37 Weeks

~A nice perspective I thought! :P

~37 Weeks

I can't believe I am only three weeks away! My Midwife Patty came over two days ago and will be visiting every week until the baby is born. I was so relieved to hear that everything is going really well. My iron was where it needed to be, and my urine test was very healthy. My belly measurement has expanded greatly :P and very importantly my calcium was a nice high level. The baby seems to be growing pretty nicely :) I can't wait to see and meet this precious little being that I have been carrying for the last 37 weeks. The countdown is on!

¹³ For you created my inmost being;

you knit me together in my mother's womb.

¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;

your works are wonderful,

I know that full well.

¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you

when I was made in the secret place.

When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

¹⁶ your eyes saw my unformed body.

All the days ordained for me

were written in your book

before one of them came to be.

Psalm 139:13-16

Return to Cranford

~He he he, these ladies are so funny!

I was enchanted with Cranford when it came out awhile ago when I watched it with my sister Himilce and I have enjoyed Elizabeth Gaskell and her creations ever since. Her glorious creation of Wives & Daughters is one of my top five favorites. So when I found out a couple of days ago that they had created Return to Cranford I was overjoyed!! I was patient enough to wait for Marie :P If you want to watch it online click here. Episode two doesn't come out until Monday January 18th. And if you haven't seen the first Cranford you can click here to watch. :) I encourage you to indulge yourself! Much love all......

Getting Ready

Benjamin and I are very excited be moving to the sunny state of Florida! Jacksonville will be our home for the next two years at least :) Benjamin has found us a really nice little place and we are in the process of closing. The date that we close on the house is the same day our baby is due! The hard thing for me is leaving Marie, Jon and precious baby Zane behind. Its a good thing I will be leaving with a baby, because i'd have to steal theirs! :P

A Bargain for Frances

By Russell Hoban Illustrated by Lillian Hoban

My mom gave me A Bargain for Frances for Christmas this year. It was one of my favorite books growing up. I love the little story line and the lessons that we all probably have had to learn when it comes to our friends. :P I thought I would just post the little rhymes that Frances sings throughout the story. It is so cute and sweet. I am excited to read it to my little ones pretty soon! ;P

Alligators, bears and me

Are very fond of drinking tea.

The elephant and the wiggly snake

Are happy when they eat their cake.

A plastic pot can pour the tea

For my dolls and friends and me

Just as well as china.

Red is just as good as blue.

Plastic cups are all right too,

Just as good as china.

Now that plastic's what I've got,

Backsies are what there is not.

Mother told me to be careful,

But Thelma better be bewareful.

One for plastic, two for china,

Three for yours and four for min-a,

Five for tea and six for cakes,

Seven for elephants, eight for snakes,

Nine's a trip to the candy store,

Then comes ten and ten skips more:

Backsies one, backsies two,

Backsies are no fun to do.

Careful once, careful twice,

Being careful isn't nice.

Being friends is better.

Grandpa Richard.....

My beloved Grandpa Richard is celebrating his 80th birthday today. I wish so badly I could be there to help celebrate. We are all so proud of you and thankful for all that you have done for us Grandpa! Love you SO VERY MUCH! Happy Birthday!

And also a very Happy Birthday to my little brother Eddie as well! Love you Eddie!!!

35 Weeks

He he he I thought this was funny for my 35 week update :) I feel like I need to be hauled and to pack a suitcase full of food just to go out to Walmart!

So far everything is going really well. I have been getting indigestion in the middle of the night. And its starting to get hard to roll out of bed :) I wonder how it will feel to be back to my normal size and if I will be able to stop grunting whenever I lean over! :P

Nigella......

