Merry Christmas!!!

So, how was everyone's Christmas? Ours was nice and relaxing. Oh Wait, you're wanting to know something
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Something really important huh?
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You have been waiting patiently all day for this, and maybe even sending emails to me wanting to know this
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You have waited long enough


It's a GIRL!!!!
Yes, we are very excited. I had been thinking it was a girl for a while and would have been very surprised if it was a boy.
So, here is what happened
On Monday the 22nd we went for the ultrasound, I didn't want to know but Ben was very adament about wanting to know then and not waiting so he has known since Monday and didn't tell anyone or hint either way to me. He said that it was definitly the hardest thing to keep from me since he knew I was leaning more towards a girl. And he really wanted to tell me. He was good though and waited until 7:30 this morning. I woke up, went and got the card adn came back to bed, set it down on the bed and ben rolled over and said "Oh, yeah" So, I opened it, read it, and cried. Her name is Katelynn Marie. My dad's middle name is Lynn and mine is Marie, that is why we chose that spelling. I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas and I will type at you all later.

Anna

That wasn't a gas bubble

So I was sitting with my legs bent up and my laptop was pushed against my stomach and there was a definite thud. I wasn't so sure about it last week then on Monday I was sitting the same way again and I felt two distinct thuds. Then at work today I felt it again. It feels like someone touching you firmly with a finger. I also am feeling the flutters. To me the feel like little bugs running over my belly and it kind of tickles. So that wasn't a gas bubble.

Monday was the ultrasound and everything went great. The baby was moving well and has all the parts in the right places. That was my favorite part, knowing that the baby has a four chamber heart, two ventricles in the brain, two kidney's, a stomach and intestines where they should be and a spine that looks straight. It is so nice. now for the main event that everyone is waiting for, yes the gender was determined and it is sittling nicely in the envelope.


I will be back on Christmas to let you all know too either on the phone or here or on the blog.

Type at you all later.

Anna

Monday can't come soon enough

Since we have found out that I am pregnant I think that these past four weeks have been the longest I have went without seeing our hearing the baby's heartbeat. Yes, the BIG ultrasound is on Monday and finding out the sex is not the most important thing to me. I want to just SEE him or her. I just want to see the heart flutter and the baby do all sorts of twists and turns. Just to see that the baby is okay and growing fine, and I will be one happy lady. (Don't worry, I have the card for the ultrasound tech ready for her to write on, I still have six days until we know what we are having, if the baby cooperates.)

A lot of the ladies at work are asking if I feel the baby, I haven't been able to pinpoint and "Flutters" or "Gas Bubbles" just yet. Sometimes I think I feel something once and want it to repeat so that I can be sure and it never repeats so I am not for sure about it.

Ladies, I need to know the things that you hate about some baby products so I don't register for them thinking they would be wonderful and they aren't. Things that you have owned and had experience with and would never want in your house again. This is what I need to know. On the other hand I want to know the thing(s) that you LOVE, that you also wouldn't live without. I need to start looking for things more seriously at Babies r us and I need direction. Shoot looking at those diaper bags that one day was so overwhelming going through the whole store is going to be a very daunting task.

I am starting to count down the weeks until am on Maternity leave. It is about 17 weeks and I can't wait. I know I will probably be working more then, than I am now but I am going to be off for as long as I am allowed and that is what I am excited about. I hope that you are all doing good. I will talk to you all later. (Work is a little slow right now.)

Anna

Stuff

Things are going very well here. Max and Jesse had their Birthday Party I think they had fun. There was ALOT of squeals of excitement and balloon popping. What else could you expect from three year olds. Sarah did a great job with having things for the kids to do, if they wanted. She also made a Mr. Potato Head for for pin the ear and nose on Mr. Potato Head. There was Lunch, Cupcakes, a try at the Potato game, presents and then Max and Jesse were finished with the party. They wanted to go home. They didn't cry or anything they just stated the fact that they wanted to go home. Here are some pics of the day.

Jess was aiming a little low to blow out the candle so Dad had to help him out a little.


Max blowing out the candles.


The Potato head


Presents

Sunday I made this. I know it might not look the greatest but it is pretty much Meatloaf Meatballs. In the recipe book it is called Porcupine Meatballs, I don't know why, maybe it is a little spiky.

Porcupine Meatballs by Jennifer Dzialonski


3/4 lb Ground Beef or Ground Turkey
1 Cup milk
1/2 cup uncooked long grain rice
1 medium onion chopped
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 tsp salt
dash pepper
10 3/4 oz cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk

Combine meat, 1 cup milk, rice, onion, bread crumbs, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Shape with an ice cream scoop and place in slow cooker. Mix soup and 1/2 cup milk. pour over meat balls. Cover cook on low for 5 hours.

