and again...

So what have we been up to?  How about another round of the stomach bug!  What??????  I didn't know you could get it twice within weeks.  Our oldest daughter and myself have been bathroom buddies for a couple days....and again we're praying the rest of the family does not get it....again.  This is not the way I planned on losing my baby weight!

Baby girl is doing well and growing.  She just moved out of the newborn diapers into size 1 which tells me she is gaining!  She has been such a trooper with nursing.  She was such a great nurser at the hospital, then we came home and she had to be bottle formula fed while I was really sick, then I switched her to just nursing and she did wonderful.  She is starting to get into a sleep schedule which is nice.  We are slowly getting into a schedule around the house....slowly!!  I'm finding it a big adjustment going from 5 to 6.  I don't know if it is because we've had so much sickness lately or what....but it will come.  I'm just enjoying baby cuddles right now :)

Other than that....I don't have much to post about.  I haven't even taken pictures lately!  Need to get on that!

First tooth

Our boy lost his first tooth the other day.  It was quite funny....he was very nervous about how much it was going to hurt having it pulled out.  I told him we would wait till it got really wiggly and pull it then so it wont hurt as much.  Well, he goes off and starts wrestling with his big brother on the floor, ends up hitting himself in his mouth with his own hand, and out pops his tooth!  I like pulling teeth....but that works too :)

2 weeks old

Finally some pics over the past week

Here is our sweet baby girl!

01-28-14

02-01-14

02-02-14

02-04-14

02-04-14

02-05-14

Baby is here

It's been a long time since posting but it's been a crazy, crazy week!!!!  Baby did arrive safely on Monday at 12:15pm weighing 9.9 lbs!  She was a big girl!  Everything went so very well with a short labor and quick delivery.  We are so thankful.  The week leading up to her delivery the kids had come down with the stomach bug.  Nasty, nasty stuff.  One would get it and then a few days later another etc.....While we were at the hospital, our oldest had it.  We came home on Tuesday and by Friday I came down with it.  What a horrible 3 days!  Hubby sure stepped in and was doing the nightly feedings and diaper changes.  What a guy :)  I was so dehydrated, my milk wasn't coming in.  She was given formula for several days.  She also had bad jaundice and hubby had to take her into the doctors WITHOUT ME!  That was one of the hardest things I had to watch was him drive off with our baby and me not be there with her.  The kids haven't been around baby yet just because we're not sure when this bug is going to stop.  Hubby has been feeling a little off lately but so far the Lord has seen fit to keep him healthy.  We also have one boy who didn't get it so I'm still a little anxious about that.  We are praying baby girl doesn't come down with it since I'm sure I exposed her to it.  Hopefully if we can get through this week without anyone coming down with it we will be out of the woods.  Not really the way we pictured bringing a new sibling home but God is good.  I hope to get some pictures posted soon.

Baby will be arriving shortly...

So I better update on what's going on!!  Baby is scheduled for induction on Monday the 27th.  I am already 3 cm dilated which took me by surprise.  I'm thinking she is already over 8 lbs towards 8.5 or higher...yikes!  We are all just anticipating her arrival and can't wait to meet her.  Grandma and Grandpa are due to arrive tomorrow to watch the kids.  I'm almost packed for the hospital :)  Hopefully the weekend will go quickly!

Flu fighter

With news of the flu going around, I thought I would post this recipe for Elderberry syrup for my friends and family.  It has been shown that having Elderberry in your system can deter the flu virus from setting in but if you do get the flu, Elderberry will cut down on the number of days you suffer and the the symptoms.  Elderberry is very easy to make!!!  We currently have 2 jars in the fridge and we're taking it morning and night for prevention.
I buy my ingredients from the Bulk Herb Store.
Dried Elderberry: http://www.bulkherbstore.com/Elderberries-Whole_Organic
Raw Honey: http://www.bulkherbstore.com/Raw-Honey?s=raw%20honey

It is best to use Stainless Steel when cooking with herbs.  In a stainless steel pot, pour 1/2 cup dried elderberries and 3 cups water.  Bring to a boil, cover pot and simmer for 30 -45 mins.  Pour syrup into a mason jar through a fine strainer (or cheesecloth) and mash/squeeze the berries against the strainer or cloth to get all the extra juice out.  When it cools down a little, add 1 cup of raw honey.  Stir and store in fridge for 3 months.
Take a spoonful a day (we take 2!) for prevention, but when sick take a spoonful every hour.
(Adults: 1 tbsp, Children: 1 tsp)

Here's a video to help you if you need more instructions:
http://jillshomeremedies.blogspot.com/2011/11/how-to-make-elderberry-syrup.html

Happy Birthday to our girl!

Happy birthday to our firstborn!  Eleven years old....imagine.  Entering the pre-teen years!  Our girl is such a big help around the house especially right now when it is so hard for me to do things (with such a huge belly!!)  She is becoming quite the young lady.  Please be in prayer for her as she heads into these next couple of years of change, that she will have a servant's heart and will continue to maintain a willingness to learn and follow the guidance of us, her parents, and that she will continue to grow closer to the Lord.  I look forward to the next phase of life with her as she matures!  She is such a blessing to our family and we love you so very much!!