A new book for the new year! Marie and Jon got me Nigella's book "How To Eat; The Pleasures and Principals of Good Food" for Christmas and I am in love! Its not juts a recipe book, she talks about the atmosphere of cooking, the flavors and textures. Its an all over foundation of good food. From keeping your larter/pantry stocked and what to keep it stocked with, to feeding babies and small children. Its funny how people so easily label her as "The Fattening Cook", but everything she cooks is real and wholesome. Its not full of preservatives and chemicals. Yeah, if you eat her heavy whipping puddings with croissants for breakfast on a regular basis then it would be a little fattening! There is always an extreme to everything. And when it comes to eating healthy, I would like to stay on the real food side! :P She wants everything real and fresh. I particularly love the chapter on feeding babies and small children. I can't wait to implement her ideas when our Itty Bitty gets to that age. Its a very inspiring book and I am enjoying it so much. Its funny because Jon got it for Marie as a Christmas present as well, because she was so enchanted with mine. She said she was reading it all the way up until Christmas and then she had to eventually wrap it and put it under the tree for me he he :) But to her delight Jon surprised her with one! :)

The New Year has begun with a grand start for me. I have poured over several books and can't put them down! Luckily its still the weekend and a day and half before monday comes :P I hope everyone is enjoying the last few days of celebrations! Much love to all!

Christmas Pictures 2009

~Uncle Benjamin

~Here is Bay snoozing after all the fun on Christmas. He was pretty tired!

~Here I am at 33 weeks

~Baby Zane enjoying his Christmas present

~Marie and I on our visit to the National Museum of the Air Force

~Jon and his sweet Zane

~My Benjamin

What a lovely Christmas we had! The time flew by and I cannot believe that I had to say goodbye to Benjamin today!

I am looking forward to when I can be with him in Florida.....

We all had so much fun. Played games every night, ate, ate and ate! Me especially ;) I seemed to never get full! It was really nice that Benjamin was able to spend some time with his little nephew. Our time together will never be forgotten. It was so lovely to spend Christmas this year with Jon and Marie. Marie and I are getting our heads straight again after all the fun and are looking forward to 2010!

Happy New Year everyone :)

1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written: "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him."

Merry Christmas!!

Merry Christmas and God bless!!

Thankfulness....

Magazineart.org

Been making preparations for my beloved Benjamin!

Tomorrow is the day and we have a full day of just doing whatever we want! We may go see a movie, eat out and just enjoy being together.

I have been enjoying preparing and planning for his arrival. Today I got the sheets washed, organizing the closet so he can hang his clothes :P Painted my nails and wore a smile. :) So very thankful to Lord for His goodness and love to me.

Christmas Cake

Need some Christmas inspiration? Watch Nigella Lawson bake her delicious Christmas cake. Marie made it last night and it was wonderful! A lot of the fun is in the baking of it as well. Everything is cooked in a saucepan before it is baked. I loved the uniqueness of this recipe :) I love being pregnant during the Christmas season :P

32 Weeks

32 Weeks, wow, almost there!

A picture both Marie and I liked :P which can sometimes be a challenge!

Here are a couple of pictures that I found from the last week and half. They aren't the greatest, but its better then nothing! :P

Almost Here!

Magazineart.org

One week countdown and my Benjamin will be here! We were unable to have him for Thanksgiving, but I get him for Christmas instead :) So excited to be able to snuggle with him at night and keep each other warm! I think I am just now adjusting to the cold temperatures. I am wondering how he will do though! Plus most of his civilian clothes are back in Az. He may be borrowing some clothes from Jon! :P

Tea and a Christmas Movie

Tonight we are staying warm by the fire as the wind and snow blow into town. We are enjoying the best movie of the year, Its a Wonderful Life.

Marie made some yummy Thumb Print Jam Cookies , Jon got the movie and I am getting the tea! Even though I have seen it every year since I was little, I never tire of it :) Now I just need a box of tissues! :P

To read more about the trivia I found click here.

It's a Wonderful Life was a box office flop? One of the main resaons for the movie's enormous success is the failure of RKO to renew copyright. Back then, copyright only lasted for 27 years. So 1946 +27 years brings us to 1973, when the copyright should have been but wasn't renewed. TV stations quickly noticed this and began to run the movie, especially at Christmas, which brought the movie to broad audience, who loved it. No one person has ever stepped up and taken responsibility for the failure to renew.

Frank Capra and Jimmy Stewart worked together on three films - It's a Wonderful Life, Mr. Smith Goes To Washington and You Can't Take It WIth You.

It's a Wonderful Life won NO major Academy Awards.