My notes: Make some separate gravy if you like it more saucy. I like how you don't have to cook anything before cooking. We made baked potatoes for a side dish.

It has been a few weeks so I had Ben take another pic of me.


I think the camera added ten lbs. I really don't think I look that big. I am 17 weeks here.

In shopping news, everyone here knows I am tall, right? It has been horrendously difficult to find pants that are long enough. I don't want to buy pants that I am not going to wear. I think I have tried on every pair that Destination Maternity has to offer, I am not about to spend $200 on a pair of jeans either. After weeks of looking in stores and on the internet, I remembered ebay. I checked them out and found some pants. I am so freaking happy. Having one pair of jeans was not so cool. Sarah and beth may be sick of seeing me in them already and I still have months to go. I was also able to find myself a new christmas scrub top for work in a store today so it is being dried as we speak so I can wear it tomorrow. I will talk to you all later.

Anna

P.S. 10 more days till we find out. WOO-HOO!!

"One of those people..."

...as Becca called it. I have decided that I was to have some organization to my recipes that I like and so you shall be seeing some of my favorite recipes as I find them. I say find them because I make something that Ben and I like and then the next time I want to make it I can't find it. I can't remember if it is in the Betty Crocker, the magazine, or the brown book and the list goes on. I think that I have made four different types of Sloppy Joes and whenever I make sloppy joes Ben always asks which one it is that I made. This is why I am going to be "one of those people" and post my recipes here and so hopefully I will be able to find them!! As I make them I will try and take a pic and post the finished product, don't you hate making something and you have no Idea what it is supposed to look like in the end, and then when I make something it NEVER turns out like the book picture. So, here are my recipes with pictures from a real kitchen. Oh and my favorite, when you go out to eat and the plate NEVER looks like the pic on the menu. Then one we get is usually limp and ugly looking. Anyways...

To start this off I have my favorite Christmas Cookie Recipe. We would always make these as kids and I LOVE them. They are a thicker type of cookie, meaning you need something to wash it down with.

Kiss Thumbprints


1 cup sugar
2 cups butter softened
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 eggs
4 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
42 chocolate kisses

In large bowl, beat sugar, margarine, vanilla and eggs until light and fluffy. Add flour and baking powder, stir until mixture forms a smooth dough. Refrigerate dough 30 minutes. Shape dough into 1 inch balls; place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. With thumb, make imprint in center of each cookie. Bake at 350 for 11 to 14 minutes or until lightly browned around edge and set. Place chocolate kiss candy in center of each cookie. Immediately remove from cookie sheet; cool completely. 3 1/2dozen.

My notes:
You want to put the kiss on the cookie when it is warm so it melts a little and sticks to the cookie. I also like to put them in the freezer and eat them cold.

In other news and events I am heading off to Max and Jesse's Birthday Party and will report on that later. We also have less than two weeks until we find out what we are having. So far this pregnancy thing has been going by very nicely, time wise. I am not looking forward to the last four weeks though when I am off of work and just waiting for the kid to get here. Hey, did you know that most babies in the world are born happy and healthy? I guess working in a NICU gives me such a warped view point. I always have to remind myself that the population I see is very small in the whole scheme of live births. It is getting more and more exciting though, five months and this little one will be here.

I also ordered a diaper bag off of the internet without seeing it and regret it. I had to take it back to babies r us. is was about the size of the one you get from the hospital, which is useable and nice but I was hoping for something bigger, I had been looking at it and it was on sale so that is why I got it. So I had a 20% off coupon from babies r us that was only good that night so I had to find something to buy and I was a little rushed and couldn't find another diaper bag that I liked to I had to hunt for something else. We got the bumbo.


When Becca was here in June with the Family she brough that for Lily and she loved it and so did Ben. Ben decided that he would want theat for himself if then made it. So, after looking in the store for twenty minutes we finally stumbled on this and left. And yes we got it in Bright Green too.

I will be leaving you now but will leave with a LO. I have started getting back into scrapbooking again. I took a break during the frist trimester when it really didn't sound fun to do then. Talk to you all later.



Anna

Updates

I have been away for so long, but posting, but not all that I want to post. So, I am here now to update the past week of events.

