Space Travel

One of the best parts of having a preschooler/child is the field trips.

Not necessarily the part about surrounding myself with one hundred twenty other preschoolers but having one on one time with Jack.

Recently we went to the planetarium with Jacks school.

It was so fun to have him show me all the things he had been learning in school.

Not to mention, Jack is hilarious.

    

 While visiting the moon Jack though he would test out his many feelings. (You know just in case the gravitational pull adjusts your facial expressions while floating through space.)

Jack was happy, sad, mad, angry, and scared all while visiting the moon.

He is so stinkin' smart. Telling me all about the gas giants and the rocky midgets

All about Saturn's rings and why Mars is red. 

I promise I learned more than he did. And had so much fun doing it.

Stubborn

Lucy is 

sweet

funny

adorable

an extreme Daddy's girl (she was born on Fathers Day for heaven sake)

and 

stubborn.

Many of our conversation's look like this.

I talk. She makes this face the whole time.

Last night was one of the those "I'm going to put you on the front lawn with a free sign around your neck." kind of nights.

Matt and I don't get out much, but occasionally it does happen. 

Last night Matt got to go out with one of his friends to a concert. This concert didn't start till 9:00 pm which meant he would be out late. 

That was all fine.

I was able to get both the kids to bed and even have me asleep buy 11:00 which is an amazing feat in and of it self,

until 

1:00 am rolls around. 

Lucy comes in crying and shouting, "where is he?"

I knew she was talking about Matt. 

(If Lucy could compact her Papa into blankie form and carry him around everywhere she would do it in a heartbeat.)

I tried calmly to explain that he wasn't here but she just wouldn't listen.

She began to turn on all the lights and open each door of each room looking for her Papa. All the while yelling "where is he?"

Now this 50% breaks my heart and 50% makes me want to pull out the reserve FOR SALE sign out of the closet. 

This continued to Jacks room, the kitchen, the family room, and ultimately the garage. 

Lights being flung on an doors being opened and slammed closed.

She was just shy of opening the front door and taking off down the street.

Finally after about 15 minutes of this I was able to not so calmly this time tell her that he isn't here. I didn't have any other answers for her and she needed to stop or I was going to put her in her room and leave her there. 

Reasoning with a 2 year old is hard. 

Reasoning with a 2 year old at 1:00 am nearly impossible.

But giving her choices helps. And giving her a blankie and bottle helps more.

Eventually I convinced her to let me rock her in the chair and she was out cold in approximately 2 seconds. 

Me, not so much it took a lot longer than that.

Lucy is

stubborn

A Daddy's girl

hilarious

so sweet

 guaranteeing me sleepless night's for years to come

and 

one of the best/craziest things that has ever happened to our me/family

 (not that this story highlights this fact exactly) 

Just remind me not to ever pray for patience. I can't imagine what would happen if the Lord knew I need practice in that department. 

Graduation

When Matt and I met we were crazy. Young, not so smart, and crazy.

 I was 20 and he was 25. 

We were immediately infatuated and quickly fell in love. 

This led to a pregnancy 3 months after we met. 

We were now young, in love, not so smart and terrified.

Jack came in November 2007

and

We were married in July of 2008

Neither Matt or I had degrees at this time. We were both working full time and raising our sweet little boy (thankfully by Gods grace with our best friend).

We found out in October of 2009 that we were pregnant again.

This time not as terrified, we decided a plan was needed desperately.

Matt decided to go back to school and finish up his bachelors degree through 

The University of Phoenix    

He did all online courses. This means that during the day Matt worked full time providing for our family. He then would come home and we would play with the kids, live our crazy busy lives and help me put the kids to bed. And then stay up to 1:00 each morning doing homework. 

Then wake up and do it all over again.

He did this for 2 1/2 years straight with incredible discipline and pretty good grades to say the least. 

This past Saturday after much determination, amazing focus, and an incredible amount of hard work Jack, Lucy and I got to celebrate Matt graduating from the University of Phoenix with a bachelors degree in Business Management.

