One Down, Two to Go!

SOOooo, if you couldn't guess from yesterday's Christmas card post... here's a more direct announcement:

**This is the photo I took and sent to my hubby with the message "Looks like Robin tonight!" in the text portion.  We had a deal that if it came out positive, we'd go out to dinner at Red Robin that night.  And yes, I did in fact take the test in the Safeway bathroom and then proceed to the wine aisle for this picture!**

No more wine for me for a few months! :)  We are expecting baby number two in June!  Yay!

We kept this wonderful little secret under-wraps until recently, when we sent out our Christmas cards (which doubled as announcements).  We decided that we wanted to be "in the clear" and safely into our second trimester before spilling the beans.  Now I get to chronicle this adventure... hopefully... if I can keep up.  So here's my first official "bumpdate"!

**Pardon the half naked photos.  I started "recording" the growing belly during my trips to the gym, so these are all either before or after my workout.**

Well, we are down one trimester and have only two left to go! Like there's really that much time when growing a baby, right?!


ICK!  Pretty much throughout my first trimester (and even somewhat now) I have felt sick.  Nothing really sounded good in the first few weeks, and even now my cravings are limited to specific food items: fruits, veggies, orange juice, ice cream, and candy (primarily circulating around chocolate)!  But I am getting my appetite back, eating more pasta type meals, and honey and peanut butter sandwiches.

BELLEH!  My belly seems to be growing faster this time around.  I've heard that this is common for second (or more) pregnancies, and it sure seems to hold true!  So far, though, only Del and I have noticed the difference, and I can still fit into all of my regular clothes.

SLEEP?  All I want to do is sleep!  I am soooo tired, a l l  t h e  t i m e!  But as far as sleep itself is concerned, I have no complaints thus far.

DOCTOR.  We've had two doctor's appointments so far, and one scheduled for the day after Christmas.  We are looking forward to January 25th when we get to see if Baby B #2 is another little boy or the nearly impossible to have a baby girl!

Our due date is still the same: June 10, 2013.  However, if history repeats itself, this little one may come earlier than that.  It is sure to be a crazy time!  So far, we have my grandma's birthday on June 7th; my little brother's high school graduation on June 14th; Del's UW graduation on June 15th; then father's day and my sister-in-law's birthday on June 16th!  It is sure to be chaotic exciting times! :)

Holiday Photo Challenge

The Paper Mama is at it again! :)  She is hosting her Holiday Photo Challenge again this year, and guess what?  I couldn't be more excited because I actually have an entry this time around!  I wanted to enter last year, but was lost on inspiration and ideas until the very last second.  This year, though?  No lack of!

Last year's card:

This year's Christmas photo card is also a special announcement.  Yep!  We have big news!  And we waited until the holiday season to share!  What better way to brighten the holidays than with happy news?!

So, without any further ado... here is our entry for The Paper Mama's Holiday Photo Challenge!

I know that they are a little really busy, BUT, they get all the messages we wanted to send across.  I am soooooo happy with how these turned out!  I am even happier that when I went to print them at Costco, they worked perfectly and I didn't have to waste any money reprinting anything this year!  Always a plus! :)

Happy Holidays!

Christmas Meme

Saw this a while ago over on IROCKSOWHAT and had to do it for myself. Just because.

1. Egg Nog or Hot Chocolate? Hot chocolate. No. Egg nog. With whipped cream and nutmeg.

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just sit them under the tree? He leaves both.  In an ever-so-pretty way, he will set up some on display, wrap some, and stuff the stockings!  Such a creative, stylish, crafty man! ;)

3. Colored lights on tree/house or white? A mix.  We do colored outside and usually a mix of both on the tree.

4. Do you hang mistletoe? No. Always wanted to, just haven't paid the $1.99 for a little package in line at the grocery store.

5. When do you put your decorations up? The. Day. After. Thanksgiving. Right after getting home from Black Friday shopping (yes, I participate!)

6. What is your favorite holiday dish? My hub's mashed yams. Yum!

7. Favorite Holiday memory as a child? Playing in the snow.  Sledding.  Making snowmen.  One year, Santa came early and I got a bike and a bulletin board (before Christmas!).

8. When and how did you learn the truth about Santa? I honestly don't remember this.  I think I just kind of figured it out.  Such a traumatic experience I've repressed it, I guess! :)  Even though we know the "truth" about Santa, my family still practices the tradition.  It's just a nice feeling. :)

9. Do you open a gift on Christmas Eve? Usually no.

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? Growing up, we used a bunch of Hallmark ornaments.  My grandma would send us each a new one every year.  Now that I have my own Christmas tree, we decorate it with ribbon, balls, lights, at other mix-and-matchy ornaments.  No Hallmark ones (hubby isn't too fond of them).