A couple Sundays ago we had Thanksgiving with Ben's family. We were walking up to the door and I could smell BBQ, I thought hum, maybe that is the neighbor. Nope. The turkey got burned, singed, blackened, however you want to call it, pork chops were being cooked so there would be meat for the meal. Some turkey was salvaged and was somkey but good. Other than that it was a wonderful meal and we played spoons after dinner. How did the Pumpkin pie turn out you ask? Wonderfully. Everyone seemed to enjoy it. I thought that there was a little too much nutmeg but other than that it will be made again. And what do we have? Pictures of course.





Then came Tuesday I had another appointment. This was with the Nurse Practioner. I will be with her until probably the due date. Everything is just fine. Ben was there and was able to hear the heartbeat for the first time. At the office he jokingly asked if she was sure it was the heart beat and not another radio freguency. Later, when I asked him about it he thought that it was cool. It is definitly cool to hear it. I had to ask about the chance for miscarriage now and she said it was very minimal, which I knew but still had to ask. Now I am just waiting to feel it move. Second timers can feel it now, first timers more likely at 18 or 20 weeks. The second ultrasound appointment has also been made for the 22nd but we won't find out what it is until Christmas day. That will be a Christmas present to us.

Wednesday we had Thanksgiving with my family at our house. We had a good time. The food was good and the company was good. The stuffing that I made was gross, I didn't like it at all. I didn't want to do stove top but if I do stuffing again I might do Mrs Cubbisons with something added. I won't worry about it though and of course here is a couple of pics from that day.





We already know that I worked and was sick on Thursday and Friday. Friday night I picked up the Girls and we spent the rest of the weekend with them. Saturday I tried to lay low but we did head into town and check out the deals. We got ourselves a recliner. That is probably the biggest single purchase that I wanted to make before the baby came. I knew I wanted to be comfortable and for it to last a long time and the Fresno store was closing so we were able to get a good deal. It will be here in about 2-4 weeks which will be perfect.

I have had to do some shopping for the baby this week as alot of things have been on sale like the swing and diaper bag that I wanted. Then with the day after Christmas sales hopefully I will be able to get some other things I want.

Back to the girls. We had a great time with them and they LOVE our dogs, and I am sure the feeling is mutual. I don't think they have gotten this much exercise in a long time. They were probably asleep all Monday since the girls tuckered them out so much. We also got our Christmas tree and they helped us decorate it. It looks so nice. I am very happy with it this year. Of course the pics.




The pic with Brynne is hilarious because she was tring to tell Bruno to drop the ball but since she is so small and has such a small voice he is totally ignoring her. She went out there by herself and immediatley had to run around the track because they were wanting to play and sniff and lick her and she didn't quite want that. We all had fun.

Yesterday we put up the lights outside and hopefully we will take some pictures today so I can get the cards ready and shipped tomorrow. I finished the Calendar for my family and I love how it turned out this year. And of course I will show you.













I think that this is about it. I hope you enjoyed this week in review. Type at you all later.

Anna

Red Alien from Chicken Little

So, I have a moment to explain this alien thing. All it is, is that Ben absolutely LOVES this guy and thinks he is the absolute coolest. Even before I got pregnant he would always joke that having a boy or girl would be nice but it we had the red alien from Chicken Little it would be awesome. So, there you have it. It was Ben that made me do it. Now, I want to know who voted for it?!!?! Here's a picture in case you haven't seen this Alien before. He is defintley cuter in the movie.



In the end I guess he might be orange. Oh, well. It's the baby alien in the movie. Talk to you guys later.

Anna

P.S. Please leave a comment to let me know what you voted for just for kicks.

Calling in Sick

I am using a sick day this week. I really wanted to tell you all about the two Thanksgivings and the good food and time we had but I don't want to get snot on my computer. It started Wed. Thursday I had work and that was crappy. Friday was the absolute worst at work. Today I was supposed to go to the temple with the youth but didn't because I NEEDED rest. Church will probably not happen tomorrow and we are also watching Kevin and Beth's girls this weekend. So I am exhausted and tired. I will talk to you all later. Hope your Thanksgivings went well.



Anna

100 posts

Wow. It took me over a year to get here. I didn't know that this was it, I was just coming to inform everyone of a very hilarious blog. It is called Cake Wrecks. I really love to visit it. Everyday a post is made about some diabolical cake. Sundays is reserved for awesome cakes though. Here is my all time favorite cake E.T. is Back.... It is an awfully funny cake in my mind. Dave would love this cake Spooktacular Wedding Cakes. Hope you enjoy these cakes as much as I do. Let me know if you find a favorite.

P.S. I truly can't stop laughing at ET.

Type at you later.

