Friends

The boys have been playing so well together this weekend. I've been impressed!! I took them swimming this afternoon, for the last time before the pool closes. When we got home they decided they wanted to draw with sidewalk chalk and play in the sand. I wonder how long this new found harmony will last?! I'm going to enjoy it while it does.

The verdict

Last night I asked again if we were ever going to finalize on a name for our baby. I said we needed to have a family meeting to discuss it. I would like to have at least one baby related item completed from the huge to-do list! Alex decided he would take charge of our meeting. He got out paper, a pencil, scissors and his hat. He asked each one of us what names we liked best and wrote those on seperate pieces of paper. He put them all in his hat and then we drew.

The verdict was....

He will be named Austin Hamilton Dallmeyer. Yeah!! He has a name! For the record the other names that were put in the hat were Jaxson (by me), Zach (by Mason) and one that was rejected before it even made it in the hat...Nacho (by Andy). :)

Superhero scarecrow

Alex's kindergarten class put together a superhero themed display for the scarecrow contest downtown. The display that gets the most votes (I believe there are 6 different categories) receives money for their class/business. Last year, Mason's 2nd grade class won in one of the categories. Missy and I (mostly Missy) put this one together on Friday. Alex and Blake's class teamed with Reid's 1st grade class on this display. The silver towers behind Alex are the buildings that spiderman is flying through. The building behind Alex has pictures of each person in his class. The other building has the pictures of students in Reid's class. The pictures are supposed to look like faces looking out the building windows. The class also painted a pumpkin black and turned it into a spider. I think it turned out pretty cute! Go vote for us! We are trying to get the most votes in either "Most School Spirit" (our theme at Krause this year is superhero) or "Cutest Display". Wow, I can't believe we are talking about scarecrows and pumpkins already! I just took the kids to the pool today and sat in the blazing sun watching them. Is it really fall already?!

Football picnic

While Mason was playing in his football game Saturday, Alex was enjoying hanging out with Lillie and Kayci! Mason's team won when they intercepted the ball and ran it back for a touchdown with three seconds left in a tied game. Pretty exciting stuff!

My uniform

I pretty much wear this shirt twice a week. It says "baby makes your belly go round." It's so comfy! I'm sure people are tired of seeing me in it but I am trying to avoid buying maternity clothes. I was lucky enough to borrow some from a friend!


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Carnival ride

This year we allowed the boys to ride a few rides at the fair. We will need to take out a loan for next year! They loved it! This was their first ride... The tornado!






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Ready for the rodeo

The boys on the way to the rodeo at the fair. They were some cute cowboys!


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Preggo update

I better start with an apology for the picture! I am always the one taking pictures so I am never in them. I really wanted to do better about that during my pregnancy, but I haven't. So here is the self portrait looking into the mirror in the bathroom! Classy! Next week I start my third trimester! Yikes!! I am not ready. We haven't done anything yet to prepare for this baby. Let's see, here are the big hitters on my to-do list.

1. Build a closet in the baby's room. The room was originally meant for a study. We have been using it as a guest bedroom.

2. Paint the baby's room.

3. Buy furniture for the baby's room.

4. Clean out the boys rooms so I can see what needs to be kept for the baby.

5. Decide on a name for the baby!

I have a ton of other items on my to do list but those are the main ones that need to be done in the next couple of months. I have so much cleaning out and organizing that I would like to do. I know once the baby gets here I won't tackle those kinds of projects for years to come! Our schedule is already so hectic, I can't imagine what it will be like with three!

So here is the update on my pregnancy so far. I have gained 13 lbs (as of my last doctor's appt. I go back next Wednesday.). I haven't been eating very well with our busy schedule. I do pretty well for breakfast and lunch, but then dinner is usually some sort of fast food, or something unhealthy. I honestly can't remember the last time I ate a vegetable. Oh yeah, I had a salad at some point last week. I can usually include a fruit or two during the day! Also, throughout the day there are sweets and possibly caffeine- not everyday but at least several times a week. So I definitely need to improve in that category. I have been walking three times a week with my friend Missy. Thank goodness she has motivation to walk, because I wouldn't do it on my own. I was so much better about exercising with Mason and Alex. I have been feeling pretty good up until last week. We packed a lot into last week with the fair, school, and sports so maybe my fatigue and soreness is a by product of that. Yesterday I started cleaning out Alex's room. I only made it a couple of hours before I was exhausted. I can't afford to not have energy! I have lots to do!
As far as picking out a name we know his middle name will be Hamilton, which was my dad's middle name. We have been tossing around a first name but I am waiting on Andy to commit to that name! It's the only name that all four of us have agreed on.
I am so lucky that I am going to have TWO showers! I feel bad having a shower since I am having another boy, but we literally didn't keep anything! I am having a shower in Brenham next month and one in Austin in November. I am super excited. Which reminds me, I need to complete my registry!
I take my glucose test next Wednesday. I really hope I pass it because that three hour test is not fun! That's the preggo update for now.