11. Snow! Love it or Dread it? LOVE IT!

12. Can you ice skate? Umm... yes?

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? I've pretty much always liked all of my gifts. :)

14. What’s the most important thing about the Holidays for you? Family.  Food.  The mood.  It is the one time of year everyone seems happier.  Nicer.  More pleasant.

15. What is your favorite Holiday Dessert? I love them all!

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Santa. Family get-togethers. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. 

17. What tops your tree? A University of Washington Santa hat (at least for the past three years that's been our topper).

18. Which do you prefer giving or receiving? Giving.  I love the choosing and (even more so the wrapping - I think I have an addiction!) of gifts.  I love watching Dustin get excited and open each of his presents.

19. Candy Canes: Yuck or Yum? Yum! But they have to be the traditional peppermint ones.  I don't like anything else.

20. Favorite Christmas show? Oh goodness me... umm..... all of them?!

21. Saddest Christmas Song? "Christmas Shoes" by Bob Carlisle

22. What is your favorite Christmas song? Uh..... all of them?!

Happy Birthday Big Boy!

My baby boy is officially four years old {as of 11:51pm yesterday}.  He is growing up waaaay too fast!  He just needs to STOP!  But, alas, I know this cannot happen.  So I will continue to enjoy these happy/frustrating/new/adventurous/aggravating/exploratory/exciting years while they last. :)

Happy Birthday Dustin!

We love you!

{And you will always be mommy's baby!}

What We've Been Up To!

Getting ready for Halloween!

Wordless Wednesday: Stalker

I mentioned in this post back in June that my little brother has joined the Army and is at basic training right now.  I am so excited to say that my hubby is making it possible for me to fly over for his BCT graduation in September! {Yay! Thank you! I love you!}

I've been stalking keeping an eye my brother's Company on Facebook since I found out they had a page.  Each time they post new photos, I immediately search through them and seek out my own SIT (Soldier In Training).  So far, we've found one photo of him eating, and one video of him in the gas chamber.  I think I may have found another of him last week!

It's kind of hard to tell, but I'm almost 99.9% positive that's him!  I don't think he knows yet that we {my step-dad and I} are coming over for his BCT graduation.  It'll be quite the surprise!

Keep up the good work Bryce! {Even though you will most likely never see this! Ha!}

Blueberry Hill

When I was Dustin's age, my mom and I would get together with other family members and go to Blueberry Hill to pick berries.  I always loved it and I was SO excited when I got the chance to take Dustin to experience it for the first time!  I know that him being three he couldn't care less, it's just another berry field to him, but it was so neat for me!

Dustin would pick all of the "green-berries" ...

... and then steal everyone else's blueberries!

HAPPY WEEKENDING!

Wordless Wednesday: Photos

I've been working hard here at home, going through all of our photos, organizing, cleaning, editing, and getting a bunch of new posts ready! Be prepared for post overload this month! Just a preview of what I've been learning teaching myself playing around with... love!

{SOOC}

{Edited}

Happy Wednesday!

{Linking up with: the paper mama, jenni from the blog, bree: his honey and her mommy, and parenting by dummies!}

Friday Favorites

I usually don't post things like this, but I had to listen to it for an assignment in one of my classes and I found it really interesting!  So I thought I would share it for today. :)

Click here to go to video!

Friday Finds

{Practicing my manual photography skills! And a thumbs up, good job from Dustin!}

I've been spending maybe just a little too much time on the Internet lately.  Pinterest seems to be my new addiction (along with constantly looking at other blogs!).  Maybe I should join in on Emily's Unplugging 2012?!

I l-o-v-e keychains! And to make my own? SO neat!

I want to make one of these for my trip to Oregon this summer!

I've been loving lace a lot more lately. Hmm...

I'm always digging through my purse for change.  Maybe this would help me?

WOW!  Such a great gift idea!

I've seen large versions of these at restaurants.  Now I can make my own!

A great way to display all the cupcakes I have in mind to make.

Dustin has been interested in painting lately. This looks fun!

Ahahaha! SO cute!

Yes, I AM thinking about Christmas already.

I have a thing for wraps.

Housewarming gift idea for the in-laws for this August?

