Recent Happenings

This will just be a little random grouping of updates over the last week or so. I haven't had much time to blog and process photos as we have had phone line issues, interent issues, and our computers both had to be restored! (and aren't done yet! grrr!!)

Last Sunday after a weekend of xmas parties, birthday party, and our date night, we spent Sunday after church watching xmas movies and stringing popcorn. We got enough popcorn strung to go around the tree twice, which was good enough for me. Maybe next year we'll do more.. although Norman ate some of it off the tree!

On Thursday, Valerie had her preschool Christmas party. She was thrilled to tell me about making red and green popcorn balls, reindeer trail mix, and she was happily drinking cocoa with marshmallows when I picked her up. Afterwards, we had her very first recital.

The recital was completely chaotic and not really what you'd expect from a traditional recital as the kids were excited that all of the parents were there and remained unfocused for most of the hour. In general, the kids listen very well during class other than a couple of 1.5 year olds who run around the entire time. They showed us what they usually do during a class and wore santa hats, which some kids started fighting over. I was happy to say that Valerie completely behaved herself, and was one of few who did so. She did have a little melt down when her hat fell off and her hair was all messed up but we fixed that and off she went.

Friday I had my 11 week doc. appointment. All is well, we heard the heartbeat (and saw it!) on the u/s machine. Derrick was able to come this time and the girls were excited to see the baby although I'm not sure they actually understood what they were looking at. Heck, it was hard for ME to see the baby on that thing. I thought I was 11.5 weeks but she has me at 10.5 weeks so we have some discrepency. (It's not really *possible* for me to only be 10.5 weeks) so we shall see what happens as far as due dates are concerned. My kids haven't made it passed 38 weeks thus far anyway so it probably doesn't matter. Derrick will have to scan the pictures at work as our scanner died. Taking a pic of it is not workin! :)

This weekend was taken over mostly by our house-buying experience as we were up until nearly 4am Friday evening filling out contracts and going back and forth with our realtor and the sellers. I am glad to say that part is done. We're a bit stressed this week as it is Christmas yet we are scrambling today to get an inspector, attorney, contracts mailed, mortgages set,etc. arhghh!! I will be glad when it is all done and we can be settled before the baby comes!!

Sunday after church we decided to work on our gingerbread house. We baked the pieces of gingerbread on Saturday and let them sit out over night to harden. Getting them to stick together and stand up is a project we didn't have much patience for. Ellie of course wanted to eat it NOW and Valerie just wanted to decorate. There is no way I could have held them off to let each piece dry before adding another, so i took it apart and they each made their own flat cookie house. It worked out much better, took 10 minutes, and made for a good dessert last night.