Anna

Ben and stuff

Ben is my favorite husband. He always tells me that I am his favorite wife, even though there is no one else to compare to we just say it. Last night he left to go to Bishop, CA to go mountian biking and at the earliest he will be back on Saturday night at midnight. I am hoping that he comes home then. I like me time alone but, I love spending time with him too. We are quite the odd couple we can be on the phone forever hold entire conversations with other people and not talk to eachother and be just fine with that. I know that it drive Sarah nuts and probably alot of other people too, but that is just us.

Here is something that Ben has told me about the baby:
I will still be working about 1 day a week after the baby and he said when the baby gets old enough boy or girl they are going to be the "Get Along Gang" and when I get home they will both be covered head to toe in dirt and mud because they have been out digging holes in the back yard.

Beth is probably laughing and saying of course, what else would Ben do? play with dolls? no.

I am doing just fine. I am 14 weeks and really don't feel pregnant most of the time. And for this reason Becca has cursed me with a horrid labor and a 12 lb baby. Which we will just have to wait and see what happens.

I did find this from Janet Phillips that I want to get but I am waiting for the after Thanksgiving sales before I get it 30 bucks is a little much.




It is a whole book about the nine months of waiting for the baby. There are journaling prompts to get the thought process going.

Next I finished two of the Free Photo Books that Oprah was offering, one was Ben's email and the other was mine. All I did was plug in my finished pages and called it good, I'll show some pics when they get here. Hopefully by Christmas.

Lastly, for Christmas Last year I made a Calendar for my family and this year I am going to do that again. The best way to pay for it is to go to ebay and find coupon codes for sale. I did this last year and this year I was able to find the four I needed for 3.99 each instead of the retail 19.99. Major savings there. I just need to get them started. I am hoping to do that today and tomorrow while Ben is gone. It's just easier.

Sunday is Ben's Family Thanksgiving. We are bringing the Pumpkin Pie I haven't made this one before but it looks good.

Turtle Pumpkin Pie From Kraft Kitchen


1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. caramel ice cream topping, divided
1 HONEY MAID Graham Pie Crust
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. PLANTERS Pecan Pieces, divided
1 cup cold milk
2 pkg. (3.4 oz. each) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided

POUR 1/4 cup caramel topping into crust; sprinkle with 1/2 cup pecans.

BEAT milk, pudding mixes, pumpkin and spices with whisk until blended. Stir in 1-1/2 cups COOL WHIP. Spread into crust.

REFRIGERATE at least 1 hour. Top with remaining COOL WHIP, caramel topping and pecans just before serving.

How easy does that look!?!? I think I can handle that.

Well, I am off to run some errands and pick up the pie ingredients. Here's a Lay out for the week.

Title Here....

I guess I need to take the time now to do this blogging thing or else it probably won't happen this week. Not that anything exciting is happening it is just time is flying right on by. Today I have talked with Becca, Sarah, Beth, my Mom and said Hi to Ammy through e-mail, left a message with Heather, of course I talked with Ben too. I have almost gotten through to the whole family in one day, that is just amazing. This morning Ben woke up at 6:30 to go biking, I got up with him and we went and got breakfast burritos together, then I went grocery shopping and was home by 9, now I need a nap.

This weekend I went up with Ben as he went biking and I was supposed to shuttle him and the guys he was going with from the bottom to the top of a mountian. Well, it ended up they didn't quite need me and I stayed a couple of hours at a cabin watching a figure skating special while they finished up. which was just fine. On the way home I had Ben stop at Mervyn's since they are closing, the sale was only 30-50% off and the only thing that was 50% off was the jewelry, which I wasn't interested in. I did pick up one of these for 3.50 though.



While I was just browsing the Fisher Price web site I found the Nativity Scene


I love the "little people". They seem so nice and friendly, what kid wouldn't want to play with them?

Anyways, nothing much interested me at Mervyn's, at least not until the discount gets bigger. Same with Linen's and Things, they are closing, and 10% won't get me to really buy anything.

I did get to see the baby again yesterday. They have a test that is done by ultra sound called nuchal testing and they measure the space at the bake of the babies neck. If it is greater than 2.5mm it could be an indicator for Downs Syndrome. The Dr can order it, or you could work at a hospital where there are techs that need to pass certifications. So, I went down yesterday and wasn't able to get any pics but boy was this kid moving allover the place. Started off on its head, then was shaking it's butt at us, then I went to the bathroom and moved around to try and get the kid to cooperate, that didn't work so well. They did get one measurement and it looked fine. I was very surprised at how much the baby had grown. It's almost 3 inches and has a wonderful looking spine.

I hope all is well with everyone. I will leave you with a LO since I haven't posted one of those in a long time.



Last summer the monkeys jumping on the bed and hiding from Uncle Ben.

