Girls Nite Out!

Tonight the girls in my Sunday School class ate dinner at Brick Oven Pizza. It was great. We had planned on trying out a new Italian place that opened recently in town called Joe's, but they ended up being closed for the day due to "gas" problems.

Afterwards we stopped for snow cone. It just so happens that snow cones are my new love right now. I go through phases, I guess. I think I may just have to have one every day. My favorite flavor right now is coconut! YUM!

It was good to get out and hang with just the girls. I needed it!

Old Friends

"Make new friends, but keep the old ones. One is silver, and the others gold."

One of my best friends from high school just had a baby boy in April. He is 5 weeks old. She and her husband were planning on moving to Houston for a job transfer, but decided at the last minute to move to Russellville instead. (They've been living in Fort Smith.) They are experiencing lots of "new" things right now. New town, new job, new house, new car, and new baby! Wow! I don't see how they do it.

Lauren and I went for a stroller walk with our babies this morning at the Marina. It was cool when we started, but towards the end of the walk it got a bit hot. It's been so humid here lately. We had a good time. Pretty much talked about our babies the whole time. What else? Since Lauren has a baby boy, I had a few questions for her. :)

Madison has been very hyper and ornery today. She's been a mess! I'm afraid we may be entering a new stage. Please, no!

Oh, and let's talk about the movie, The Box. It didn't end up being the kind of movie I thought it was going to be. We only watched half of it. It was suspenseful, but ended up being a bit scary/freaky. We decided to pass on it.

Have a great Monday!

25 Weeks...the size of a Rutabaga!

What's a rutabaga you might ask? This is it! Our baby boy weighs about 1 1/2 pounds and measures 13 1/2 inches long head to heel. It seems like time is starting to go by a little faster. We have our 28 week ultrasound coming up soon! Now if we can just finalize the name!

Have you seen the movie, The Box? I remember seeing the previews for it a long time ago on tv, and thought it looked like a really good movie. It's hard finding movies that both Gabe and I will enjoy watching together, but I thought this might be one. So, we're having a little date night tonight. We're going to grill chicken and veggies and watch this movie. We started a new tradition of staying home on Friday nights and enjoying grilled steak, baked potatoes, and salad and we're really enjoying it. Guess we'll have a double decker grill out this weekend.

Madison spent the night with my parents last night. We missed her! The house was so quiet! It was nice getting to just lay around a bit this morning and we both got a ton done around the house, but we were soo ready for her to get home. Grandma and Grandpa took her to the Atkins pickle fest and wore her out real good for us. I just put her to sleep for 1st nap today at 5:00pm. Actually, she did take a 30 min. nap earlier today, but that hardly counts.

It's been a great weekend. Looking forward to another great day tomorrow!

If Momma Ain't Happy, Ain't Nobody Happy!

Yes, Walmart and Kroger. A Mother's Worst Nightmare. Those of you who were not blessed with a strong willed child will not truly understand this post. Secretly, I do wish that everyone could experience what I experience on a weekly basis, but I know that is not very christian-like.

Madison has never been fond of being constrained. In anything. Never cared much for her swing, bouncy seat, exersaucer, jump-a-roo, car seat, etc. You get the point. Well, after she got tubes put in her ear, her behavior took a turn for the better. She would actually sit like a good girl in the grocery cart while I shopped. Now, I couldn't shop for too long, or she would start to fuss, but she simply acted like every normal kid. Normal. What exactly is that?

Well, normal has ended. Madison now wants you to hold her up so she can push the cart. Have you ever tried to do that? It's impossible. You cannot hold a baby and push the cart and shop for groceries. So, I exhaust myself trying to force her to sit in the cart, while she screams and stands up and nearly falls out of the cart. It's a nightmare! It happened today and I'm embarrassed. Everyone stares and either smiles with sympathy or looks at you with that "do something" look. I hate that look. And since I'm going off, I might as well say it. I absolutely hate, with a passion, the phrase, "Is someone not happy?" I mean, isn't it obvious that someone is not happy? Did they really have to say that? Not only is "someone" not happy, MOMMA is not happy and now is ticked bc friendly lady just had to ask, "Is someone not happy?!" Wow, can I get an amen?!!

Anyways, I've about decided that I'm through. I'll be grocery shopping by myself from now on. I'll go when Gabe gets home. I'd even wake up at midnight.

Does anyone truly know what I'm talking about?

