Currently

I stole this post idea from one of my favorite blogs Lemonade Making Mama...
I have been a bit bored and going a little stir crazy, so I thought this was fun.  What's your current status????

Currently loving... the last few weeks of my third pregnancy...feeling the hiccups, bumps, and nudges...reminding myself this is the last baby so enjoy it all
Currently reading... Hypnobirthing:  It's a re-read, and I am gearing up for this next labor and delivery
Currently waiting for... the snow to melt around here so I can get out of this house!!!  We have been trying to keep busy, but we are all a bit stir crazy now
Currently excited about... girls night tomorrow night with Maddie...pedicures and Menchies frozen yogurt!
Currently missing... being able to sleep on my stomach, even though my husband reminds me how bad sleeping on your stomach is for your back!
Currently trying... to learn all about my iphone and apps...loving it so far and I am learning something new and different daily.  Right now my favorite is the shopping ziplist (thanks Julie)
Currently working at... listening to my 12 year old better
Currently enjoying... How much we all laugh at Bella all the time!  She is such a character and is always singing, dancing, etc...  We particularly love watching her do Just Dance on the Wii while saying she is going to "Shake her bootie."  I guess I never should have said that to her...she is a parrot.
Currently snacking on... homemade chocolate chip cookies...never leave a pregnant woman snowed in for days with a large batch of chocolate chip cookies.  Never
Currently using...a new mineral powder that my cousin sent me from New York and I love it!  She's a make up artist for Top Chef and lots of other things...so I totally trust her when it comes to make up
Currently wearing... Maternity jeans and a black top....pretty typical, except that it's a day off and I am not wearing my Gap Yoga pants which are my current favorite things to wear.
Currently planning... a date night with my husband and hoping for one soon!  Especially before our new bundle of love arrives.  We have both discovered how very right all those married couples were when they told us to ALWAYS have date night once a month and how important it is for our relationship.  Now, we don't always do once a month, but we try really hard to stay on top of this.  Our marriage is an example to our girls and I want to make sure I nuture it as much as I can.  I love our family time, but I also love our alone time and cherish it
Currently singing... La La Lu in my head...a song I sing to Bella every night.
Currently needing... to stock up on Glamour mom Nursing tanks...they are amazing and the BEST!  This time around I am getting more than I did with Bella
Currently learning... about how to talk to toddlers and teach them patience via The Happiest Toddler on the Block...I'll let you know how it goes.
Currently listening to...Jersey Shore on the TV...there I said it and maybe I should be slightly embarassed, but we love it.
Currently wishing... that my Baby To Do list was shrinking, but I have done nothing!  Nothing I tell you!  Oh, I did order newborn diapers from honest.com....awesome deal from zulilly.com, thanks Lis!
Currently doing... projects in our bedroom and finally finishing Bella's bedroom...I cannot wait to get it all done!  I must do it before this little one arrives
Currently praying for...a healthy baby, healthy family, my new newphew, my dad's health, and really trying to remember to thank God for all that we have....daily
Currently dreaming of... what my new little girl is going to be like and wonder how it is going to change the dynamics of our little family.  We are all excited for her to be here, the girls can't stop talking about her.  Maddie is dreaming of holding her lots because Bella was so fussy and cried so much when she was little, she didn't get much baby holding in. Bella keeps telling me she is going to give her kisses, her blankie, and hold her.  She is so loved already!  Stacy and I keep smiling ear to ear every time we talk about her...we are getting really really excited.

Snow Days

Stacy and I were just talking the other day about how we hadn't had any snow this year and maybe we were in the clear....  You see I was really hoping for no snow days to make up in school at the end of the year, I was only planning on coming back to school for the last week from my maternity leave (which is only 3 1/2 days).  However, Mother Nature had different plans.  We have been off school for two days.  The girls might have been going a little stir crazy so I have been trying my best to keep them busy (snow play only lasts so long when you don't have proper snow gear and it gets wet and cold!)
Anyway I have tried to capture some of our activities over the last few days which included: snow balls, snowmen, snow angels, shaving cream painting in the tub, stickers, coloring, making cookies, painting popcorn/marshmallows (with food coloring and milk), and making homemade play dough.
Best part of the snow days???  Daddy got to stay home with us on Wednesday....now we are wondering if there will be any more days off this week????

View from our front door

Painting the popcorn and marshmallows with food coloring/milk mixture

Tasting her art...

Girls playing outside with daddy

She laughed and laughed and ran around in circles in the snow

Painting in the tub...I highly recommend this to any parent, she loved it and it kept her busy for an hour!!

Big Sissy helping her paint

Christmas 2011

Christmas Eve ....girls putting out cookies and milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer 

 My girls must have been so very good this year because Santa brought lots of special gifts!

 Bella showing off one of her favorite stocking stuffers

 Bella really enjoyed sitting back and having sissy help her open up her gifts

 Christmas dinner table....minus a few chairs

 I did manage to get one of her with her favorite Santa gift...Simba

 After the rest of the family arrives...let the present opening begin!

 The cousins all together at the end of the night...they had such a blast!!!

Bella adores Peyton and keeps trying to kiss him...he wasn't too crazy about that idea!

Christmas 2011 was an amazing time! Lots of good food, family, love, and laughter!  We are so grateful for so many things this year, what an amazing year!  We are looking forward to 2012!!!

Christmas Eve-Maddie's Birthday

 We followed our yearly tradition for Christmas Eve/Maddie's Birthday...started the evening off by going to her favorite Mongolian Grill restaurant in Gig Harbor.....

 Then back to Grandma's house for cake and presents!

 Cute new hat!

 New Vest

 AND...drum roll....tickets to go and see Mamma Mia in March with Grandma!  The two of them know this movie inside and out and sing at the top of their lungs while watching...SO they are both just a little excited!

 Auntie, Uncle, and baby Ronan

 Finally we headed to church for the Christmas Eve service......

Where Daddy, Bella, and Mama spent the entire service in the hallway outside the service...OH well, at least we could still hear the service and music, and Bella was as happy as a clam as long as she could run around!

Great night and Happy Happy Birthday to my first born baby girl!!!  We LOVE you so much

My my how you have changed....2 years old Miss Bella

Polar Express Train Ride

We had so much fun taking the Polar Express train ride in Chehalis, Wa. We went with our good friends Carly, Erik, and their daughter Leah. The girls all wore their jammies and we had a blast! We got hot cocoa, cookies, sang Christmas carols,listened to a reading of the Polar Express, stopped at the "North Pole," got a bell from Santa, and a picture with Santa too. This will be a new yearly tradition for sure!

My girls snuggled in their jammies

Bella and Leah were really excited to see each other! Hugs and kisses galore

We picked up Santa Claus from the "North Pole"

Bella was shocked, excited, and terrifieed all at the same time

There was no way she was sitting on his lap..,

What a fun night!

Gearing Up for a 2nd Birthday Party

I cannot believe our little Bella is going to be 2 in just a few days! Tomorrow we are having her birthday party to celebrate 2 amazing years with our little girl! The theme was Polar Express...which sort of morphed into more of a red/green Christmas theme party! This mama had grand ideas, and just not enough energy to follow through. Anyway...I love the way her birthday party invite ended up. Super simple and we put it on glittery green card stock...The back invited everyone to hop on to the Polar Express....

Departure Time:

1:00pm

Itinerary:

A "chili" bar..

A hot cocoa bar

Sweet winter treats

Gingerbread house decorating