Christmas Delights

As Nigella Lawson so perfectly describes every delicious morsel of her cooking ingredients, she always throws me into the most delightful "quintessential" experience. :) Enjoying the Christmas season. From decorating the house and tree, shopping for gifts, listening to the Christmas music in the stores, wrapping presents and arranging them under the tree, enjoying snugly babies and puppies too ;P and then of course the cooking! It leaves me to say that I am sad to see that December already seems to be flying by! When I was little, it was the longest month of the year since I was in a hurry to get to that glorious Christmas day. :) But now I just want the season to slow down so I can enjoy every little piece.

I hope everyone is enjoying the lovely season of Christmas!

God's Comforting Love

Psalm 46:1-11

¹ God is our refuge and strength,

an ever-present help in trouble.

² Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way

and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

³ though its waters roar and foam

and the mountains quake with their surging.

Selah

⁴ There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

the holy place where the Most High dwells.

⁵ God is within her, she will not fall;

God will help her at break of day.

⁶ Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;

he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

⁷ The LORD Almighty is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Selah

⁸ Come and see the works of the LORD,

the desolations he has brought on the earth.

⁹ He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth;

he breaks the bow and shatters the spear,

he burns the shields with fire.

¹⁰ "Be still, and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth."

¹¹ The LORD Almighty is with us;

the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Selah

Steven Crowder

Steven Crowder does such a great job showing simple truths involved in our political arena. I love watching his videos and this one really made me laugh! Don't forget to scroll down and turn off my music :)

Messages Of Encouragement

Not to long ago I heard about Dr. Charles Stanley, mainly because he had had David Barton over to preach for his congregation during the 4th of July weekend. My Mom was the one who told me about it. But I had never heard Of Dr. Stanley before this. Then recently my parents recommended a message by him on his webpage, so I went to his page and have listened to many messages since. I have been so blessed and encouraged from all that he is preaching, which is directly from the word! :) I thought I would share to those of you who like to have something to listen to while your cleaning or cooking. :P

To visit directly to his audio messages click here. He does a message a day and since we are just now in December there are only a few. I listened to many from November, I wish they were still up! :)

A Laugh :)

These little comics gave me a laugh. I have felt like I have a little boxer in my belly :)

Thank You....

I can't help myself! I happened to look over at Shabby Blogs again and I couldn't resist! Its like shopping, and its free! They always have such lovely backgrounds :P So sorry everyone if I keep changing mine! I promise I will not change it again until the new year ;) Thank you Shabby Blogs!

Traditions......

Whenever I say the word tradition, the Fiddler On The Roof song comes into my head :P

I was so happy to hear that Marie had gotten all the ingredients for our favorite Frog Eyed Salad the other day. Has anyone ever had Frog Eyed Salad before? My Mom would faithfully make it every year and we were always pleased to see that she made enough to last a couple days after Thanksgiving ;).

All it is, is tiny Acini Di Pepe macaroni cooked until soft then you mix in Whipped Cream, Vanilla Pudding, Mandarin Oranges, crushed Pineapple. Put it in a beautiful glass bowl and it looks lovely and tastes DELICIOUS! :) We would only have it on Thanksgiving :)

Does anyone want to share their special favorite traditional dish that they have on Thanksgiving?

~Image courtesy of Larkspur~

A Psalm.........

~ I haven't been able to stop thinking about this beautiful scripture. Its so powerful and moving and I am so thankful for my loving savior and God. Words cannot express my love. ~

Psalm 139

¹ O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.

² You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.

³ You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.

⁴ Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.

⁵ You hem me in—behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.

⁶ Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

⁷ Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?

⁸ If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.

⁹ If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,

¹⁰ even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

¹¹ If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,"

¹² even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.

¹⁴ I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.

¹⁵ My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,

¹⁶ your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

¹⁷ How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!

¹⁸ Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake,
I am still with you.

¹⁹ If only you would slay the wicked, O God!
Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!

²⁰ They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.

²¹ Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD,
and abhor those who rise up against you?

²² I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.

²³ Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.

²⁴ See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

Enjoying the Season..

