Happy Birthday Nate!

Today is Nate's 3rd Birthday! I can't believe he is already 3! We are so happy he is in our family. He makes us laugh everyday! And sometimes makes me cry :) Nate loves to make everyone laugh...he is always doing funny things! Nate doesn't talk very well (and will be starting preschool shortly) but he can quote almost all of Nightmare Before Christmas! He is very excited for "Christmas time" and his new "baby guurl" to come!

Nate's favorites at age 3...

color: orange

food: ramen noodles and macaroni and cheese

movie: Nightmare Before Christmas

toy: Transformsers or Buzz Lightyear

tv show: Transformers

friend: Sammy, Ben, and Blake

treat: orange icee

thing to do: run and laugh

Happy Thanksgiving!

Ben's Last Soccer Game!

This year Benson coached Ben's soccer team...a side effect of that was that Nate was his "assistant coach"

Ben running so fast!

He scored a goal...and ran over to me for a hug! He was so excited!

Ben loved having his dad for the coach! He was so excited to get his trophy! He has showed everyone his trophy and he even wants to sleep with it! He is going to be devastated this Saturday when he doesn't get to go to his soccer game! He had such a good season and loves to play any sport!

Nate LOVED to go to Ben's soccer games and practice! He would always called it his soccer team! He really wanted a trophy! Soon it will be his turn to play on a team!

For the Record...

I loved the movie!

The Smart Test

My kids love for me to ask them questions to see if they are smart...The smart test! This morning we were having a test...I ask them several questions that they got correct. Then I ask them.."Why do we celebrate Christmas?"
Sammy says, "Ummm, to see if we have been bad or good all year"
Ben says, "NO! Its because we need to get new toys"
I say "Ummm..No. Let me give you a hint we celebrate someone very specials Birthday"

They both yell in unison, "SANTA CLAUS!"

Sammy thinks a minute and says quietly, "no, I think its Jesus"

I guess we will need to review that a bunch in the next coming weeks!

They redeemed themselves when I ask them how old I was and Sammy said "Ben I will give you a hint...she's really close to 19"
and Ben said "you are turning 22"

I didn't correct them :)

Do Your Best

Benson has been working so hard lately...it's not easy being pregnant or married to someone who is pregnant. There has been a lot that I have been "over looking" lately and Benson has had to pick up a lot of slack. Tonight I had a headache (I get those awful hormonal headaches a lot when I'm pregnant) and I didn't make dinner...Benson came home took the kids to the park (so I could have some quiet time) and came home to throw together some dinner...it was a buffet night...you know cereal, leftovers or easy mac...pretty much whatever you can find. I guess Ben was not impressed with what he saw. When we were sitting down for dinner he said in his most sympathetic voice...


"Dad, you did your best with dinner tonight"

These boots were made for walkin'

As previously mentioned Samantha needed some new shoes. I bought her these ones.... And a pair of sparkly black ones (no picture available at this time) they were both size 11's and the black ones fit but the brown ones "didn't feel quite right" TRANSLATION: She doesn't like them and she is too nice to tell me. We headed to Target last night and she spotted the boots. She told me that they were perfect because she could wear them with a skirt or with jeans...since I had so much guilt about the whole shoes too small thing...I let her talk me into them (even though I really wanted to buy her church shoes and I was semi-planning on getting her some boots for Christmas).

I think she likes them!

Worst.Mom.Ever.

So, Benson has been bugging me about cleaning Samantha's closet and dresser...mainly because I was out of town and he discovered that she has lots of clothes that don't fit her anymore and he was frustrated. I haven't had any energy lately but yesterday I woke up feeling good and decided to go through her clothes...everything was fine and dandy and I started thinking "I haven't bought Sammy church shoes in a really long time" I couldn't remember the last time...so I decide to go through her shoes as well...size 9's! What? I think she is an 11...NOT A NINE! She didn't only have one pair of size nines but SEVERAL..shoes that she wears to school and church regularly. She does have some shoes that fit so I am not torturing her EVERYDAY! I check Nate and Ben's shoes..yep, they have size 11! (side note: can you believe all of my kids have the same size shoe? They also all weigh the same...weird) I think more...the last time I bought Sammy church shoes I am pretty sure we were living in our old house...2 years ago!!! I call Benson with my news...Sammy needs new shoes. He says "well, she loves wearing those huge shoes that you have for her but those are too big" (she has some hand me down shoes that are WAY too big but she loves to wear them) The guilt seeps in more "She is probably wearing the huge shoes because her other shoes are too tight"! Sammy never complains...she has never once said that her shoes were too tight AND she puts her own shoes on so I never really checked them!! When she got home I ask Sammy..."do your shoes hurt your feet" and she said "sort of"!

