{Pockets}

We have been so busy around here!

Add that to the fact that I'm still not feeling well and you get yourself an incredibly boring blog!(:

What have we been up to?

Well...

Our babies were in the church Christmas program for the first time yesterday.
Pretty exciting for clucky parents. (;
All 3 had the option of dressing up like sheepies and sitting on stage while looking cute.
As we were getting ready to go to dress rehearsal the other morning Jude informed me that he wanted to be a black sheep....
Um, ya. That boy is really coming into his own the past few weeks and let me tell you, he's shocked Mommy and Daddy a few times. Whatta personality!
After being told I only had "white sheep" costumes he decided he would not be in the play at all. Pleased as punch, he was. It suits him just fine to do the exact opposite of everyone else.
He followed Daddy around getting the set ready all morning while Camden and Gwyneth patiently practiced their parts. It took Gwyneth a bit to warm up to the stage, but she bravely conquered her fears. It helps to have so many cousins and big brother right by your side. Camden has no fear of people. He loves everyone as if they were his best friend so he had no reservations...until the real thing. Why he got so upset I'll never know. Right before their cue he erupted in tears and refused to go on-stage. Who woulda thunk it would be our shy, prickly pear little girl to sit happily in front of the crowd while batting Preston's "ears" to the point of distraction? Mommy is very proud. And so was Gwyneth. She strutted her stuff the entire day.

We've also been knee deep in "pockets"

(Jude's word for projects.)

I haven't tackled half the ones I had on my list.

I almost decided against Christmas cards!

Now, those of you who know me at all, know that I must not be feeling well to consider that!

And I won't even admit that Daddy put up the Christmas tree while Mommy was sleeping!

If it weren't for him it wouldn't have gotten done, so yucky do I feel.

For Daddy we made these today.

They are his favorite and I'm sad to say he hasn't gotten them since before he was called "Daddy" We love you, Daddy!

I so wanted to make some chocolate covered cherries with Grandma this year, since next year we'll have a little one to contend with. But....you guessed it, yucky. So, these will have to suffice.

Oh ya, I think we even made enough to share with everyone!

And this is the kids' gift for Aunties and Uncles and Grandparents, too. They practiced twisting these buggers forever. And Gwyneth would just mangle a red and white one together and say, "Look, Mom. I'm making cute things!" Needless to say, Mama ended up doing most of them in the end. Just remember when they hand them out to ooh and ahh and all that jazz....oh, and not to get irritated about all the glitter that refuses to stick. That was my mistake.

Yep...

This pretty much sums up how this morning's shoot went.

Why do I even try?

I never win...

Awe, Jude.

What are we to do with you?

Coincidentally, we fight the same battle every time we try to put a coat on him.

Fun stuff.

S'more...

These didn't go as planned. I'm hoping to do a re-shoot.

I've been holding out for snow to do our Christmas card photos.

Doesn't look like it's going to happen...I'm running out of time!

A couple I liked...

White Stuff.

Just Gwyneth and I taking advantage of a bit of leftover snow yesterday morning.
Ain't they purty?

Little Miss

She has an opinion about everything,
and makes no bones about sharing it.
She is spunky and sassy and unbearably shy all at the same time.
Her throaty giggle and husky voice are the most endearing I’ve ever heard.
She loves Mama like no other and happily spends every waking moment at my side.
She is quite the efficient little helper and does everything with a purpose.





















She has an amazing ability to memorize place names and will spout them off on our car rides. The other day we went shopping, just her and I. While we were still on the loop she shouted the name of the lake she saw through the trees and then added, “It’s made of lemonade!” So that’s why it’s always been so murky? That’s a whole lot better than what I’ve always thought it’s made from!

Then, while waiting in line at Starbucks she asked what I was doing when she saw me rummaging around in my purse. I told her I was getting money to pay for my drink. She said, “I need some money, too.”
“Oh, you do? What do you need money for, Sis?”
“I need some money to buy me some chocolate!”
HeHe. She loves the stuff and will periodically come up to me and beg for it, out of the blue. It’s not like we eat it all the time around here, but somehow she’s addicted already. And I’ll tell ya the secret to get her to warm up to you: Pump sugar in this girl and she’s a whole different person; wild, happy, flirty and outgoing!

Unspectacular...

Okay. I've been tagged!

I actually love these things, when it's other people!
I'm pretty boring, though.

6 unspectacular things about myself.
Hmmmmm...

1.) I love to bake. Something my dad instilled in me. Growing up, it was a rule in our house that we bake a new goody every day. Something about baking seems so wholesome and gives me a feeling of contentment.

2.) I hate swimming. I panic when my head is under water and I'm so miserably cold the entire time that my back cramps up from shivering.

3.) I can count the number of men I truly respect and trust on my fingers...almost on one hand.

4.) Starbucks is my all time favorite treat...that, or a massage.

5.) I long to be a brilliantly creative person...and for the energy and time to do it. I guess I need an outlet.

6.) I could easily be a vegetarian simply because of my lack of love for all things "meat". When I eat meat (of any kind) I can taste the flesh of the animal and it's really hard for me to get past that.

K.
My 6: I tag Crystal, Dana, Lance, Staci, Gami, and Ryan.
Make it good, guys!

Yucky...

Yucky, Yucky, YUCKY!!!

That's how everything in my little life is these days.
The "morning" sickness.
The pile of dirty dishes that never goes away.
My reflection in the mirror.
The 3 children peeing their pants and everything in a 3 foot radius.
The pile of laundry that never gets folded and put away,
even if it does happen to make it through the wash.
Etc.

I have had morning sickness to the point of feeling like I have the flu for a solid month now. Everything makes me sick: Eating, not eating, the computer, the tv, the car, music, whining. Every day seems like an eternity at this point. And it's only getting worse, so far! Usually mornings are my reprieve. I feel good enough to take care of the kids and clean up a bit. Then at nap I lay down and rest because I'm so tired. But not today. This morning I feel just as sick as I do every evening and all night long. It takes everything in me not to hurl. I get dinner finished and either watch the family eat it or just go to bed because I'm too sick to do anything else. The nights Lyle is gone at practice are torture for me....which happens to be tonight and I can hardly bear the thought of it after feeling this way ALL day already.

I know there's a light at the end of tunnel, but today has just been extraordinarily difficult.
I guess I'm taking lessons from Jude (;
Sorry about the whine-fest

I did get to hear June-Bug's heartbeat yesterday. Proof that someone really is in there making me so miserable. The kids are getting excited about the whole idea of "baby"
Camden is SURE, and I mean absolutely possitive, it's a girl and he says EVERY time that it's a sister. He can't wait to change "her" diaper all by himself and worries about whether or not he'll be able to find the right size. (: I told him the other day that there's a possiblity that the baby is a boy. He said, "Gwyneth can have a brother. I want a sister." At which point I begged, once again, "Please God, let it be only one." (:
Gwyneth is also begging for a sister. She can't wait to hold "her".
Jude doesn't want a baby. He gets so mad every time we ask if he wants a brother or sister and he says, "I want a car!"
"Wouldn't you like to hold the baby when it comes?" we ask.
"I want to hold a car!" he says.
We finally told him we'd get him a car when the baby comes because he's been so upset over it. Silly boy. Not sure how the transition will go for him. (: