Baby update

I put my glucose test off a few weeks longer than I should have due to the doctors office poor scheduling and my business. So...I just had my glucose test done at my last appointment. The lady that took my blood told me that no news is good news and that I was fine unless I got a call. So...as you can imagine, I was pretty nervous when I found a message on the answering machine from the doctors office. I quickly called back thankfully to find out that my blood sugar was fine...but that my iron was low. I guess this isn't much of a surprise, because the same thing happened with Hannah. My iron level should be 12-16 and mine is 11.5, so I just missed it. This might help explain some of the tiredness I've been experiencing the past few days. So an iron supplement will be added to my handful of vitamins at the end of the day. I continue to thank God for the healthy pregnancy with no complications thus far. I've had several reminders lately of the precious miracle of life that I am carrying around. It's easy to loose focus on that in the midst of a sore back, occasional heart burn, and my growing belly. I'm thankful that God has chose us to be the parents of this precious little life growing inside of me. Can't wait to meet him!

A mix up of words

Hannah has an amazing vocabulary. Seth and I are always in awe of the words that she knows and picks up just from listening. She doesn't pronounce too many things wrong, or use the wrong words very often...so when she does I just think it's so cute. Here's a story from yesterdays nap time that I just had to share. Sunday's are usually a wash as far as routine goes...but I did manage to get Hannah down for a short nap yesterday. With small group being at our house, she was able to sleep a little longer. I was hoping that she might sleep through some of small group...she did, but not for very long. I went in her room when I heard her, and she said "Mommy, you are using loud voices...talk more slowly." Needless to say..that was the end of nap time.

Happy Homemaker Monday: July 12

The weather in my neck of the woods:

81 degrees..the sun has been shining on and off and we got just enough rain this afternoon that I won't have to go out and water the flowers

Things that make me happy:

newly printed pictures of my little girl framed around the house

Book(s) I'm reading:

Toddlerwise (again), Unshaken by Francine Rivers, and does "It's not easy being a Bunny" count? :)

What I'm enjoying on TV:

Hmm...haven't watched too much tv lately

On the menu for dinner tonight:

going to try cheese hamburger quiche from my friend Ali's church cookbook

On my to-do list:

menu plan

run errands

start prep for kids camp crafts

write notes to mail

wash windows (trying to get a few done at a time..before baby comes)

New recipe I've tried or want to try soon:

made a strawberry banana trifle for small group yesterday...used vanilla wafers which cut on cost and time, chocolate cake truffles

In the craft basket:

kids camp crafts of course!

Looking forward to this week:

spending time with friends

Tips and tricks:
learned this from Erica last week: many times a teaspoon of peanut butter will stop hiccups.

Favorite blog post this week:

• If you are a young mom...this article is must read! You will be blessed and encouraged! "For the Young Mother: Ministry, Guilt, and Seasons of Life"


• A dream deferred


• "A Legacy: What I Want My Children to Remember About Me"

No words needed (favorite photo pictures yours, or others you want to share):

Lesson learned the past few days: it's worth the time to stop and rest (a hard lesson for me)

On my mind: praying for upcoming ministries at church: Farmington Festival this weekend and Kids Camp next week...

Devotional, Scripture Reading, Key Verse: "The people of Israel, whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work of the Lord had commanded by Moses to be done brought it as freewill offering to the Lord." Ex. 35:29

I was challenged by the generosity of the Israelites this morning...

Fun in the pool before heading home

We were headed for home on Monday, but took the chance to enjoy one last morning with Grandma and Papa before we took off. It was a warm day...so we pulled out the kiddie pool for some water fun!

Hannah had fun lining her ducks up in a row

and got lots of giggles from splashing

The 4th of July

The fourth was a wonderful day!! I had been waiting for this day since Seth left for Canada...because it was the day that he would come home. We enjoyed spending the morning with Grandma, Erica, and Eli and going to church with Grandma. After church we got a bite to eat and before we knew it, we were off to meet up with our husbands!! YAY!!

We enjoyed dressing up for the 4th and all had on our red, white and blue. Erica and I had fun doing our nails the night before...red toes and french manicured nails....such fun. We also ended up both bringing blue and white to wear, so Mom F. joined in the fun and wore blue and white also. Here are some pictures from our day!

she sure loves her cousin!

the "after" picture: husbands home with beards and tans...we were so glad to have them back!

Hannah giving Uncle Adam some love before he headed back to see Auntie Jill


That night we headed to Lima for the Star Spangled Spectacular, where we enjoyed a beautiful fireworks show. Both the kids did great! Hannah LOVED watching the fireworks, and unlike Hannah at that age, Eli was awake for all of them. It was so much fun to celebrate the 4th with family...esp. having my husband back home and by my side :)

(baby belly=30 wks)

Aren't they such a cute little family?!

Hannah and Grandma mesmerized by the fireworks

what a great night!

Gran & Pa and a trip to the festival

We kept busy every day enjoying time together and with family. On Saturday, Gran and Pa came over for a visit. Hannah had fun reading Bible stories to Gran. Here she is showing Pa her golfing skills

and building a tower with him :)

Hannah loves her bike at Grandma's house and was often found just like this. She can pedal like crazy now and would ride her bike all day if she could.

Eli wanted in on some of the fun, so he joined in too!

We headed to the festival in Celina and were able to enjoy some animals at the petting farm.

Hannah really has a way of making her cousin Eli giggle. While we were riding in the car...she sure got him going... :)

More family fun

We enjoyed some lazy mornings hanging out in jammies at Grandmas!

book buddies...

We made a trip over to make a surprise visit to Nana and Papa. Nana made us ham and cheese for lunch, we enjoyed getting to meet baby Berlin, and relaxed on the patio while Hannah played.