You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise: you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. Before a word is on my tongue you, Lord, know it completely…For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made…Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalm 139:1-3,13,16

Monday, September 26, 2011

tomorrow, tomorrow

I can't believe that the last two weeks have flown by! I have really been so busy getting ready for Eli that I just didn't realize how quickly the days were going after I quit working---I have been off for two weeks and I don't know what I would have done without that time.  All of his and my and Neil's clothes are washed and folded and put away and all thank you's are mailed and all supplies are organized, carseat is in the car along with all the bags except what I need in the morning to get ready.  I even had the car detailed today so it would be clean!  yes--full nesting mode!  (Thank you to my mom for helping with all of that including cleaning my house top to bottom and even the baseboards at my direction!)
I am so excited for Eli to come into this world, but I also wonder about what it will be like…how will he act, what will he look like, how will I feel when I no longer have him in my tummy, what will Neil think of me, of Eli, how will our lives change….? I am worried I will cry, I already am as I am writing this, when he is born. There is so much emotion, so many feelings that I can't even express.  Most of all I feel blessed. I am blessed to have become pregnant, blessed to have carried this little guy, so blessed to live in a time where medical technology is available to help Eli and I both to survive this process of breech birth with a C-section, blessed to have good doctors and hospitals, BLESSED to have such an awesome group of friends and family who would shower us with gifts and meals and visits and LOVE US! so much…We serve an awesome GOD who orchestrates all parts of our lives and who is able to weave together people and time and create such special circumstances for his glory.  This will be my last post before baby Eli is born tomorrow.  In less than 12 hours, I will be a mommy and I can't wait to see what scary, awesome, amazing, and indescribable things that means for me.  I will try to have pics up ASAP but I can't post well from my phone so it might be Friday before that is possible, although I should be able to post to facebook from the hospital.  For everyone following me…thank you SO MUCH for your prayers and love and kind wishes and just for thinking about us.  WE are SO blessed to have each one of you as friends and are SO thankful for this time.

Monday, September 12, 2011

the Latest

I decided today that it was my last day of work…I am just worn slap out. Unfortunately, partly due to my crazy genes (apparently I get it from my mom's side) and partly due to my nesting instinct, all I want to do is clean and paint and organize.  Since I am too tired and my stomach is too big to allow me to do everything I want to do I am just planning all the things I will do when I am able. These projects include but are not limited to organizing my pantry and creating some way to allow for more storage in there!, repainting and organizing my laundry room(thanks pinterest), cleaning and painting all of my baseboards and some of the trim, dusting all of my shades and window-sills, and reorganizing my craft/sewing room.  I wonder how I will manage all of that with a newborn : )  I bet Lucy(my mom) will help me…first I have to finish all of the projects I have already started including finishing making my hostess gifts for my shower this weekend (YAY!) I can't believe it is already time for my shower…I thought the day would never come---and now it is almost here! I will post pictures and info on the hostess gifts afterward, I don't want to ruin the surprise. However, I will go ahead and post some of the other projects I worked on the last two weeks.

Football Season wreaths for a house divided.

gift for a friend---monogramming and I finally learned to applique'



I used scrapbook paper and mod-podge to cover the top of this dresser for Eli's closet. planning to use a pinterest project to make drawer liners too.

close-up of the top



This closet is the most organized room in the house! Look at all those clothes! Those are just the nicer things, everything else-like sleepers- are folded and in drawers, organized by size…yes I am neurotic!

Quilt…made for Eli by me and Alicia and Olivia helped too! I love the colors-- you can't quite tell how vivid it is from this picture…lots of green, turquoise, and brown.

Is she cute or what?  she's a natural with that measuring tape  




The back is animal-print minky dot…love it!  Did I mention how many poses I get when Neil is taking my picture?

halloween onesie for Eli


That just shows you the half of all the projects I want to do.  I can't tell you how much sewing is going on over here! : ) but I will show you soon.


And finally, C-section scheduled for September 27, unless Eli decides to start coming sooner. It's definitely possible….


Thursday, September 1, 2011

Coupon deals and Guess who?

Well here's the latest look at preggo belly

Not the greatest shot, can't blame anyone but myself for that face! It is a good indication of how big the belly really is! HAHA!


I had some professional pics taken on Wednesday by the great people at Three Nails Photography (hit them up if you need some pictures soon) and can't wait to see how they turn out--could be a couple weeks before we get to see but I will happily post some when I have them!


Here is a look at the coupon deal I ran this week for some stuff we actually really need and use…deodorant, dishwashing detergent, toothbrushes, body wash, candy!, and a couple other little things. My Swiffer stick broke (I have had it since early college so I think it was well worth paying for again---I got it free for being a demonstrator in Kmart) and I was able to get a new one in one of the deals at Walgreens this week.  Here is a shot of all I got and a breakdown on what I spent..3 transactions.

There are 7 deodorants, 2 battery toothbrushes, 4 big bags of M&Ms,  a 2pk of avent pacifiers,  Mr Clean magic eraser 2pk, 2-15ct Cascade dishwashing inserts, 1 swiffer starter kit, 4 large men's body wash, and a tiny candy pack of cherry drops (25 cent filler item). spent total of $61.77 after coupons including tax, got $10 back in RR to use at next trip and SAVED $66.01  and that was on things we need and will use ( I don't mind spending a little for the brands and products we would be buying anyway--it's really nice to save on them too and for some reason my hubby will only use this particular deodorant)


I coupon to be a good steward of money and so that if I want to splurge on something that is a bigger or more expensive item I won't feel too guilty.  My husband and I work hard and we like to do fun things and have nice things--this makes it easy for me not to feel as if I am throwing away money.  If I want something nice, I will shop around, check prices, and look for ways to save. Once I think I have a good deal or a good price I might wait a short time to make sure something else (like a discount site or a big sale) doesn't come up, but then I buy it.  Sometimes after I buy the item a better deal comes along (oh well) or I see it cheaper but I know that I have saved in other ways that make it ok for me to spend money on something that is nice, that I really want, and that will hold up and is not cheap.  Not everyone is able to say that but we are blessed to be able to.

My point is this----I have watched and waited and been patient and last week I was able to order my stroller….he arrived yesterday and I am SO happy to introduce to you our new addition….BOB!!!!






Isn't he handsome! I can't wait to get to use him! I chose orange--I think it looks very sporty and will be fine for boy or girl so I can use it for a long time!  I put it together last night and I have just been admiring him ever since then! See ya on the trails in October- suckas----hopefully (or as soon as my doctor says I can run again!).