It's been a hard days night

Even though Matthew and I didn't venture out to church today, I had to get him dressed up to take pictures with Bud and Emma in their Christmas outfits. I think next Sunday will be the one. I think these are our best pictures of them so far.

Unfortunately Bud is in that i can't produce a real smile, just a cheesy grin phase so, I have to resort to making him say silly things!!

Today we took the kids on a drive. We needed some peace and quiet and that's one way they can keep their hands to themselves. So, we have lived in our current location for 5 1/2 years now and we drove on a part of our highway, not more that 10 miles away, that we had never been on. How does that happen!! Luckily there were no hidden superstores or fabulous restaurants hiding on that small stretch!

I hope that everyone has a safe and Merry Christmas!

So everyone asked, "does he look like the other 2 did?" So, for your consideration I have pictures of Bud, Emma and Matthew at newborn age. Emma totally takes the prize for most hair.

Here's Benjamin:


Emma:


Matthew:

So, what do you think?

So we got our Christmas tree up and decorated. We still went with a live tree this year, but if we can find a deal on an artificial one after Christmas this will be our last. Bud and Emma were pretty into it this year. Matthew was pretty into sleeping through the entire thing! That was pretty helpful. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Well he made it here with a little drama, but in the end we're a-ok!! Matthew Oscar made it here on Tuesday December 11th at 2:44pm. He weighed in at 7lbs 15.4 oz and 20 3/4 inches long. They started me on pitocen at about 9am that moring and things progressed pretty well. Our of the 3 he was my most difficult delivery. He was born "posterior" or face-up, which was a new term for me. We also had a little drama with some blood work, but after 4 phlebotomists, 3 nurses, about 3 hours and 30 sticks, they got a blood draw and IV started on him. All this to discover that he is perfectly fine! We came home this afternoon and we'll see how Bud and Emma handle this new adventure!

So my little side ticker is off, but I think it might freak me out if I change it to be right!!! My hospital bag is all packed, we just need to install the carseat in the van. Earlier this week we thought we might be heading to the hospital to have this kid, but the contractions stopped. I never thought I would be so relieved. My mom comes on Saturday and it would really make life a whole lot easier if she were here when he makes his entrance into the world! So, as long as he cooperates and does come until after lunch on Saturday we're good!!

I've been trying to stay busy and get things done for Christmas. I think we're done shopping for the kids and now I'm working on our neighbor/church/work gifts. Here's a sneak peek at the "crafty" portion of the gift. It's vinyl on little 1.5x1.5 tiles with magnets on the back. I'm pretty happy with how they're turning out. We'll make toffee or brittle to go along if I can get to it or I can get my mom to do it!!



So, the small handful of you that read my blog (i'm not even sure if it's a handful!!) check out our website. N8 has been putting in a lot of time and effort to get it up and going. It still has a long ways to go, but coming along. (www.vinylchitchat.com)

Well we have successfully made it through Thanksgiving. We made it through with a full fridge, lots of shopping and games and fun. My sister, BIL and 4 kids came and stayed with us. Emma and Bud are now going through withdrawal from their cousins! We had a great Thanksgiving dinner. Luckily my cousin who lives here made our turkey and we handled the rest. It turned out great and we're still eating the left overs. We played lots of card and we were also some of the crazy people you hear about shopping at insane hours the day after Thanksgiving. My sister and I were in line at Walmart at 4:30am and didn't stop shopping until about 10am! Even N8 and my BIL got into the game this year and hit a couple of the stores. Now I have to tackle all of the wrapping!!

Being on my feet a lot this past week took it's toll on my though. I no longer have ankles!! Swelling has never been an issue with my previous pregnancies. But I had an appointment yesterday and my blood pressure is totally normal so we're not concerned. I'm just trying to keep my feet up more and watch my salt intake. Yesterday we also set a date to be induced. Dec 11 at 7am I report to the hospital. When the nurse called to hospital to schedule it, she said "I need to schedule an elective induction", and I though, there is nothing elective in giving birth at home and I am not doing that again!! Of course there is the strong possibility that I won't make it to the 11 (that's only 6 days early) but we'll see. My goal is to make it to the 9th so my mom can be here!

What a long week!! It should have felt like a short one though. No work on Monday and a Flex (every other Friday off) tomorrow. But N8 left at 4am Tuesday morning and will be back sometime tomorrow afternoon. I wouldn't have been so bad, but my new found "business", along with Enrichment stuff has kept me on double duty.

First off, the business end of things. On Saturday I signed up to participate in our HS music booster's craft fair. I thought- great exposure, make some holiday $$ as well as work to pay off the machine. I didn't think- N8 will be on travel, I'm 8 months pregnant and have 2 young kids!! So, it better be great-- or else!!! Here are 2 fun items that I'll be selling.


