Thursday Thots

Is taking off the diaper in bed at night a sign of boredom or potty training readiness???

Is offering to sleep with your 4 year old for two nights while daddy is out of town a NICE MOMMY act or a I'VE LOST MY MIND act? The bruises on the shins are saying the latter....

Is doing kitchen/bathroom renovations during the last trimester better than doing the same renovations with a newborn?

Does anyone else leave up Christmas decorations (minus the tree) till Valentines Day?

You know it's cold when your nose hairs freeze from the vehicle to the house....

As long as no one signs their name in the dust on my shelves, it's all good......

Tests: written or oral? Definitely written- hence the reason my status has remained "Resident Alien" all these years.....

Chicken Soup for the Potty Training Mom - that should be the next one......

Is it strange I have three water bottles.....all at various depths.....scattered around the house? Hmmmmmm.....H2O

Does God give us more than we can handle? YES YES YES! Does God give us more than we can handle with his strength - NO NO NO!

Does anyone else lose it when you've spent quality time with your kiddos before bed and she/he is tucked in nicely and then as soon.as.you.leave......comes out needing to ask just "one more thing"? It's so funny how you can keep up with the patience thing all day and then just lose it so quickly after this one final act!

I find it strange that the days are long but the months and years are short????

Does your brain turn off after midnight like mine these days? Too bad this entire blog entry was written after midnight....hope some of it made sense....if not....forgive me - up with a teething babe -
thought I'd make good use of the time :)

A BROTHER on the way!

I must say I was quite worried after my conversation with Abbigail before the ultrasound:

Mommy: What do you think the baby will be?
Abbigail: A boy - I need a brother Mommy.
Mommy: Well it might be.....but we'd still be happy about a girl right?
Abbigail: You might be but I won't - I'll be happy about the baby but NOT about a girl!

needless to say I was happy to report we have a brother coming!!!! She is still sure they were able to tell because boys have "short hair....and no clips :)"

Oh the cheers when we were told it was a boy!!!!! Matt dabbing his eyes - I will never forget the moment! Experiencing both genders is something I always prayed the Lord would allow me.....and He's been faithful once again. PTL!

Now I have 5 months to figure out how on earth to raise a BOY?????

Christmas Continued.....

Isaiah and Elijah opening gifts from Grandma B

Isaiah enjoying his drawing book

Demaris the artist

the kitties were a highlight for sure.....Tinkerbell, Bandit, TigerLilly

Mattnip :)

CHEESE!

a gong show of a performance with Tigger, the pirate, Snow White and a horse.....good laughs!

All five munchkins

Ready for home - stylin in new glasses from Auntie Tracy!

Thursday Thots

* so thankful to be home - but wish I could have brought an aunt or uncle with me! These kids are pushing me over the top today!

* loving to watch Abbigail craft.....such a creative mind she has!

* I'm sick of winter - mostly the bundling

* my socks have been blessed off by my friends' new CD

* Ella's personality - full-on - over-the-top - pure passion - daredevil - loud - independent

* Abbigail's personality - DRAMA QUEEN!

* the dreaded potty training has begun - much prefer it at home to all the gas station bathrooms - ick!

* our house may go from one bathroom to three this year - this pregnant mama can't wait!

* wish I could order the whole Usborne catalogue!

* exactly how long do you cook raw pot barley?

* if the crying from the bedroom doesn't stop soon I think I might run away!

* I'm having a serious withdrawl from bran muffins......

* pregnancy craving: ORANGES :) Missing the mandarin ones we were spoiled with during our Canadian Christmas....

* it's so freeing to say "no"

* "We CANNOT count on God to arrange what happens in our lives in ways that make us feel good. We CAN count on God to patiently remove all the obstacles to our enjoyment of Him. He IS committed to our joy and we can depend on Him to give us enough of a taste of that joy and enough hope that the best is still ahead to keep us going in spite of how much pain continues to plague our hearts." - LARRY CRABB

* did you know snakes don't have eyelids?

* ultrasound - Jan 17th - boy or girl???? Guesses???

Christmas Vacation Part 1

We made it to our hotel in Montana

our girls are fish!

Arrived at Grandma and Papas on Christmas Eve in new Christmas jammies!

Nana Verna showing the Abbigail the art of nut cracking!

Time for the Christmas Story with Papa

Who needs Santa when ya got Mommy!

Abbigail showing Grandma and Papa her special card she made them.

First of many tea parties I'm sure - this is Fancy Nancy

and here we have Queen Coreen and Camilla

this is Ella Bella

and last but not least our hostess Polly Esther!

out for a walk in Papa's contraption

four generations

the other side of the fam

the whole gang!

cousins

our special Grandmas

good times with cousins!

new wheat bag from Grandma for those cold winter nights!

Smurf Uncle Curtis couldn't pass up for miss Ella

gift giver of the year in Matt's mind goes once again to Papa - a new Air Compressor!!!

Grandma and her girlies

all the girls in our new scarves from mama

good times in matching boy jammies :) Not sure what's up with Matt in this picture - maybe Papa's legs are too heavy?? LOL

more to come......

Happy New Year!

When you can't even remember your sign in name or password - you know it's been too long since you've blogged! Oh my....how life does get away on me! I will be better - soon.....I promise......

Here's the girls on our Alberta Christmas trip.....good times....so glad for my own bed again though!

I'll post more pics soon.....