Half Way, 21 Weeks

Today marks 21 weeks along in the pregnancy. In ways I can't believe we are half way (plus a week) there but at the same time it still feels like we have forever until this baby gets here. Things are going well so far. Getting past the all day sickness the first several weeks was the worst but all has been good since then. I am dealing with more back pain and aches earlier on but I will take anything over that awful nausea. I am starting to feel more and more little flutters of baby. I am looking forward to soon being able to feel this little one doing acrobatics in my belly. We had the BIG ultrasound about a week and a half ago. The kids and Jay both got to come along and it was great. I was excited for Jay because he hasn't been able to go to any of my appointments and he finally got to see the heartbeat. We didn't hear it but we did see it, all 4 chambers, working away. It is always so amazing to see everything you can see with an ultrasound. The tech was great and explained everything she was looking at and we could actually follow along and see what everything was. The best part of all was finding out that all seems to be going great with this little baby. All looked, and measured as it should and we are so thankful to have a healthy baby. We know we are truly blessed. The one thing we didn't do this 3rd time around at this ultrasound was find out if we are having a boy or girl. I don't know why, but we just didn't want to find out. We think the surprise is fun and think it will be so cool to not know until delivery day what we have in store for us. There is no way I could do it if I didn't already have a boy and a girl. Since we have clothes and stuff for both though I am able to not stress about it. I just can't wait until the day this baby is born and finding out if we have another boy or another girl. The kids both want a baby brother but most other people are predicting a girl. I think it might be a girl but I will offer no official vote or instinct because I really have no clue. Of course Jay and I will be totally ecstatic about either. We just pray for a continued healthy baby and mommy and for a good delivery. It sounds so cliche but really all we want is a healthy baby in the end. Jay pointed out the other day too though that we will be happy even if it's not a totally healthy baby. We just feel so blessed to be parents and that Heavenly Father is blessing us with another beautiful baby.

Paper Chains

I helped the kids make paper chains today to countdown to Christmas. It is a nice thing to do at this age because they have more of a visual of how long until Christmas. Noah especially feels like Christmas is TOO far away so I hope this helps him deal with the time a little better. Between tearing off a chain link and having a chocolate from his advent calendar he has something to look forward to every day and hopefully the wait won't seem too long. It was a fun little craft time this evening and I really enjoyed doing it with them. Even Daddy sat down for a few minutes and made a couple paper snowflakes for the kids. It was a great evening.

The kids each put the stickers on theirs to decorate it. Noah's is the one above and Zoey's is below. Zoey did almost all the chains by herself and Noah did most of his with some help from Mom.

They were excited and just had to take a picture with their works of art. They can't wait for tomorrow to tear off the first chain.

Zoey the Reader

I am so proud of our little Zoey and how much she has learned. I have never put her in preschool or done any sort of preschool at home with her. I know I have had a hand in teaching her the things she has learned but I really don't feel like I have done much. Zoey is such a self motivator and she has such a strong desire to learn and do new things. We are so proud of all she has accomplished. Her most recent stepping stone has been learning to read. She read her first book about a week ago. I consider it her first one, I only had to help her with a handful of words in the whole book. Dr. Seuss's Hop on Pop will be her official first read book. I was so amazed when she sat down with it and went to town. She is such a smart kid and I am so proud of her. Way to go Zoey! I hope you never loose your desire and love of learning.

One of the first things Zoey did when Grandma Kinney got here was read her Hop on Pop.

Our Thanksgiving Weekend

This year's Thanksgiving was a little different than years past. Jay had to work all day on Thanksgiving so we did our big dinner on Wednesday night instead. I am so very thankful for an awesome family who suggested the idea and went with it. I would have never even thought to ask to do it but they offered and I thought it was so nice of them. So we did it and the turkey dinner still tasted the same even though it came a day earlier. It was a good Thanksgiving. Jay's parents were able to come down and spend a few days with us and that was really great. The kids really enjoyed their time with G & G Kinney. It felt like a short visit but it was great they could be here.

Actual Thanksgiving day was spent doing a lot of lounging around. Besides that the kids, G & G Kinney, and I went out to Jay's work to have lunch with him. The hospital always provides a turkey dinner for all the employees who work that day. So we went out to the Urgent Care and ate with Jay. It was a different Thanksgiving but it was a good way to spend it. Aunt Jenn came over later that day too and we worked on getting the outside Christmas lights up. I do have to give pretty much all the credit to Jenn for the work that got done. The lights and the Christmas tree got up over the weekend. It was a pleasant surprise for Mom and Dad to come home to after returning from their week long trip to Missouri. It was a fun thing to do for them. Way to go Jenn for being so motivated and diligent in getting it done.