On the 2nd thought- RS is a crazy calling to be in, especially around the holidays. I am trying my best to turn our December HFPE quarterly activity over to my leader, but I'm not very good at giving up control!! We now should be just about ready, or at least planned now. Each year our ward also does a giving tree and this year we're adding those serving missions and in the military from our ward. Since I handled the "paperwork" last year, I said I would do it again since I had the files. Of course it's never as easy as you think it will be!!

So Bud is an avid artist. Here's some of his latest work!!

My little girl gone short!! We had to make a drastic move and cut Emma's hair short! So far nope pulling and eating of the hair. Let's hope for quick hair regrowth!

An entire post dedicated to Amy! Blogging is a great outlet for many reasons. Today's reason is that it's an easy way to pass info and pictures back and forth!!
So here's a picture by picture of how to do a vinyl project

This is what it starts out as. This is a piece that has been cut, but not 'weeded' (the excess hasn't been removed).


Here's what it looks like part way through weeding


Here's a quote ready to have the application tape applied to it.

The tape has been applied and it's "hinged" into the tile so that it can be applied straight.


This is after the application tape has been removed.

After you lay it onto your surface (in this case a 6x6 tile) you want to rub it to make sure every letter adheres well.

Peel away the application tape and there you have it!


Here's a similar quote, just a little different.



I hope that helps demystify how to apply vinyl to something!

Life is going to be crazy for the next month and a half (ok, really the rest of my life, but lets be optimistic!). This past weekend I ended up at the hospital again with what we believe was another kidney stone. It passed and I now have a UTI to thank for it. They monitored the baby for about 2 hours and everything looks fine on that front. It was late Saturday night after the kids were in bed and my cousin just came and watched TV. We got home about 1:30am Sunday morning, only to arise for church on Sunday and get ready so I could teach RS. I was the only on from the pres who ended up there, so I conducted and taught. Boy I am glad that's done! Then on Monday morning I got a call that our old Bishop (he was release about 3 months ago) passed away).

So this week I'm crazy busy, and crazy tired!!

Here's what going on:

Tuesday:RS Pres meeting today
Wednesday: Music Makers & viewing
Thursday: Funeral
Friday: Board meeting

As I write that doesn't look like much. But I'm feeling it! All through this I'm getting things ready to participate in a craft fair on the 17th, N8's in a class- super busy with work and heading on travel all next week!

I'm ready for a vacation. Thanksgiving can't come quick enough.

Well we survived another Halloween. It was a pretty busy day for us. We had music makers in the morning, then Emma and I spent the afternoon at Bud's school helping with the parade and classroom party. Then after school we went to a nursing home to "trick or treat" (this was basically, walk around so the older folks could see the kids dressed up!). Then we did a 2-ward trunk or treat and neighborhood trick or treating!! I'm glad we did it all, but man was I tired. We had so many kids come trick or treating to our house that we passed back out about 1/2 of Bud and Emma's candy. That's probably a good thing!

So, Bud wanted to be a spiderweb again and the his old skeleton costume fit Emma. I needed simple this year!

Also, here's a few pics of the haircut. It's hard to tell, but it is substantially shorter:( It's going to take me a while to get used to it!

Emma is over the edge!! She is driving me crazy! I'm glad she's the cutest thing ever because that makes it slightly bearable. Today I had to break down and cut her hair today. This was our first major hair cut. Since she was an infant we've battled a "habit" she has. She pulls her hair out of her head and eats it!! It's not just a hair here or there, it's like 10 strands at a time. So, I cut about 5 inches off hoping that it will help. We'll see.

We're gearing up for tomorrow. On Saturday we went to our little local downtown and trick or treated at the shops. Now that's all Emma can talk about. Luckily Bud understands a little better about time and days of the week.

On the vinyl front. I have taken some of the framed items to a local children's consignment store that allows vendors. I know on Saturday at least one item sold!! I'm very excited. This week I got some of the basic paperwork for a business license and permit. We also got a domain name and a bare bones (seriously under construction!!) website. Check it out. www.vinylchitchat.com N8 is super busy at work and is battling a sinus infection so any work on it has been done be me. So, thus a not very pretty or done website!

So after much debate and many spreadsheets, N8 and I decided to jump on the vinyl bandwagon!! It came yesterday and after hours of installing, reinstalling, emailing tech support and some trial and error, I think we've figured it out. Well, sort of!! I would say there is a learning curve for sure!!
I've done 3 little projects.
Take a peek!
Here's all 3.

Here's a close up.



They sayings are on glass clip frames with scrapbook paper behind them.

I'm looking forward to this new venture, but pretty darn nervous.


So, here's to a new adventure!!