I have already mentioned that I am enjoying the season of Thanksgiving and Christmas really early this year. Maybe its because the two prior years were a whirl wind. And I have more time now to feel and sense all the delights! Marie and Jon went grocery shopping for Thanksgiving yesterday and it gave me a chance to bake up some Cranberry Scones. I was a little afraid to make them here since the climate is different then what I am used to in Az. And to waste all of those precious ingredients like butter and cream would be such a shame! And oh my did they come out wonderful! :P Just the right texture not too hard. They MELTED in my mouth! ;) Perfect with a cup of tea to wash down with. The cranberries were really pretty to put in and they gave such a pretty color for pre-Christmas scones :)

28 Weeks.....

~28 weeks

~ Its starting to get hard to see those toes!

~Here is Jodi's delicious cake she made on Saturday

Been really busy these last few weeks and I feel I have been lagging in my blogging! I had Marie take some pictures of me at 28 weeks. I had to have her take a lot!!! Its strange to see myself looking so big. And I had a hard time finding a picture that I liked :P The baby seems to be healthy and strong :) lots of kicks and I can just look down at my belly and see it moving in all different directions! Today I just rubbed my belly to say hello to Itty Bitty and right after I felt this enormous KICK!

Our Motives party was a delight on Saturday. We didn't have as many ladies as we had hoped, but we are so happy for the way it turned out! It really gave Marie and I much more confidence in working on women's skin. And to have had a load of ladies show up would have been NERVE WRACKING! :)

Marie and I were bummed, when we realized we had forgotten to take pictures of our party in our haste to have everything *perfect* :) I did take a picture of the cake that our dear friend Jodi made and brought. It was delicious!

Today's Thoughts..

"There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind."

~C.S. Lewis

Beautiful Olga

I had to share the beauty of my sister and the talent of my brother ;)

My brother Nathan is visiting my family in Colorado and went ahead and took Olga's senior pictures while he was there. She had to have them in before Thanksgiving. He offered to do any of her friends as well and didn't get many who were interested. But now I bet they are REGRETTING it! I sure wish Nathan could have taken my Senior pictures! :P My sister Marie also posted some pictures you can check em out here.

Fireplaces

~He he I thought this one was cute too :)

I have been loving fireplaces lately. Well, I have always loved them, but I have been attracted to looking and studying different kinds. I know that stoves are really the better thing to have, because they are the real heat source. Just not as attractive ;) Here are a few that I found. :)

Craving Christmas!

Lately I have been craving Christmas! I know, I should be craving food :P my cravings have been more atmospheric. I have even been dreaming about it at night! :) One dream was about Marie putting out all of her beautiful red Christmas decorations around the house lol!

Benjamin will be spending Thanksgiving up here with us in Ohio, which I am very thankful about! He happened to finish his schooling just in time ;) I am also getting excited for when I can create a home again for Benjamin and the baby and I. Being here with Marie and Jon has been so wonderful and inspiring. I wish very badly that Benjamin and I could settle here in Ohio and live down the street from Marie and Jon. Maybe that can happen when we are all old and retired! At least we will be on this side of the States! :)

I know I have been slacking with my blog lately. I will hopefully have more to post about this coming week and the week after :P We are having our first tea and makeup party in a week and we have lots of plans for the menu. :)

I hope everyone is enjoying November so far :)

New Review!

I just did a new review for our Youtube Motives Sisters account. Its about Virgin Coconut Oil. I show how I use it to take off my makeup for the night. We appreciate everyone who watches and *Subscribes* (hint, hint :P) to our Youtube page. Thank you so much! :)

A little Sick....

This week just flew by. It was a fast week, but also a slow one. We all had been fighting some sort of sickness, flu, cold, or something. The feel of this sickness, seemed to be the knock out kind, head aching, chills, fever, cough and all that yucky stuff. I really think if I had not consumed so much coconut oil in my tea, I would have had ALL of the above. Even the cats have been sick! Luckily little Zane was just fine, other then him teething a little :P

Marie and I have been jogging and walking almost every other day now. It feels really good for me. My joints have been stretching and sore (from Itty Bitty getting bigger) and I feel it at night while I am sleeping. I can't get comfortable. I will sleep on one side and then wake up to throbbing, then switch to my other side and do the same thing throughout the night. I have been trying many things to stretch out those muscles and jogging/walking have helped the most! :)

Have a blessed Monday and week everyone!