Proud does not begin to describe our feelings.

I had to really focus to try not to cry my eyes out watching him on stage. Partially because I am pregnant and incredibly emotional and partially because I don't think any wife could be more proud of her husband than I am right now. 

  

Boy or Girl?

Boy or Girl?

We are just not sure. 

We didn't want to know. 

There are so few surprises in this world. 

(Plus it's fun to drive everyone crazy)

And there is nothing like meeting your little boy or girl for the first time and being able to hold, kiss, and snuggle the dickens out of them. It's kind of amazing.

We do know,

• We have a healthy baby. 10 fingers, and 10 toes. Everything in working order.
• That this sweet child in stubborn. We were in the ultrasound for almost an hour and he/she slept almost the entire time. With he/she's little back towards the screen. We weren't able to get a great profile view, but I love the one we got.
• I have gained 15 lbs now. Which is not too bad for my pregnancy history. Most of it being water which makes me feel like I am related to the Michelin Man

• Pregnancy is hard. And even more difficult that I don't remember it being this hard the first 2 times. This time around if it is pregnancy symptom I have it. Bloody nose's, crappy digestion (nice pun huh), swelling, and fatigue to name a few. I am slightly miserable.
• We are blessed. There is nothing like seeing my sweet baby's heart beating. Seeing their little ears, nose, and hands. To see this sweet life on a screen in front of me and to hug and kiss my sweet Jack and Lucy reminds me that I am the luckiest lady in the world to be there mommy.
• Everything I am going through is worth it. 

Popcorn popping on the apricot tree

When I was little at and going to church there was a song we used to sing often.

 It goes, I looked out the window and what did I see? Popcorn popping on the apricot tree. 

Well, I'm not exactly an apricot tree but I definatly feel like I have an Orville Redenbacher factory in my belly. 

This baby is officially up and running. It is a wiggly thing.

 I love it. 

All of a sudden the nausea, fatigue, and dare I say it weight gain is worth it. 

I love this feeling. With my other pregnancies people would ask if I enjoyed being pregnant. 

With Jack I loved it. Your first pregnancy is so easy. I say that with very loosely. I know that it can stink ie: nausea but you don't usually have another child to chase and feed and change their diaper. 

(No your husband doesn't count) 

You can rest whenever you want, and that makes a huge difference.

Even the second pregnancy, you can at least pass the buck to your husband every once in a while. But (and someone should have told me) with your third pregnancy, there is no rest for the weary. 

I haven't particularly enjoyed being pregnant so much this time. 

It's one on one all the time. Matt usually has one kiddo and I have the other. And of course I have been more nausea's and tired with this little jumping bean than with Jack and Lucy combined.

But it's real. He/she is as big as an iPhone now and making it know. 

No data plan needed, there is a baby in this stomach and I'm starving so let's celebrate by eating a over flowing plate of spaghetti with Kraft bottled parmesan cheese, and everything but the kitchen sink. 

I am obsessed with this stuff, ask Matt. It is ridiculous.

    

Stay at home mom

Unfortunately I work. It's a good and a bad thing really. I am so thankful for my job but I would love to stay home with my kids when it comes down to it. 

That isn't an option right now but I got to pretend for a week. 

Every year my amazingly wonderful babysitter gives me a vacation or two (While she goes on one herself). 

She goes out of town and I get to play house.

One day on our "vacation" we went to the Zoo.

I love the Zoo.

I love to watch the animals in their unnatural natural habitats.

I love my kids reactions to seeing them.

I love spending time with my kiddo's.

I don't like pulling a hardy 5 year old and a 2 year old up some of those ridiculously crazy hills. It's a butt toning workout to say the least without being 4 months pregnant.

  

Lucy loved the Carousel 

Jack loved the giraffe's

I loved the sea lion and seals. I could watch them for hours.

Overall I was not ready to go back to work but ya gotta do what ya gotta do.