Today I was a woman on a mission...I headed to Target to buy her some shoes...on my way there I was on the phone with my good friend Britany and I tell her my shoe sob story and she says "Kyle, that is borderline child neglect"! I marched into Target and bought 2 pairs of shoes...I can't wait to show her when she gets home today!

Mall of America!!!

At the airport in Minnesota right when we got there..my aunt Cyndy, Erin, Reagan, Kacey, Meredith, me, my mom, Cathy, and Jaime

In front of the mall...me, and my sisters..Kacey, Erin, Kelly, Reagan and my mom

We always get pictures with the BEST Santa in the world. We also have a big group shot but for some reason I don't have a copy of that.

We took the train downtown for the first time. It was super cold but made me really excited for Christmas!

Downtown there was the coolest Christmas display on the 8th floor of Macy's (that's right I said 8 floors)...it was like Disneyland!

When we were headed to the airport it started snowing...you can't really tell in the picture though.

We had such a fun trip! I can't wait until next year! We laughed and ate a bunch...and played Catch Phrase. One night we stayed up until 2am watching Mtv Cribs. Even though I missed my kids and Benson it was so fun to just hang out with my sisters, mom, aunt and cousin and not be mom for a little while!

When I got home my kids were so excited to see me and my friend told me that Ben told his Primary Teacher he missed me so much and that I had been gone for 2 months! Isn't that cute?

Veteran's Day Parade

Samantha was in the Veteran's Day Parade with her dance group...she was very excited to ride on a float! She was sitting by her friends...Taylor, Hannah, and Elle. Waiting for the parade...Kacey and Ben. Sammy loves when Kacey comes because she can whistle really loud.

Nate was SUPER cranky and just wanted to be on Benson's shoulders.

Finally, it's her turn. She was so cute shaking her pom-poms! She felt like a celebrity and it was fun to go and watch her!

Are you thinking PINK?

We are! And we couldn't be more excited! It's nice having connections...my friend took me to have an ultrasound tonight (for family night) and we are 99% sure that its a GIRL! She let me know that is as sure as you get before the baby is born!

We are THRILLED! We can't wait to welcome this little princess into our family!

Sorry I didn't include this in the original post...but by popular demand...

All the kids were at the ultrasound. They didn't quite understand and Ben said it was "spooky" in there. When we told them it was a girl Sammy started dancing, Ben said "yea for Lucy" (his name pick) and Nate said "sister"! They were all very excited. The first think I said is "I needed it to be a girl" (although I KNOW I would have been excited if it was a boy, too) and Benson still hasn't really said anything either way :)

When I tucked Sammy in tonight she said "I'm so excited to share a room with my new sister"

I am in such shock! I am VERY excited and can't wait for my big shopping trip this weekend...I have a feeling I will be coming home with a lot of things pink!

8 Things Tag

8 Favorite Shows (in no particular order...)

1. Greys Anatomy
2. The Office
3. Gossip Girl
4. Ugly Betty
5. The Hills
6. American Idol
7. Cold Case
8. 48 Hours Mystery
(after reviewing the shows I like...I MIGHT need to review my choices and switch to better shows...I might think I am 16 years old)

8 things I did yesterday..

1. cleaned my bathrooms (they were really bad)
2. played UNO with Ben
3. built block towers with Nate
4. made beds (seriously, a huge accomplishment)
5. took Samantha to gymnastics
6. made dinner
7. went to Bunco
8. watched T.V. (Thursday is a good TV night...thank goodness for DVR)

8 Things to Look forward to...

1. My Minnesota trip next week (5 more days)
2. CHRISTMAS!
3. Nate's Birthday at the end of the month
4. The Twilight Movie!!
5. My ultrasound next week (to find out the gender)
6. Having my baby!
7. Christmas shopping
8. getting over my "morning sickness" and having more energy

8 Favorite Restaurants

1. Serranos
2. Olive Garden
3. Costa Vida
4. Twin City Grill (in Minnesota...can't wait to go next week)
5. Texas Roadhouse
6. Flemings
7. Nello's Pizza
8. Chilis

8 Things on my Wish List...

1. A new camera
2. a healthy baby
3. Happy kids
4. a money tree
5. Energy!
6. New bedroom furniture
7. a clean and organized house
8. better economy...a girl can wish right?

8 people I tag..

1. Colette
2. Emily
3. Britany
4.Courtney
5. Brittany
6. Amy
7. Whitney
8.anyone else that wants to!

Pepcid = Candy??