But the sun will come out!! What a week! It really started at the end of last week. Bud was sick and we thought he was totally on the mend. N8, Emma and I were all feeling pretty well. Then on Tuesday afternoon I started having some immense pain on my right side. We went into the doctor and found blood in my urine, so we figured I was passing a kidney stone. We didn't want to got the ER or be admitted, so went home and toughed it out. About 4 hours, 60 oz of water and many potty trips, the pain was gone.

We thought all was well until Wednesday morning both Bud and Emma woke up running fevers. When we took them into the doctor Bud was running 103.5 ! It turns out they both had a chest virus, but Bud also had a nasty ear infection.

Then on Thursday and Friday it was N8's turn. He started in with the fever, chills, sour throat. But after a day of rest and lot of pray he felt a bit better on Saturday. This was very, very important!

Saturday was our stakes commemorative day in the LA temple. We had 433 members of our stake attend an hour long session in the solemn assembly room of the temple. It was a wonderfully spiritual experience that I would have been very disappointed to miss.

Along the lines of crazy happenings as well is that our babysitter for Saturday injured herself at a track meet the night before! Luckily my cousin who lives in town and my aunt and uncle (we were just visiting!) watched them all day. We are so grateful for them helping us out.

Where does it go? This past week flew by without anything significant happening. Then on Friday Bud woke up with no voice and running a fever. I kept him home from school (missing a field trip to the hospital). He also missed his soccer game Saturday and church on Sunday. His energy is back in full force now and no fever, but now he has a cough. He did get to go to school today which we were both happy about!

We did have a fairly productive Saturday. N8 had a campout for scouts Friday night but left right after breakfast and was back home by about 10am on Saturday. N8 and I went through our closets in our bedroom and did a major clean-out! We had things in there that we hadn't worn in years. This made a much better space for the baby. Now he'll have a nice little corner for his moses basket.

Our other excitement since my last post is a new purchase for the family. It's already getting lots of use, in face I'm using it at this very moment. We finally broke down and got a laptop! It's so nice to sit at the couch and be able to work on stuff for church or surf the internet. Plus now N8 and I can be on the computer at the same time.

Yesterday was Bud's 5th birthday. It was full of treats and some fun. We started out the day with music makers and we took treats for all of our friends. At school I took treats and then we had some friends over for cake and ice cream later that night. The only downside to the whole day was that N8 wasn't there. He's getting home today. Bud received some really fun gifts, here are a few pics from the day!


On this one I was trying to get Bud and his new fish tank, but our kitty Paccha wanted to be in the the picture!

Well at least in the mornings it is. It's still warming up a bit in the afternoon. N8 told me that I could put out fall and Halloween decorations once October came. Well, it's October and they are now up. Of course when I talked to him today (he's in Atlanta for the week for work), he thought it was hilarious that I already got them up. He had also asked me to wait until October to order our carseat, stroller and moses basket. Guess what I did this morning! It should all be here in about 2 weeks. I'm so excited for it all to come it. I also ordered a diaper bag from walmart.com as well. I figured as long as I was having the rest shipped to the store (free!!) I might as well get a new diaper bag. Hopefully I like it.
So here's my piano

Here's my mantle:

Here's the bookcase:
(We're making those terra-cotta Jack-o-lanterns next week at our enrichment craft group)

My other project that I finished up was a calendar for the kids. It's on a small magnetic white board. I printed out images and laminated them with magnets on the back so the kids can see what things are happening each day. Another sister in our Ward had done one and it looked like fun.

No I'm not, no I'm not!! Ok, that might be an exaggeration, but today that's what it feels like. This is my 3rd baby so I figured I knew what the pregnancy symptoms were and what it was like. Insomnia has never been one of the side affects though!! I'm not an early to bed person in general, but at 2am when I'm still wide awake there's something wrong! I know that in the end it bring the blessing and joy of a baby, but for the time being I would just like a little sleep!

Other than the insomnia my only other bothersome pregnancy complaint is Restless Leg Syndrome. Rather than a pain in the neck it's a pain in the legs!! Well pain might not be the correct term, more like annoyance. It isn't painful at all, it just drives a person crazy. Imagine that tingling sensation you get after you foot falls asleep. Now imagine that sensation crawling up your legs for hours on end! Luckily it's starting to cool down and heat seems to offer some sort of relief. But you don't really want to use a hot rice pack when it's a 100 degrees outside!

So, here's to a good nights rest!

So the paper lanterns are here, installed and a success. I also got new bedding for bud and made some pillows and have a few more to make. For the pictures in buds room we downloaded pictures from Nasa's hubble telescope and printed them. I'm happy with how it all turned out.
Here's Emma's room with the paper lanterns









Here's Buds room