I was going to do a post on Thanksgiving day about all the things I am thankful for. I never got to it but I do have so very much in my life to be thankful for. I have a wonderful family. My husband and my kids are the best thing in the world even when they drive me crazy. I couldn't imagine my life without them. I have the gospel in my life and all that it encompasses and I truly cannot imagine how I would make it through life without it. I have a roof over my head, food to eat, and tidy nice clothes to wear. I know that though my life may not be what or where I want it to be right now, I do have so much more than so many others in this big crazy world. I have a family and love and happiness in my life and I can't think of anything more wonderful than that. I am blessed, every day of my life and I am so very thankful for ALL I have, good and bad.Almost the whole crew enjoying our YUMMY dinner. I can't believe this is the only picture I took while everyone was there. It's not even a good one. How lame!

The kids with Daddy at his work on Thanksgiving. They love going to Daddy's work, especially when they come away with stickers from one of any of the nice nurses there.

The NOT cutest family picture. I look like such a drab, tired lady in these pictures. Oh well, we took them though. I can't believe I am posting them...

The nice nurse took a picture of all of us. A couple tops of heads may be missing but again, at least we snapped one. That is some crew we have going on there...

Zoey finally braved the ladder and quickly became a fan of climbing it. She had to make sure that EVERYONE saw how cool she was climbing it.

Brave Aunt Jenn up on the roof putting up Christmas lights. Oh the sacrifices one will make in the name of the season.

Noah takes his turn discovering the joy and accomplishment of climbing the ladder. I love the simple things that can thrill a little kid.

Sitting around, chillin, watching the Charlie Brown Thanskgiving movie. Nothing cooler than jellybeans, popcorn and toast for Thanksgiving dinner. Ha ha! You've gotta love Charlie Brown.

The Christmas tree box turned into the kids elevator. They kept visiting the fourth floor which was of course the toy store. I love children's imaginations.

Noah learned a while back how to do somersaults. He is pretty good at them. He has also taken to his daddy a lot more over the past few months. He loves to be around Jay especially when Jay is playing on the xbox or the computer. Daddy even taught him and Zoey recently how to play Mario on the old Super Nintendo. What a fun, great dad!

Cheese

Noah doesn't EVER volunteer a picture opportunity. He asked me the other day to take his picture and I of course ran for the camera. I love my adorable little man.

Happy Birthday Jenn Feef

Last weekend we celebrated my favorite sister's birthday. Ok, I will not call her my favorite but she is pretty awesome. We had family over, delicious food and of course presents and cake. It seemed like a fun evening to me. I hope it was great for Jenn. We love Aunt Jenn/Feef and are so glad she lives close by. Hope you had a very happy birthday!Such a happy birthday girl!

The awesome clown doll we got Aunt Jenn when we were in Vegas. (She is a collector)

A ridiculously funny rendition of happy birthday accompanied by our older bro on his daughters pink guitar. So dumb yet so funny. It even made the dog start barking.

Happy Birthday Jenn. You look so much older and more mature than the 10 candles on your cake reflect.

A Happy and Fun Halloween

This was one of our funnest Halloweens yet. Uncle Donnie and Aunt Amy and all the cousins were here. On Friday night we all went to the ward Trunk-or-Treat and all the kids seemed to have a good time. Then Saturday we all got together again and had pizza and went trick-or-treating in the neighborhood. We also got to have Zoey's friend Maddy and her mom and dad come along with us. There were 7 kids and 6 adults along for the trek for candy. It was a big group and a lot of fun. A lot of people out and about loved our big group all of whom had on glow stick necklaces and/or bracelets. It was a fun night and big and little people alike all enjoyed it.

Our kiddos in their cute Halloween outfits.
My pretty Zoey. She is totally in the weird smile phase but I still think she is precious.

My adorable boy. I love his big grin!

Costume modeling.

Noah showing us his ninja moves.

Zoey in her pretty princess costume. Jay gave her the official title of Queen Katherine of England.

I wish this one of Zoey didn't turn out so crappy with the coloring. I think she looks so pretty and her smile isn't so silly.

Darth David and Spider Kella.

Princess Elyssa and Spider Joshua.

My little ninja all ready to go trick-or-treating.

Our big ole group out on the streets.