How Deep the Father's Love for us

This is a song we love to sing at church.  Hope you enjoy!

 How deep the Father's love for us
how vast beyond all measure,
That He should give His only Son
to make a wretch His treasure
How great the pain of searing loss!
The Father turns His face away
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
bring many sons to glory.

Behold the Man upon a cross,
my sin upon His shoulders;
Ashamed, I hear my mocking voice
call out among the scoffers.
It was my sin that held Him there,
until it was accomplished.
His dying breath has brought me life,
I know that it is finished.

I will not boast of anything;
no gifts, no power, no wisdom;
But I will boast in Jesus Christ,
His death and resurrection.
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer;
But this I know with all my heart;
His wounds have paid my ransom.

Won!

So I won these the other day and received them in the mail today!  I'm excited to read them....I know I will be encouraged and convicted!!  The first book is Proverbs for Parenting and the second is Parenting is HEART Work.

In other news, this has been quite the trying week.  We got home from vacation and a couple of the kids have come down with a croupy cough.  Then we got stranded on the side of the road when our van alternator died.  Then hubby was in bed for 2 days with we're-not-sure-what but thankfully he is back to his normal self again....and we also found out that our dear Pastor has resigned and is leaving the end of the month to be a senior pastor at another church!  We are happy for their family but are sure going to miss them!!!  I hope this next coming week will be better.  We will start it off with hubby's work Christmas party so the kids are looking forward to that!

Today the weather is calling for lots of snow so hubby has already left from work early to avoid the dangerous roads.

For baby updates, everything is on track and looking good.  She is still such an active girl!  We are counting down with 8 weeks left!

And last night, our big girl comes downstairs and says her tooth is really wiggly and wants me to pull it out.  I grab a kleenex and hold onto the tooth....give it a twist and out it pops only to realize I'm holding 2 MOLARS!  How in the world I pulled out both I do not know but poor girl cant chew on her left side anymore (both teeth were loose by the way).
That's about it.....

Thanksgiving

We had a nice time away for Thanksgiving.  It is always enjoyable spending the holidays with family.  We were able to see the grandparents and great-grandparents, cousins (Aunt/Uncle) and second cousins.  Here are a few pics....

Slacking!

Not only have I been behind in my blogging but I was seriously slacking with getting the kids birthday pictures done professionally!  We finally got our July birthday boy done and still have our Sept birthday boy yet to do....followed with our girl who is going to have a birthday in a couple weeks.  Ahhhh!!  Well, here are his pics and the first one is the one we bought.

28 week appointment

I had an ultrasound today to check if the placenta has moved up out of the way for baby to be born and it has!!  We thank the Lord for this answer to prayer.  Baby looked really good.  She is measuring exactly according to her due date and she looked healthy and very active.  She is approx. 3 lbs and 14 in long.  We are thankful for this good report today.
I've been recording my blood sugar at home and the doctor was very happy with the results.  I did experiment a little with some foods to see how it would affect my sugar levels and there are some things I do need to eat in moderation.  He would like me to continue monitoring but was very happy.
So it was a good day today!

Grandma and Grandpa visit

Had a nice but quick visit with Grandma and Grandpa over the weekend!  The kids loved it!

Updates

Thought I would update about pregnancy etc.  I had a doctors visit yesterday and had high blood pressure again.  I took in my record sheet which I have been recording my BP at home morning and night.  The numbers were great so the doctor is not concerned with my BP anymore.  He sees that it is high only at office visits (which I don't know why....oh well).  I need to start recording my blood sugar at home now to see if I am diabetic or not.  He was fine with me not doing the 3 hr glucose test.  Baby had a good heartbeat.  She is lying transverse (side to side) at the moment.  All my babies tend to flip back and forth, up and down until the last minute!  I go for an ultrasound in 2 weeks to see if my placenta has moved away from the cervix.  Praying it has so that I will not need a c-section!   I have been having some contractions.  The other day they were 10 mins apart for an hour.  I was getting a little worried but was glad when they finally stopped.  Don't want this little gal to come too early!!  Thirteen more weeks to go!  Other than that all looks well.....

The family is all doing great.  We were just talking about hubby's throat the other day.  It has been 20 months since his last surgery!!  (He was going every 8 months!!)  We are so very thankful the diet change seems to have done the trick.  God is so good.  All the kids are doing great.  We have started learning Spanish which has been interesting.  I think it will be a long time before we are fluent in the language!!!  Other than that, school is going well.  

Can you spot him?

Here is the yearly staff photo at hubby's work.  He is very easy to pick out this year.  Can you spot him?

