Fondue, Flowers & Godiva--Who Needs More?

We got much done around our home this weekend. It was very productive and happy too. Jamie and I celebrated our Anniversary very quietly at home. We put the kids to bed early and had a very, very yummy cheese fondue with lots of fruits, veggies and breads for dipping. Our most favorite place to eat is The Melting Pot. Since we couldn't get to The Melting Pot this year, we brought it home. We enjoy doing fondue at home every now and then.

Jamie got me lots of Godiva chocolates:-) and beautiful flowers too. I know some women don't care for flowers, but I'll admit it, they make me feel special and appreciated and I love it when Jamie gives me flowers.

I got Jamie chocolate too, and Sudoko and word puzzle books--he loves these things!! I don't have the patience for them:-).

My friend, Michelle, informed me a couple months back that the "traditional" gifts for your 6th wedding anniversary are chocolate and wood. Well, chocolate was a no brainer for me--you know my love of chocolate!! Jamie and I both had the chocolate covered with no problem. As for the wood, we didn't get near the wood that my friend Michelle and her husband got for their anniversary, but....we did purchase wood on the day of our anniversary for the bookshelves in Hanna's new room. Which, by the way, is moving along so very quickly now!!!! I will post pics of it later today or first thing tomorrow (I hope!).

Jamie and I enjoyed so much just talking to one another while eating our fondue, and then we ate some of our chocolates and watched a movie. We even managed to stay awake for it!! We both "burn the candle at both ends" much too often the last few months. **I am choosing not to even think about all of the calories I consumed and will consume through fondue and chocolate last night and this upcoming week:-).**

This was our first year not going away for our anniversary together. Even so, we had a nice night, and what matters to me most is that it marked the day that the six happiest years of my life began, and started another year of happiness with the love of my life.

Happy Anniversary

Today Jamie and I celebrate our 6th wedding anniversary. I thought I'd share some of the things I love and appreciate about Jamie today since this is our special day, and it wouldn't be possible without him.

Jamie has given me a life and home full of love and happiness that I never thought I'd have. He is my best friend.

What makes Jamie so special to me:

• He came into my life and Hanna's and literally jumped right into his role as a father with a ready made family without missing a beat! And I mean this, he has been a natural from day one.
• He is a hands on dad who makes time to do what our kids enjoy and he always has time for them no matter what he is doing.
• He makes me laugh every single day.
• He loves me unconditionally and tells me every day.
• He never has an unkind word to say to me and never raises his voice. He is gentle and kind and very sensitive to my feelings.
• He works hard to provide for our family and doesn't mind doing so.
• He always likes to plan special things for us to do as a family and makes everything we do so much fun.
• I have fun with him no matter what we are doing.
• He enjoys having our kids with us just as much as I do.
• He helps with middle of the night feedings and diaper changes and actually enjoys it. He truly enjoys his time with our children.
• He buys me Godiva chocolate:-).

Here are a few favorite pictures I found from the past six years. (Some I scanned in so they may be a bit fuzzy.)

This is the spot Jamie proposed to me on June 28th, 2003, at The Biltmore House--one of our favorite places to visit together.



Our Wedding Day:



His first bedtime story with Hanna--this seems ages ago as I look at Hanna in this picture and look at her today. This was her most favorite book at the time, Lily's Purple Plastic Purse. I have to add, Jamie was the one to break her of the pacifier habit too--it was so nice to have someone to help me with these sorts of things:-).



Our sealing, which was the best day of my life other than the days each of my children was born.



Special places we've gone together and memories I'll always have from our time spent together on these trips.



There are so many pictures and memories I'd love to fill this already lengthy post with. Happy Anniversary Jamie! Thank you for making me so happy and loving me with all your heart every single day we've been together. You are my best friend and I love you forever!

Fly Fly Away

We ordered some insects from Insectlore this week to study for Science--caterpillars and ladybugs. No problem with our caterpillars. They are growing just as they should. Well, we had a time with our ladybugs and I thought I'd share this funny story.

We do caterpillars every year--usually catch our own, but since it was so late in the summer and Hanna's science lesson was about insects, lifecycles and so forth I decided to order them. I thought I may as well do the ladybugs too while I was at it. I've never dealt with the ladybugs before. They came in the mail.

We followed the instructions perfectly. Placed them in the fridge for a half hour to send them into "hibernation" to make transfer easy.

When Hanna first removed the lid they were really still and calm and it seemed like this would be a breeze. Transfer them into our container we had all cleaned out and ready for them, and observe them over the next couple of weeks--lots of fun.

They almost immediately started crawling all around really fast. There were so many of them in that little container. I called for Jamie to see if he could help us out and get them transferred fast. (You can see his hand as he jumped in to help in the picture below.) They were beginning to crawl out of the container they came in, as well as the container we were transferring to, and we couldn't stop them fast enough.