Yesterday Nate woke up at 5 am...I wasn't ready to operate at that time so after trying to get him to go back to sleep...he decided he wanted to play in the toy room for a while. Fine by me...I went back to sleep in my bed. A little later Ben comes in and we had this conversation...
Ben: Mom, Nate is eating candy in the toy room
Me: That's fine (I was really tired and honestly didn't care right then)
Ben: Can I have some candy?
Me: Umm, sure. Ask Nate to give you some.
Ben runs off and is gone for like 10 seconds and runs back in with a medicine bottle in his hand and says: Mom, Nate is eating medicine NOT candy!

Well, I guess that is a way to get me out of bed fast! I hopped up and saw it was Pepcid! I guess I shouldn't leave that down! Luckily, Nate had only had one! But he has been crying and begging for his "candy" ever since!

I guess I should wait until next year to submit for my Mother of the Year Award :)

Also, just wanted to clarify...I really want a girl because I want Sammy to have a sister BUT if we are having a boy we will be THRILLED! Really, I want a healthy baby! We are excited either way...but I like things to be even so 2 boys and 2 girls seem perfect...but if that is not what is in the cards for us we will love this baby either way!

Good news...

I know you have all been sitting on the edge of your seats...but, turns out Nate's eye's weren't too bad and he doesn't need glasses after all!
The lady at the district had me all worried for nothing!
Yea!

What's on my mind today...

-Well, I still don't have a camera. Benson says I need to wait until the day after Thanksgiving to get one on sale. So, you will have to endure my blog with no photos..unless I can steal Benson's work camera! Seems fair right? He ran over my camera and is making me wait to buy a new one!
-Samantha is home sick today. I think she is faking, but I'm OK with it. She really doesn't seem sick but every time I ask her how she is feeling she says "My throat kinda hurts" or "my tummy doesn't feel good". I think she just wanted a day off. Don't we all sometimes?
- Nate is going to the eye doctor tomorrow. The lady at the school district said he needed glasses. Even though I think Nate will look darling in glasses...I feel like taking care of his glasses is like adding an additional child to our family. I'm hoping for a miracle and he doesn't really need glasses.
-We are, in fact, adding another child to our family...it is fun to see how excited the kids are. Unfortunately, I have brainwashed them into believing the baby is a girl...hopefully they won't be disappointed if it is a boy.
-I am going on a shopping trip next week with my sisters, mom, aunt, and cousins...I hope to find out what I am having before I go. My friend said she would do an ultrasound for me...I'm very excited. Both for the trip AND the ultrasound!
-I am mentally preparing for a boy and telling myself how much easier my life would be with another boy...I'm not convinced yet, but I'm getting there.
-I'm still sick a bunch and wish my kids would learn to wipe their own bottoms and make their own food...my nausea would be so much better if I didn't have to do those 2 things.
-If you are curious, we don't know what we are naming our baby. Ben wants to name her "Lucy" which is probably our front runner name for a girl. Sammy likes "Macy" and Nate calls the baby.."Baee Gurr". Nobody (besides Benson when he is trying to make me mad!) refers to the baby as a boy.
-I'm anxious to hear election results tonight...I hope I am pleasantly surprised!

Well, I guess that was pretty random...just thought I would give you a little update on me!

State Fair

Today Samantha's dance group performed at the State Fair! She was super nervous and excited! She did such a good job...it could be all the hormones, but I almost cried I was so proud of her! She looked so cute and so grown up! Samantha and her friend and "buddy" Taylor (we are supposed to bring buddy gifts and we forgot ours...Samantha was so worried to tell Taylor but luckily Taylor forgot her gift also...yea!)

Samantha, Tori, Elle, and Hannah...getting ready to go on stage!

Performing to "Rock Star" by Hannah Montana

I really wanted to get a family picture...why can't everyone look at the camera without touching their face? Who knows...anyway, on another note...being pregnant with baby number 4 shows a lot sooner than baby number 1...what? I'm only 14 weeks...I look like 6 months pregnant! Ugh!

The kids also did a "chicken dance" competition..Ben won!


The State Fair was pretty fun...but SO EXPENSIVE! Can you believe it? The whole time Benson and I kept saying that the State Fair is almost as expensive as Disneyland..but not as fun and way dirtier! Anyway, after the dance performance my parents took Nate home (he was having a major meltdown...naptime) and Benson and I stayed with Sammy and Ben...but they also took Sammy's dance bag with our camera in it so we had to take pictures on Benson's phone! I'll have to add those later...we let Sammy and Ben ride the elephant. So cute!