Shower Pics & Pregnancy Highlights

A teacher emailed me pics from the teacher retirement shower yesterday. This is us signing in. I look like such a "mom" with Madison cocked on my hip.

The woman to the far right is the one I was talking about yesterday. My mentor. More like a grandma, really. Although, she'd probably hate for me to say that because it would make her feel old. This woman is far from old! She is off the charts dramatic, funny, energetic, young at heart, and in love with the Lord. I've been waiting for her to retire so she can come speak at MOMs. I'll be trying to get ahold of her next year! She's got much to share!

Me and two of the retirees

I had lunch today with a friend. We ate mexican and it was so good. Afterwards, we took the babies for a stroll at Bona Dea. It was very humid, but shady. We were hot and tired after our walk, so I joined Madison in her afternoon nap.

I'm way behind on my pregnancy highlights. I think I've missed almost a months worth. You'll have to look at the pics in todays post to see my belly. I don't have any of just me.

PREGNANCY HIGHLIGHTS

How Far Along: 24 1/2 weeks...

Size of baby: Just over a pound...almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn)

Total Weight Gain/Loss: 17.5 lbs at 24 weeks

Maternity Clothes: Wearing my summer maternity gear and lovin' it! Still working on my tan!Gender: It's a BOY!

Movement: I feel movement all throughout the day. Can't see my belly move yet, but I think we're getting close.

Food Cravings: My new addiction is chocolate chip ice cream. I have a big glass of it every day. Still DONUTS & CHOCOLATE MILK, haven't ate as many baked potatoes, still enjoy sweet tea, and cokes!

What I miss: being skinner and now that it's warm, being able to go tan. I've been walking with Madison in the stroller everyday now for about 50 minutes around our neighborhood. I'm working on my tan daily!

Sleep: Sleep is getting a little rough. I can't get comfortable, I'm hot, and I feel the baby at night.
Symptoms: sharp lower back pains. Hate them! Tired feet.

Teacher Retirement Shower

"BYE!" Madison has got the pageant wave down. She loves to wave and say "bye."

This afternoon Madison and I went to a teacher retirement shower at UE5G (Upper Elementary 5th Grade-the school where I used to teach elementary music.) Three teachers were being honored, one of whom was very special to me. She was a mentor to me, professionally, but more so spiritually. We had recess duty together every Tuesday on the playground and we discussed many important issues while Gabe and I were dating, engaged, married, and then pregnant. It was good to see her again. We only stayed 15 mintues and then Madison started to whine, so we quickly snuck out the back door. My life is a quite different now than it was then, to say the least. She sure looked like a doll!

so innocent!

gettin' some sugar...

Mother's Day Cont.

A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie. ~Tenneva Jordan

I read this quote over on Kelly's Korner. Isn't it so true? Although, it kind of depends on what kind of pie we're talking about. I could see myself cutting each of the pieces small so that "everyone" could have a bite. :)

I absolutely loved Mother's Day last year. We dedicated Madison to the Lord at our church on Mother's Day and it was such a neat day for me. Madison was only about 3 months old and she looked so precious in her little pink dress and bonnet. Gabe hated the bonnet...said it made her look like a girl from Little House on the Prairie, but it was the best I could find at the time.

Here we are...our brand new family of three on Mother's Day 2009. This was SUCH a fun and special day! I told Gabe this morning that I wish we had another baby to dedicate today. We'll have another sweet little boy soon. Can't wait.

We headed to my parents' house after church for Mother's Day. We enjoyed a great meal of brisket, pinto beans, potato salad, deviled eggs, salad, yummy rolls, and banana pudding. It was yum! I had 5 rolls. Yeah, I know! My mom bought this cute little dress for Madison. Isn't it so cute?

We headed over to Gabe's parents this evening. Gabe and I gave Margaret a name sign for Mother's Day. Her sign is painted brown with the name FREYALDENHOVEN across it in tan letters. The first names of every one in their family are across the sign in the middle in red. She liked it!

A girl in Russellville has a home business called The Dandy Lion and sells all sort of these signs. You can get them personalized in any color and with any name or saying. You can check out some of her products at thedandylionstore.com

Margaret sent some fresh picked strawberries home with us. They are from Cabot, AR. I had a large bowl of them tonight. Pretty tasty.

Happy Mother's Day to our mothers and grandmothers. Gabe and I are so thankful for upbringing we were blessed with. Thank you for loving us and raising us in the way we should go. Being a mother is hard work, but is so worth it. We love you!