Next, we put them and the container we were transferring to into a ziploc bag while we thought things out. We found another container and began to try and transfer them from the ziploc bag into this larger container. This didn't work either. They were not only crawling out of the ziploc bag, but crawling all over me, Jamie and Hanna. We were doing this in our kitchen, and they managed to crawl into the toaster, up the cabinets and then began flying around the kitchen. They were seriously everywhere.

We ended up taking the ones who hadn't escaped yet and releasing them into the backyard. (There was no way I'd be able to get the lid off of their container each day without them escaping to water them.) It was hilarious! We found them for a day or so around the kitchen and our downstairs:-). I'd thought the kids may be a little upset that they didn't get to keep and watch them as planned, but after that ordeal they had no problem setting them free.

Butterfly Exhibit and Children's Museum Field Trip

I took the kids to our local Children's museum this past Friday for a "Field Trip". I'd been wanting to go all summer to see the Butterfly Exhibit they have through October. We finally made it and we were impressed with it too. I knew Hanna would be in butterfly heaven considering she is somewhat obsessed with butterflies in general:-). We stayed in the exhibit for about an hour just looking at all of them, and the pretty flowers they had around. They had butterfly guides available. I had Joe get one and play a game of "I Spy" with his. He loved this, and found lots of different types once I initiated the game.


Hanna actually caught several butterflies on her hand. This was the highlight for her.


Jack wasn't allowed to get down and I couldn't bring the stroller in either (exhibit rules)--so I held him the whole hour--this was challenging, but it did end up working out ok, and I managed to get some good pictures even with one hand:-). Even having to be held, (which luckily he likes) he enjoyed looking at all the butterflies and seeing some up close on the plants and flowers.


After the exhibit I let the kids have fun in the museum. Their first stop was the life sized boy in the front. The inside of this boy is filled with slides, tunnels and passages that are play areas of the different parts of the human body--eyes, brain, stomach and so forth.


Hanna and Joe had fun with the large Operation game.


They also enjoyed "grocery shopping".


Joe and Jack enjoyed playing around on the farm getting eggs from the chickens and "riding" the tractor.




Hanna and Joe stopped for a camel ride in Timbuktu.


We lost Jack in Timbuktu and found him a few exhibits over on the human piano.


This was it for Mom. After frantically running through this part of the museum calling for Jack (and yes, I'm a mom who always wondered "How in the world does anyone lose a child?!") and then finding him so far away we called it a day and headed home. Despite this one upset we really did have a great time! We always enjoy this museum. There is so much to do, and the butterfly exhibit was beautiful!

Making Headway & Joe's First FHE Lesson

We are slowly making progress in our efforts to get things ready for Jesse. After a whole day (Saturday) of watching online DIY tutorials, lots of trial and error and trips to Lowe's, Jamie finally figured out how to properly put up the crown molding in Hanna's new room. He is finishing it up tonight and then things should move quickly (yeah right) the rest of the week. We are so hoping to move her into her new room this weekend!!

I got all of Jesse's newborn clothes unpacked (they hadn't even been packed up a whole year, WOW!), washed up and folded today.

Now, we just need to get Hanna out of his room and get his room ready so I have some place to put them all. I ordered his crib bedding, click *here* to see a picture of it--we just need to buy his crib, and I'll have some place to put it:-). My goal is to have our hospital bags packed by the end of the week.

Joe gave his first Family Home Evening Lesson tonight. He used a couple of packages he got in Primary over the last two weeks at church. He did such a great job and he was so proud to give the lesson. It was so fun to watch him and hear all that he is learning about the gospel and remembering.

He chose the songs we sang--the kids had fun spinning and jumping (among other actions) to "Do As I'm Doing".

I got the cutest picture of them all sitting in front of the fireplace ready for the closing prayer. Hanna was already sitting there and Joe and Jack just followed her over. This was the perfect photo opportunity waiting to happen!

We ended our lesson with chocolate cupcakes! Today was a great start to our week. We had a productive school day, fun craft time, a yummy meal (I finally restocked our freezer at Let's Dish today!!) with lots of veggies (I was craving these), and a super fun Family Home Evening Lesson to end our day.

**Today was the first official day of school in our district. I must say it felt so nice to not be a part of it. It was great knowing we are "officially" homeschoolers now!**

Finished Pottery Pieces & Fifth Grade Week 10

First a very brief wrap-up of what Hanna learned this week, and then on to her finished pottery pieces I couldn't wait to pick up!!

This week Hanna worked on:

• ELA/Math-Sandi McQueen's Language Lessons 25-28 and Rod and Staff Math lessons 33-36.
• History-History Odyssey~Ancients Level Two lesson 15; completed 4 more sections in Ancient Egypt History Pocket.
• Science-Apologia Zoology 1~Flying Creatures Lessons 8 & 9. She made a very cool baby pterosaur fossil. You can see a "how to" on this fun project *here*.
  