Shelby

We have had Shelby for a year now. She went from being a 100% outdoor cat, including during the 18 and 100 degree weather, to a 90% indoor cat! I can't help it, I just hate to see animals live outside. It was a gradual process though. I would bring her in for a few minutes at a time. She would be scared to death and just sit on the rug until I opened the door again. Then she would jet outside. Over time, I would bring her in for longer periods of time. Then she would become more brave and leave the living room rug. One thing lead to another and now she is sleeping on the coach at night, playing with the boys toys, etc. It was a good thing Shelby came along when Scotty was still here. He taught her how to scratch on the door when she needs to go outside. She rarely jumps on anything. She really acts more like a dog than a cat. The only bad thing about having her inside all the time is that we don't have an litterbox. I just can't bring myself to have a litterbox in the house. So she scratches on the door when she needs to go outside. Knock on wood, she has only had one accident in the house in an entire year. I NEVER would have thought I would be a cat owner. I have never been fond of cats. I think I like Shelby so much because she acts so much like a dog. I still want to get another dog someday, but I'd like to wait until after we have the baby. I can only handle so much right now! Andy always tells Shelby how lucky she was to find our porch. She is one spoiled girl!

Soccer

Alex had his first soccer game tonight! The season didn't really start off like I was expecting. We were supposed to have a practice last week but that got cancelled. Then I had to look on the website to find out that our first game was tonight! So we were frantically buying gear at 5pm today for a game that started at 6pm! We got to the field around 5:40, met the coach, got our uniform, went to the bathroom and changed and then started the game. That was a little stressful for this mama, but it didn't seem to bother Alex. He knew one person on his team so that was good. The game was pretty entertaining. But considering it was probably the first time any of these boys have played an organized sport (with no practice) I think they did a fantastic job. They don't keep score so it's really just for fun. Our Tuesday's and Thursday's from now on are going to be hectic. Alex's games are those days, which are also football practice days for Mason. So Andy and I will have to trade off between football and soccer. What will we do when we have to juggle schedules for THREE kids! We will lose our man on man coverage!

Fair time

Mason placed 20th with his chickens today. The judge said that we should all be applauded for our efforts in raising these animals during the hottest summer on record. He said they were all grade A birds but they just didn't have enough meat on them to be the top pick. Our chickens were around 7 lbs. Mason's chickens were surrounded by chickens that placed in the top 10. They were all laying on frozen water bottles, which makes us think they were raised in A/C or at least with cool water fans. We had three fans on ours but when it's 109 degrees that just doesn't cut it! We lost 14 chickens before the fair from heat. 7 of them died last night, including one that we planned on showing. We learned a lot and know what to do differently if Mason chooses to show chickens again next year. I am proud of all of Mason's work and his confidence at the show today. And a thank you to Mason's teacher who took this picture and sent it to me!

Now from the 7 months pregnant mama point of view... I am glad that it's fair time (for the first time ever). I am ready to not feed and water smelly, dirty chickens every 3 hours in the over 100 degree weather. I am ready to not be pecked and pooped on by said chickens. I am ready to not worry that I may catch some strange chicken disease that will be passed on to my unborn child! I have provided them water and feed for 6 weeks, but the one thing I refuse to do was pick them up or hold them. I had to make an exception once when a "chicken expert" came to our house to help us select our show chickens. Andy was at football practice with Mason so I had to help the guys in the coop. As the guys were inspecting the chickens one of them said to me, "Here hold this one" and handed me an upside down chicken. I was supposed to hold it by it's legs. I did, but didn't enjoy it. I was really hoping Andy would come home at that point so he could see that I was actually touching one of them! But he missed it! Andy asked if I would hold one of the 3 chickens when they were being judged. I said I was definitely not holding one. So, Andy's dad came and held one in my place. During the judging Mason started having a hard time keeping a grip on his chicken. He was starting to drop it and Andy looked at me for help. I just stood there frozen. There was no way I was touching that chicken! Eventually one of the committee volunteers came and helped! This was after I witnessed a fountain of poop spray out of the chicken Andy's dad was holding. Poop was everywhere, including in Mason's hair. After that, I watched a guy get sprayed in the face with poop. He just calmly put his chicken down, took a kleenex out of his pocket and wiped his face. Gross!! I just knew if that happened to me I would drop that thing on it's head and run to the truck gagging. Luckily, Mason got through it without me having to help! I know I should be less grossed out and more supportive in that area. Maybe I will be better next year. It will help to not be pregnant and maybe it won't be so hot. As much complaining as I have done about the chickens, at least it was just a 6 week project. I know some fair projects are a year long and require much more effort. And at the age of 8 (when your in school all day) the majority of the effort comes from mom and dad. Maybe we could try rabbits next year. They are cute and soft and less smelly!

Chicken show

This morning Mason showed his chickens at the fair. I was really proud of him. He didn't place but we learned alot incase he wants to do it again next year.


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This guy...

is turning into a football player! We are so proud of how far he has come this season. He really wanted to quit the first 3-4 weeks of the season. Then one day something just clicked for him. He started to understand the game and actually enjoy it. His coaches have said he is the most improved player on the team. Go Mason!