Just a few items to discuss...

For our future guests who will arrive in the lucky month of march!!!

You've hit the jackpot for a relaxing stay at the luxurious spa of Bowen Appetit' where you get to stuff yourselves with the love of 4 adoring girls who will admire your every move (and remind you that you "do it different than my mom") and you will have a boy that thinks the world of you if you hold him and let him eat all the fruit his little eyes desire.

So let's move on to what you're really looking forward to...the list of expectations!!!

3 school lunches made fresh each morning with a touch of creativity & all items must be homemade such as fruit leather, crackers, ranch dip, etc.

each holiday/celebration we supply 3 classrooms with the appropriate cupcakes so if you wouldn't mind making about 75 of these cute things...thanks

Dinner is always served up fresh and hot by 5:30pm each night & vegetables are a must because my children can't stand a meal without them.

always be standing by to capture the moments of sisterly love b/c when they look back on their childhood I want them to assume they never fought over clothes, shoes, plastic thingies, and paper (yes, paper) 

I can't have any disappointed faces like the ones below...just b/c I won't play out in the cold looking snow doesn't mean you won't jump out there with them! 

Please read them 20 to 25 books each night so that they will be half asleep before the bedtime hour even rolls around & they will skip off to bed happily (what? this picture has nothing to do with a flash)

After a long day at school they always come home to an incredible snack that I take much time in preparing... 

A little something like this... 

 and in your spare time if you could arrange something like this in the playroom, it would be much appreciated since our kids don't like to watch TV it would be nice to have separate shelves for the age appropriate books

 and if you could manage to teach our kids how to keep the shoes in perfect order, that would be swell :)

notice this picture has only adult shoes so of course it's organized

 one more thing, would you mind modifying my pantry to look a little more like this?

Okay, okay, okay. So my only real expectation is to have some fun company sittin' next to me on the couch and keeping my mind full of good healthy chit chat so that there is no time to dwell on thoughts of..."what in the world?! we chose to go through this again?!"

Don't be nervous Tammy, Mom, Jody. Just b/c Laura plans to visit in August and Deb plans to visit sometime next year...that just means they have no faith that a new Mom can be loads of fun. It'll be a breeze. he he he

I may look like just a baby to you

 and I may at times (many times) still act like one

 but you might want to steady yourself for the big news I'm about to share

 I have graduated from roaming the halls at church to NURSERY!!!

 Yes folks, I'm feelin' p r i t t e e  good about myself. My nursery grandma said she can't wait to see me next week...I pretty much won her over with a wink & a smile but can you blame me? she gave me a muffin for heavens sake!

yah, I'm movin' up in life.

James called my lovely dollop of frosting..."perfect little turds"

I know this is national plastic free month but instead my joy was found in purchasing a few plastic items that make me happy, #1 favorite purchase was the Slap Chop...yes, it really works b/c soup has been our favorite food lately so I can quickly turn this...

 into something more like...

 this

 and lately this little guy will do anything to get a laugh from his sisters

 #2 favorite plastic purchase was this miniature tupperware tea set. It is so cute that I don't mind refilling my cup six times in order to quench my thirst

 just so you can compare size and appreciate the cuteness...

 speaking of cuteness, Summer has been killing me lately with it and her sweetness too. On Sunday night she was concerned I would be too tired to do Valentine Breakfast so she unloaded the dishwasher & set the table to be ready for the morning but I caught her...

 and a few weeks ago she made some decorations for the house because apparently I'm lacking in that area

she was not disappointed the next morning b/c I did have the energy to decorate the table, made pancakes with strawberry extract (mmm), made peach smoothies milkshakes, scrambled eggs, & James did the bacon & the dishes. It was a sweet day but I'm keeping my feet up from now on (well at least I will during the hours of 11pm - 7am)

Good Enough.

Proof of Pregnancy

So here it is...

 8 months along, my sisters claim it's been the fastest pregnancy for them...imagine that. Other than Eliza, it really has been an easy going pregnancy. Maybe it's because I've had all the right treats at my fingertips & in the month of January I got lost in the book series 'The Great and the Terrible' (May just have to finish #6 today)

James was already at church so in each picture I'm talking to my mini photographer

 I'm so grateful that my boots still zip over swollen feet and ankles b/c my big ol' tennis shoes just wouldn't look cute with skirts.

 A few weeks ago I really wanted to feel healthier by cutting back on my sugar intake so I sat down with this book & a bowl of this at my side. Usually this book inspires me & reminds me of all knowledge I've forgotten (it's been with me for 16 years & in my college Speech class it won me an A because it convinced the professor to cut out soda...wonder if he stuck with it?)

but I'm Pregnant & I quickly forgot the chapters I read because by the next day  I found myself at Whole Foods spending $40 bucks on all their goodies...nothing wholesome. Oh well, Tammy will be here in less than five weeks- she'll only want carrots & celery for dessert & that's all she'll offer me right?

Just a new post of randomness...

Words and thoughts to remember...
I get to hang out with Amelia quite a bit these days since I do 'Home Preschool' (I gage how well I'm doing by asking any of her 3 girlfriends who go to professional preschool, what they know & then I feel assured that we're doing great & I take a month off. Kidding, sort of.)

A few words to remember, age 4
"When I'm big enough to be a schooler I will put all my pencils in this backpack"
(I guess this day and age she doesn't want to be gender specific by saying school girl.)

Lately when she feels that I'm on the verge of getting frustrated or senses that my words are getting louder she will look me in the eye and say
"I really like your hair. It looks so pretty"
and she stops me in my tracks b/c it makes me laugh. The comment is so out of place when I'm in the middle of wanting to get upset over something unimportant. Her older sisters are very grateful for this tactic.

A few nights ago James and I were sitting in the living room & the past few weeks he has been complaining that his clothes are shrinking, I told him to just enjoy gaining weight with me & then he says out loud that he wants to lose 10 pounds. I give him a thumbs up and wish him luck. (Raising four little girls...I don't like weight and pounds to be the subject of conversation or something they think they need to think about) Apparently Amelia must have been running around us & overheard b/c two days later she runs up to me and says...
"I know why Dad wants to get 10 pounds lost! So that he won't always be the last one kneeling!"
and it's true b/c every night for family prayer it's a race to your knees with all of them yelling out their number & when he gets called out on 6th place they let out a long sigh of 'Daaaaad'

Yesterday I was at the drive through for In and Out burger (the unnamed baby boy had been begging for one) & the line was long so I was just talking out loud and said 'Let's get this party movin' and then she responds...
"ya, let's get out of here Chuck!"

So maybe we'll just name the new baby Charlie.