch, but at least I have energy to clean the showers and carpets, and wrap presents, and make skirts, and mop floors, and on and on and on.  I know the tiredness that is coming and am relishing the extra energy right now.

I actually really like having the bump and wearing elastic waistbands.  Found the cutest skinny jeans at Ross for $15 and love wearing them with boots or my 5inch red high heels.  Against my husband's approval, I will wear my heels as much as I can till the last day I can!  I love me some heels!

I love feeling this little girl kick and that is one thing I will miss.  It's an unexplainable feeling, but so totally reassuring the whole pregnancy that all is well with the babe.  This kid is funny too, because she kicks lightly all day until someone presses on the tummy or I bend over or something squishes the belly, then she kicks HARD!  She does not like to be messed with!  It makes me laugh just wondering what we have in store....

Darn Santa

We saw Santa again last night at a party and after sitting on his lap Kendra said, "How many times am I gonna keep telling him I want a doll house?  He doesn't give it to me."

 I had to laugh and then explained to her that Santa brings the gifts on Christmas Eve, poor kid thought this whole time she'd ask him for what she wanted and he'd immediately deliver! I can see how that could be quite frustrating!

Aw man...

I shook my belly like a bowl-ful of jelly and shouted a hearty "ho-ho-ho!" I asked Megan if I looked like Santa and she said, "Yeah, you're totally fat!"  It's a good thing I'm pregnant right now girly....

It's A GIRL!!!

We had our first ultrasound at 18 weeks and the tech said she was moving so much he could not ever get a picture between the legs. I even tried using the restroom, switching sides on the table, nothing would get her to calm down and hold still for a picture--so not info I like to hear! My kids need to be born holding still for pictures dang it!! haha

So, the next week we drove to Roseville an hour away and got an elective ultrasound. Wouldn't you know it, I laid down, the tech placed the wand on the belly, and instantly we saw girly parts! We just started laughing!  Kendra has talked to the baby for many weeks now and at about 14 weeks she asked the baby if she was a boy or a girl and had a whole conversation with the sister in utero.  She then told me that the baby said she's a girl and her name is Emma.  (sidenote: no, we have NO names picked out or decided on, Kendra just has her own imagination!)

We tried EVERYTHING to make a boy this time and let's just say all the diets, timing, *ahem*positions, etc. don't work, there is no foolproof way to make a boy, even when you try EVERYTHING on the list! Oh well, we know we are a family of girls and that is A-OK. I mean, I think they're pretty dang cute! We love our girls and look forward to the arrival of this little one too.

New Wreath!

I'm in love with my new, huge wreath!  I got a section of plumbing foam stuff from the hardware store and made an 18 inch circle.  I backed it with cardboard for stability.

I got a bunch of Christmas balls from the dollar store and with a lot of hot glue began gluing them to the inside and outside of the tubing.  Then, I filled in the rest of the spaces with even more balls.

My little helper loved opening the packages and taking off all the tops of the ornaments.  After about 80 balls we realized we did NOT have enough, so back to the dollar store for more and over 100 balls later this is what it looks like!

I had a real wreath last year and loved it, but then it found the garbage after Christmas and I wanted a wreath that will hopefully return year after year.  So pretty and festive!  About $14 total to make, lots and lots of hot glue sticks, and about an hour and a half of my time= love it!!

How In The World Will We Find Matching Dresses In All 4 Sizes?!

Seeing Santa

 The kids had their primary Breakfast With Santa including pancakes, crafts, games, stories, songs, and seeing the big guy.  I loved this pic during story time.

 Mikayla asked for a bunk bed for her dolls.

 Megan asked for a horse for her dolls to ride.

Our first year with no tears!  Kendra told Santa she wants a kitty and said she's been a good girl.

Hahaha!

I was shopping with Kendra at Safeway and put a 5lb bag of oranges in the cart.  She looked up at me, raised her eyebrows and said,
 "Holy mackerel!!  Are you outta yo' mind?!  That is way too much oranges!" 

This kid just makes me laugh!

This is her RED outfit.  She has picked it out all on her own including the hairbow and it must be worn to preschool at least once a week.  She loves her red and what can I say, at least she color coordinates!  I'm just impressed she can pick out her own clothes each day and get dressed by herself down to the socks and shoes.

Family Pictures 2012

This ended up being the winner!  We went out to the Leishman's orchard and took some quick pics.  The kids are getting better, we got our family pic done in less than a half hour!

Miss Megan just lost her first tooth and hates having her hair brushed, so this naturally curly business suits her!

Me and the hubs just celebrated 10 years of marriage.  10 years?!  Holy cow!

And there's baby girl #4.  I am 21 weeks now and definitely feeling preggo.

Kendra, the little cutie pie, loves having her picture taken, but doesn't like to look at the camera!

Big 8 yr old girl looking more and more grown up.

Our Christmas card this year!

So, funny thing happened... we drove in Trina's van out to the railroad tracks at the back of the orchard and while we were leaving, it was so muddy, the van just slipped right off the side of the road into the blackberry bushes.  Needless to say, her husband was not too pleased to have to come and rig up the tractor and pull her out!  We all got a good laugh out of it though!

Happy Thanksgiving!

 All our pilgrims and Indians gathered together!

 My little Indian girls

 Matt, Sydney, and Charlie

 Kendra and Bree, the little twin-sized troublemakers!

 The kids' end of the table

 This was our first year to host Thanksgiving and do everything without parents.  We divided up the dishes and cooked some ahead of time, some together and enjoyed a fabulous meal.  It was the first time for Trent and I to make a turkey and we used my parent's roaster.  It turned out fabulous!!  So delicious!

The whole gang dining together!  We were so happy to have our friends join us for an appetizer lunch, bike riding in the afternoon, yummy dinner, and movie and dessert.  What a fun day!