Talk to ya later.
Anna

Finally

I have been wanting to post all week and it hasn't happened. I finally have found a moment to sit and type to you all. Everything is going just fine around here. I have started the christmas and birthday shopping, since there are so many crazy birthdays around the holidays and it is all Sarah's fault. There is Ben too but it is mostly Sarah's family. There are a couple of "Tags" that I have been wanting to do, and quite a few pictures that I have wanted to post so lets get on with it.

Oh, but before I forget Congratulations to Caleb and Heather for their newest addition a couple of days ago Mr. Joshua. And of course HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Josey!!! Hope today is wonderful, even if she has no clue about what is going on, that is the fun part.

Tag from Erin

What I was doing 10 years ago:
1. I was 16 and at Buchanan High
2. I really was done with High School, I already new I wanted to be a nurse so I wanted to move on.
3. I was going to be an Aunt. (I can't believe Damien is 10, where did the time go???)
4. I was waiting for my parents to give in and let me get my Drivers License.
5. I got my first job at Sears Portait Studio.

5 Things on My To Do List today:
1. Sleep
2. Clean the kitchen.
3. Blog
4. Make Dinner. We're having home made Lasanga.
5. Put away the leaning tower of laundry that is on my bed

5 Favorite Snacks:
1. Apples
2. Baked Sour cream and Onion Lays Potato Chips
3. Tater-Tots
4. Water
5. Cottage cheese and Applesauce

5 Jobs I Have Had:
1. Nurse
2. John's Incredible Pizza Factory Hostess
3. Sear's Portrait Studio
4. Night Shift at a hospital as a Certified Nursing Assistant
5. Student

What I would do with a million dollars:
1. Give my 10% to the Church for tithing.
2. Find house that Ben and I love somewhere and buy it
3. Do some traveling
4. Help My parents
5. INVEST THE REST

5 Things that made me laugh this week:
1. Ben, I don't know anything in particular he did but I am sure he has made me laugh
2. Seeing Max and Jesse dressed up in their Halloween Costumes on Sat, that they had on Friday and slept in.
3. Getting Rocky Road Ice Cream from Thrifty Last Night
4. Charlie Brown's Great Pumpkin Movie
5. Christmas Music being played EVERYWHERE. (I started listening to Josh Groban's Noel a few days before Halloween...sssshhhh)

Ammy and Beth did this Tag

I am: loved.
I think: alot about the baby.
I have: wonderful family and friends.
I dislike: lying.
I miss: our family and friends that live far away.
I fear: losing Ben.
I feel: tired.
I hear: the humm of the computer.
I smell: air.
I crave: a nights sleep without interruption.
I cry: over anything. (HAHA! Da gum Hormones)
I usually: cook dinner.
I search: the internet.
I wonder: what the baby will look like.
I regret: some things I say.
I wish: for peace.
I love: my family.
I care: about the young women.
I always: start sleeping on my right side.
I worry: about everything.
I am not: as patient as I want to be.
I remember: dreading family vacations, being in the van for ssssoooo long, but they are great memories.
I believe: families are Forever.
I sing: at church.
I don't always: share my beliefs openly.
I write: emails.
I win: in love.
I lose: ???
I listen: alot.
I don't understand: ????
I can usually be found: at my computer.
I need: to get away from the computer.
I forget: to call people back.
I am happy: when I see Ben.

Now on to some pictures

First up we have some from Brynne's Birthday




I was totally shocked when I saw Damien's School pictures. Is he a model or what?



This weekend Jennifer came up and had her baby shower that Beth did a great job of hosting. Here are some of the Highlights. I don't think I have been to a shower where they haven't played guess the belly. It is fun and not to much brain power is involved. So, here's Jennifer getting her belly meticulously measured by Beth :)


My favorite outfit she recieved.


Beth made her a brag book where all she has to do is slap some pictures and journaling down and she is done.


I made her a blanket and gave her some Always with Wings.



And here is a pic with Beth, Me, and Jennifer. (I look horrid there, what happened)


Fun was had by all.

Here is Max and Jesse on Saturday




Lastly I have a couple better pictures of me, This is me on Sun, I am 11 plus weeks. I went materity shopping after the shower and found this skirt and it is so comfortable. Looking at the pic I don't think I look that big but Ben and I both agree I have a little belly. I'll probably have a pic like this every few weeks for your viewing pleasure.



Have you ever had Ben take you pic? He makes you feel like he's the Paparazzi or something and so here is one of those shots that turned out pretty good.



I think that this is enough, don't you? Hope you made it through it all in one piece. Type at you all later. Off to Make dinner and clean the kitchen.