14 weeks

Lets have a party!

Today marks the beginning of my 2nd trimester.

Bring on the food. Because I am starving. No specific cravings right now just food.

I can tell this is going to be hard not gaining too much weight this time around. 

(With Jack and Lucy I gain 60 lbs with each of them)

NOT going to do that this time around.....

If only I can not eat everything in sight.

If you gotta rock, ROCK

Jackson is a natural born musician. 

When I was pregnant with Jack I was 20. Still in my concert going phase. 

Matt and I went to so many concerts. We saw 

Gym Class Hero's

 Kenny Chesney

 Anberlin

 Josh Groban

 Def Leppard

and many many more

I think this may have something to do with it but I also know it was God's will.

This kid has a passion for music unlike any other 3, 4, 5 year old I never met. 

A week ago the Rock and Worship Roadshow came to town. It had bands like Kutless, Jeremy Camp, and Mercy Me. Matt and I knew we had to take Jack to his very first concert.

The first band that played was Luminate and they were awesome and Jack loved them. Coincidentally the lead singer had long hair just like Jacks.  

Calling confirmed.

Jack is going to be a christian rock star.

And I have to say that was by far the best concert I have ever been to. Jack had so much fun, jumping up and down, clapping and singing along. 

I was such a proud Mama. 

And he has yet to stop talking about it. 

So just beware when you run into Jack you get to hear about to concert he went to, with confetti, smoke and all christian music.

An indescribable love

Today is Valentines Day.

In our house we try to express how much we love each other often.

No so much on Valentines day. 

We will do something small for one another but it is never crazy, over the top or expensive. 

With kids its seems like it is usually more about them which is good.

But today I have been thinking less about red roses, chocolates, and cards and more about the Lord.

This past Sunday we all got up and were preparing for church like we usually do. The kids we ready and coloring and Matt and I were getting everything together to go. Jack came up to show us the cutest picture. 

It was a picture of a big cross in the middle of the page and two smaller crosses on either side of it. On the big cross he drew a picture of Jesus sitting on the cross. 

Later when we got home Jack continued to replicate this picture. ten eleven twelve times he made the same picture. When he was all done he brought the stack to me and explained to me that he was going to pass these pictures out to all the people who did not know the Lord. 

   

How amazing! 

How amazing that a 5 year old would have so much love for the Lord that he would think for almost 5 hours straight about spreading the word of what he had done for us. 

Oh man did I cry.

I would love to have this strong of a passion for the Lord. And for spreading his word.

Jack has a strong passion for the Lord. 

And I love my Jack and I love his passion. I am thankful to the Lord for letting me be his Mommy. I can't wait to watch him grow in it and see all the wonderful things he does.

I hope one day I can show the Lord the type of indescribable love that he shows me daily.

 Happy Valentines Day!

Its all fun and games...

.....till someone gets pregnant.

8 weeks today I have been growing this little one in my belly. 

And man oh man and I am working hard. 

Even though this is my third pregnancy it is amazing to me how surprisingly exhausted I am. I feel like I just ran a marathon from the moment I wake up till the time I fall asleep at the dinner table. 

And oh the nausea, I feel fine and little hungry but fine as long as I don't eat. But then I eat and I may as well have done the "washing machine" with my innards.

uggggg

Man oh man I can't wait (and can at the same time) until I am in my second trimester. 

Chances are high that this is my last pregnancy.

(kinda of got this feeling when I told Matt I was pregnant and one of the first things out of his mouth was that he is going to book himself a handy dandy vasectomy asap)

Its safe to say we both panicked a little at first.

This little one BR the 3rd (baby Ririe) has warmed our way into our hearts already.

I know the nausea, bloating, and fatigue is all worth it. I can't wait to meet him/her.

I will just make sure to continue to document the time that passes so that when he/she tells my to go to time out when they are 3 (Like his/her older sister Lucy does daily) that I can pull this blog up as a bed time story.