Also, a quick update on me.  I was suppose to go to my 3 hr glucose test today (thank you for all those thinking of me today).  I actually cancelled it.  If you know me, I'm a researcher.  I have a need to find out as much as I can when it comes to medical things.  I was really struggling with going for this test.  It does not seem natural to me to put your body into a fast and then give it a sugar shock like that.  Side effects are vomiting, fainting, sweating, shakes, nausea.....it's just not natural!!  So I set out to research better ways :)  Many midwives simply recommend that you take your blood sugar after each meal (using glucose strips - diabetic meter) for about a week.  You can buy them for under $20 at Walmart or other pharmacies.  It is a more 'real world' scenario  rather than the syrupy sugar drink.  So, I will be talking to my doctor and praying he will get on board with me and my idea *smile*.....I'm such a pain when it comes to following doctors orders!!
I've also been recording by blood pressure at home for the past several days.  I have great readings at home....it just seems to be when I go to the doctor....so we'll see what he says about that too!

Church pics

Here's the kids before church this morning....I love when they color coordinate :)

Disappointed

Well, I didn't get good news from my glucose test.  First time I have failed it.  Now I have to go for the 3 hr glucose tolerance test.....yuck!  Also, my blood pressure was high again so I have to do the 24 hr urine test.....uuugggg.  They talked about starting medication again.  I guess I'm showing my maternal age!!  I don't think I'm diabetic.  My numbers were slightly elevated but they say only 1/3 of woman who take the 3 hr test are actually diabetic.  But they say it can be quite nauseating because you have to fast for 10 hrs and take a really sweet drink and have blood drawn 4 times over 3 hrs!!!!  I hope I don't faint!  I also have to start recording my blood pressure during the day for the next 2 weeks and bring it to my next appointment.  I am looking forward to this stage being over and holding our little one!!!  Please keep me in your prayers that I will pass and do well at my glucose test on Tuesday.....that I can get my blood pressure under control....and that I will stay healthy (and baby as well!)  Poor hubby does not like this stress :)

Soup Recipe

Well, supper turned out really good!!  My family is going to be shocked but I made broccoli cheese potato soup AND I ate it!  It was very tasty!  I surprise myself sometimes.  The majority of the kids enjoyed it too....the 2 younger ones liked to dip their bread in it and eat it that way.  Here is the recipe:
-Steam 2 small bunches of broccoli in steamer for 30 mins.
-Peel 2 medium size potatoes and cube.
-In a pot, pour 3-4 cups chicken broth and add cubed potatoes....boil until potatoes are soft.
-In another pot, melt 3 tbsp butter, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp thyme.
-When butter is melted, add 3 tbsp flour and thoroughly mix.
-Pour the chicken broth and potatoes(when it is done cooking) into the buttered pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer about 5 mins until thickened.
-Take the steamed broccoli and finely chop it into small bits.  Add to the soup mix.
-Add 1/2 cup milk or cream.
-Add 1 and 1/4 cup shredded cheese (sharp or mild) to soup.  Mix until melted.

Birthday, berries and books

Today is hubby's birthday.  We are a very blessed family!  We love you daddy!!  The kids are making him a special yogurt surprise for dessert and I'm going to attempt a new recipe :)  I'll let you know how it turns out.
Here are some pics of our girl eating her berries.  What a cutie! .....and the kiddos hard at work to finish up school today.

Pics!

It's been awhile since I've taken any pics of the kids.  I was taking some of our little one and our 3yr old wanted some done too....so here are some with some effects as well.

Paul Washer and his wife's testimony

I'm a huge fan of Paul Washer. He gives the gospel message like no other. The first is a message by Paul, the second video is his wife's testimony. Both are very powerful.

Acappella ..

Lamplighter Dramatic Audios

I've written about these stories before how much we LOVE them!!  Whenever we go on a long trip, these audios are brought out and we listen to them over and over.  I just found a site that lets you listen to some of these stories for free!!  They are broken up into smaller segments.  The kids favorites are Hedge of Thorns and Basket of Flowers....but we love all of them!
http://www.sermonaudio.com/search.asp?currpage=1&keyword=lamplighter&SourceOnly=true&currSection=sermonssource&subsetcat=series&subsetitem=Lamplighter+Theatre&AudioOnly=false&sortby=

Pastor in disguise

http://ireporterstv.co/church-members-mistreat-homeless-man-in-church-unaware-it-is-their-pastor-in-disguise/

Wow....that was interesting!  A new pastor to a church with a membership of 10,000 arrived for his first service disguised as a homeless man.  Read how his unknowing congregation treated him and how they reacted when he was finally introduced as their new pastor!! (the elders were in on it the whole time)

Kicks

So fun!  All the kids were able to feel baby move tonight.  I love how their eyes get wide every time they feel her kick.  I love this stage!!  And hubby was able to feel her tonight too.

Happy Birthday

Our boy turned 6!!!  I can't believe how these kids are growing so fast!  My oldest came to rescue again for me this birthday.....making the cake.  We got home from church and I really needed a nap so off she went and made the cake.  It was delicious!  We didn't decorate it according to our snake theme but he sure loved his 'snake' themed cards!!  He got his toy guns he was hoping for, some Star Wars figurines, and a ninja suit and sword.

He's 6!

Cake decorator