Friday, February 25, 2011

Babysitting Flowers

Have you ever had to babysit flowers?  I haven't until last night. Even though it's hard work I will do this again if asked, it's the kind thing to do.  Our neighbor is out of town for a while and she received this beautiful bouquet of 2 dozen red roses for her birthday.  So she told me to enjoy them for her since she wasn't home to get the delivery and won't be home in time to enjoy them herself.  It's hard work, but I think we will manage.     

Friday, February 18, 2011

Blessings

This morning I went to go change Levi's diaper.  While I was in doing this Lulu told me she was going to do some sweeping.  I thought, sure...she loves to pretend sweep and pretend to help me along with really helping me.  I just figured she was going to pretend this time.  I wasn't really thinking too much about it.  When Levi and I came out of his room this is what I saw.  Lulu's chair was moved and she had a really nice sized pile of dirt she had swept from under the table.  Earlier this morning I did a quick sweep and hadn't moved the chairs.  I had made a comment how our floors were dirty and I'll just have to get under the table later.  I was out of energy to do the full job.  So to see her finishing the job that I didn't do made me so happy.  I didn't even ask her, I didn't even think that she would do this.  She is truly a blessing to me.  Not just because she can clean.  But because she makes us laugh a lot, she loves to talk about her love for Jesus, she loves her brother, she has such a caring, giving heart and that God has trusted Mark and I to raise her and knows we can because of Him.  I'm so thankful to have a daughter like Lulu. 

When a women is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for the joy that a human being has been born into the world.  John 16:21 (ESV)

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Happy Valentine's Day!

 Mark and I celebrated Valentine's Day by attending a marriage conference put on by Family Life called The Art of Marriage.  It was a Friday evening and all day Saturday conference.  They put on a nice candlelit dinner for all the couples Friday night. Mark and I both came away from it very encouraged and thankful because it was all about the gospel message of Jesus and God's design for marriage.  Sometimes you go to things that are put on by a church and it turns out to be all man centered or mans ideas.  This conference was not that at all.  We would highly recommend it.  Mark and I had a great time together and laughed a lot, cried a bit, learned a ton and was very encouraged.  I think any marriage needs a good refresher now and then, no matter what stage of life you are in.
 Then yesterday, Valentine's Day we surprised Mark with a lunch at his office.  He was thrilled.  It was just a quick lunch from Costco but the point was getting to see daddy during the day.  
 Then Mark took us out into the warehouse and gave the kids rides on the forklift.  It was a very fun Valentine's day.   
Yesterday morning I woke up to roses and chocolates!  My favorite.  Mark knows that I love the big heart box of chocolates.  I know it's so typical but really Mark know that's all I want.  I love sampling all the different chocolates.  Really it's my perfect gift.  Then last night we had wonderful steak dinner and Mark and I relaxed and watched a movie while sampling the chocolates.
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  Roman 5:8 (NASB)

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Super Easy Maternity Skirt

 I have found that it's really hard to find maternity clothes at thrift shops, especially skirts.  Actually mini maternity skirts are a dime a dozen around here but you won't find me in a mini skirt, especially a maternity one.  I can't imagine being pregnant and wearing a mini skirt......I'm all about comfort while still looking feminine.  It's really easy to find maternity pants though, especially dress pants for working moms who need to look professional at work while pregnant.  So I made my own skirt.  I went to a our local thrift store and found this darling sun dress.  It's not maternity and the top is not my style but the bottom would work perfect for a skirt.  Then I found some dress maternity pants that fit me with one of those stretchy belly bands on top.  This was two different trips to the thrift store by the way.  I took my seam ripper and detached the top of the dress right below the black band.  I then detached the stretchy belly band from the maternity pants.  I then took in the seams on either side of the skirt about 1.5" on both sides to match the pants opening.  I then traced with chalk the form of the belly onto the skirt portion of the dress and cut out the belly in the skirt where the band would go.  Then I did a lot of pinning and sewed it all together.  Now I have a really comfy maternity skirt.  Didn't use a pattern and most of the sewing was done for me already.   
 Here is my new skirt with the belly band from the dress pants.  By the way, the dress pants still had the tags on them. They cost just a few dollars.  The dress was also a couple dollars.  Not too bad!
Here is the end result on me.  It fits great.  I'm excited to make some more. 

Thursday, February 3, 2011

25 Weeks!

Here is Ila at 25 weeks! Ila is about 1.5lbs and 9 inches long according to the pregnancy website I look at.  I'm so excited about this pregnancy.  She is constantly moving and kicking. I'm feeling more tired then I have been but I get bursts of energy now and then.  Every time I eat I get a really full feeling so I have to eat smaller portions more often.  My latest craving was a ham and cheese sandwich.  I still love eating peperoncinis right from the jar.  I love anything sweet too, but I'm really trying to limit that so that Ila doesn't come out 10lbs.  I'm dreaming some fun, crazy dreams.  Last night I dreamt I was flying in a helicopter.  I feel like I'm running out of room but I know that there is a ton of growing still to do.  Lulu and Levi still get excited and talk to Ila.  This month I start seeing my midwife twice a month so that's exciting.  I can't believe how fast it's going.  I know the last month will be here soon enough and probably drag on and on.  The slowest month of anyone's life is the last month of pregnancy.  Well, that's about it for me right now.