Thank You, Grandma Becky!

Dustin has a grandma.  Her name is grandma Becky.  She lives on the east coast.  We don't get to see her.  Like, ever.  So every once in a while she sends Dustin care packages!  Daddy usually gets all of the packages, so it's exciting for Dustin whenever one comes in his name.  The most recent package arrived on our doorstep Monday afternoon/evening.  It was filled with three fun goodies, all of which Dustin wanted to take outside and break-in immediately!

 {Excited to have gotten a package of his own!}

 {First glance at what's in the box, under all the green paper!}

 {Water guns}                         {Cars Lightning McQueen Roller Skates}               {Baseball glove and ball}

{A note to Dustin!}

Wordless{ish} Wednesday: Picking Strawberries

My sister and I were "recruited" to pick strawberries for my mom this year.  So we put on our dirt-friendly clothes, grabbed the camera, and headed out to the fields!  Dustin had a blast (although he mostly just played in the dirt, as do little boys of three years old)!  I am planning on taking him out again later this week/weekend to get some for ourselves.

 {Heading out to our row/s!}

 {"Cheese!" He's really been into the thumbs up thing lately... "Cool dude!"}

 {Aunt Ashley picking strawberries.}

 {Having more fun digging in the dirt than actually picking berries!}

{We picked a few more after this photo was taken... kept finding better ones as we got towards the end of our rows!}

HOOAH!

My little brother is growing up!

Yesterday morning, at 3:43am (specifically, according to my mom), my little brother was picked up by his Army recruiter and taken to the airport to fly out for his BCT (Basic Combat Training).  He will be stationed at Fort Jackson, South Carolina for the next (at least) 10 weeks.  His return date is said to be September 18, 2012.

It's a BIG change for him!  He's never been away from home for more than a couple weeks, and even then he's always had family with him.  With this adventure, he is on his own.  I'm worried about him, of course, but I'm sure he'll be fine. :)

I am currently brainstorming ways to save enough money so that I may fly to the east coast for his graduation.  Maybe this will be the kick in the butt patootie I need to start putting stuff up on Esty?!

The night before he left, Sunday, the whole fam-dam-ily (and a couple in-laws! Love!) went out to dinner at one of our favorite establishments - Red Robin!  Maybe not so "unique," but yummy nonetheless! It was one of the two things requested by my brother for before he was "shipped out."

{My apologies for the non-edited photos... I just didn't feel like trying to edit them before posting.}

 {The whole family!}

 {The children....}

 {Big Sister, Little Brother}

 {My little family with my brother}

{BYE BRYCE! GOOD LUCK! WE LOVE YOU!}

Good luck Bryce!  Be good while you're there!  We'll see you in a couple months! 

WE LOVE YOU!

Berry Berry

Berry Sangria from Applebee's.

'nuf said!

Wordless{ish} Wednesday: Higher Education

{Rube Goldberg project by 2 UW students, demonstrating the chances of a fetus acquiring "diseases & disabilities"}

{Bubbles, bubbles everywhere!}

 {Can I just say, I LOVE his eyelashes!}

 {A game of Kinect anyone?! He's a dancing machine!}

{"I win!"}

 {Of course the cherry blossoms are in full bloom.}

{You are being watched... I walked right past this the first time, felt funny, went back, and then realized what it was.} 

{"What's down there?"} 

{Cool dude! Some new shades from the Microsoft people.} 

Last Friday Dustin and I packed up our own bags and rode the bus into Seattle with Del for a day of adventure on the University of Washington campus.  Del had class, so Dustin and I were on our own for about an hour and a half.  It was a great day to visit campus because HuskyFest 2012 was in full swing and there was lots to check out!  We got free energy drinks, free Fuze drinks, and free Vitamin waters!  We also snagged a couple reusable bags to carry everything in; a couple coupons good for free chips and guacamole & buy one get one free at Chipotle; and a mini tomato plant to plant and watch grow!  

We met back up with Del after his class and wandered around a little more.  We checked out the Microsoft tent where the boys played a little bit of some dancing game (maybe DDR?).  Then we showed Del the Rube Goldberg project we had seen, and Dustin loved!  Of course we also admired the pretty pink cherry blossoms.  And finally, we headed off for home.

Dustin was surprisingly very well behaved.  Shocking, I know, especially considering we've he's been learning how to throw temper tantrums go all rag doll and ignore us if we try to communicate with him.  Oh three year olds... or is it just boys?  So it was a pleasant day!

Happy Wednesday!