• Wordly Wise-Lesson 9
• Field Trip-We took a day trip to a nearby Science Museum. You can read about that *here*.

I couldn't wait to get Hanna's finished pottery pieces back. Here are the final pieces. I think they turned out great and can't wait to put them out and up around our home! If you'd like to see the pieces before they were finished click *here*.

Here is Hanna beside her cat mask (each student had a couple of pieces on display):


Angel Fish Plate:


Tea Pot and Drummer for dad:


Small Pots from Wheel (I have many of these:-), I use them for candles, salsa and dip bowls):



Square Plate (I am using this beside my stove as a trivet) and Mosaic:

Room Reno, Doctor's Appt.'s and Field Trips

We have been super busy around our home--I believe that's our new norm for many years to come. We have been making time for fun too. We went on two "field trips" within the last 10 days. The first to Fort Discovery in Augusta (click *here* to read about this), and the second to Edventure (you can read about this one next week on my homeschool blog). Fort Discovery was a fun science museum we've been to before some years back--we all had fun, there was lots to do there. I've been wanting to take the kids to Edventure while they have their butterfly exhibit. I took them today. It was really pretty with lots of flowers and so many butterflies just randomly flying around. I got some great pics--some with the butterflies on Hanna's hands even--make sure to look for these next week. I am so afraid each day that I will go into labor and not get some of the things I am so looking forward to done! I really, really want to have this baby late:-)!! We are used to moving at such a fast pace lately and doing so many fun things and I know things will have to slow down for a bit--hopefully not for too long though:-).

Hanna took her summer pottery camp a few weeks ago. You can read about that *here*. Check in at our homeschool blog tomorrow and you can see each of her finished pieces in her "weekly wrap-up post for fifth grade. We went tonight to the pottery studio to pick up her finished pieces. Each child had a couple of their pieces on display. Here she is beside a cat mask she made.

Jamie has made progress on Hanna's room. It's all painted a very bright, girly pink. I've wanted a room this color for so very long and am so glad Hanna did too!! Since these pictures Jamie has gotten up baseboards, and some top trim. The carpet for her reading nook is in--also a bright pink:-). We plan to put down the carpet, rest of top trim, lights, ceiling fan, shelves and so forth--finish the room by the end of this upcoming week and have her IN! We have GOT to get moving on Jesse's room!! I haven't ordered any bedding, gotten him a crib, packed my bag or his, washed his clothes up or even picked out his paint color--what is wrong with me?!! For some reason, it is not bothering me as it would have with my first three. I feel pressures in other areas and have been focusing on these instead--getting homeschool materials in order and prepared for the weeks after his birth, getting the kids rooms, clothes and such in order, thinking ahead for meals, getting laundry done. I guess I know that Jesse will need love, food and sleep and the material things for him just aren't as important to me this time. If needs be, we will finish up his room after he is here--he will be in his bassinet for a few months anyway:-). Hopefully though, he will cooperate and all will be finished by his delivery.

I had a doctor's appt. this past Monday. All is well. My doctor has thankfully granted my request to not do weekly appointments or pelvic exams this time!! I basically will go in one more time before delivery and that's all--he said I know what to watch and look for by now so unless I sense a problem, no need to come in--YES!! I am getting so anxious and nervous about the delivery, health of me and Jesse during delivery and recovery and our hospital stay. Please keep me in your prayers that the delivery will be vaginal, healthy and routine and the recovery/hospital stay too, for both Jesse and myself; that I will be able to relax and enjoy this very special time to bond with Jesse (that I will only get these few short days) and that we will be able to come home routinely and quickly to my family. I am going to miss the kids so bad. I will just be glad to be home again all together.

I really hope to have some finished room pics by next weekend to post! Keep your fingers crossed for us in this area--and most importantly keep us in your prayers too for the more important things. Here are some pictures of us from this past week--me 35 weeks pregnant, Jack cheesin', Joe playing with his train table--we moved it to his room last Sunday so Jack wouldn't rip the tracks off anymore, and Joe has loved spending time in his room playing, which has been really nice--Jack and Hanna looking out of our living room window at the "caahs and tucks" passing by--one of Jack's new favorite past times.

Even though we still have much preparation ahead of us, I am so looking forward to meeting and holding Jesse, seeing what he looks like, touching his soft skin and just being with him after his birth. I love being a mom more than any words could ever describe. When I look at my three kids each day I cannot believe how blessed I am to have them all, and another sweet baby boy so very soon. Jamie and I will celebrate our wedding anniversary this upcoming weekend--what a blessing to add to our already happy lives--a blissfully happy marriage and home filled with love and health. I thank my Heavenly Father each and every day for these blessings and so many more.