For the love of my baby...

Only 30-some days left and I get to meet my baby boy. I am soo excited and nervous. Yeah it just hit me that I have to do the whole labor thing again. Bug was a "Hollywood" delivery...the rest of them...not so much. My body is tired, and I'm feeling ready to be done, but the end is getting so near I can see it now. 500, Bug was right I've hit the 500 mark, and it's looking like this puke-fest I've been celebrating will continue right until the end. Worth it?...absolutely, even if my teeth decay and fall right out.:-)

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Have you ever gotten so far behind that it seems impossible that you will ever catch up? That's where I've been these last few weeks. I have so many things I want to post about, Bugs ordination, my Mother-in-laws funeral(we are all still struggling with the fact that she is gone), Halloween, the SYTYCD concert...the list goes on and on. I have missed reading and posting, and trying to keep in touch with all of you out there. Life has been hectic as it is for everyone, and unfortunately blogging has been put right at the end of the list.

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Just a quick post to get my over two week ago one off the top. Last Friday we all spent the afternoon(in the 42 degree temp.) raking leaves and getting the yard winterized. Sunny day but quite chilly!!!

Good timing I'd say since this was Saturday....
Awwww...I love the changes in the seasons...It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...my ABSOLUTE favorite time of the year!!!! Even better....Christmas is going up this coming weekend at my house(hubby will be home, and I definitely can't do it by myself) because we are heading to Idaho for Thanksgiving!!!!(gotta have Christmas up for when we get back)WOOHOO!!!!!!

A new baby coming soon, beautiful snow, healthy-crazy kids, eternal families, Thanksgiving at home and Christmas...truly, I have so much to be thankful for. 500 barfs...no big deal!:-)

Happy Birthday to..........ME!!!!

Holy Smokes 33 years old!! How did that happen? Just wanted to say a big THANK-YOU Mom(with a little help from Dad...haha) for bringing me into this world, and always taking such good care of me. I love you both more than you could ever even know! You two are the best, and I am very blessed to have you as my parents.

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Then 10 years later, my adorable niece Kylee was born. HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the cutest birthday twin ever, LOVE YA!!!!(hope you get spoiled!!)

Hope every one has a great day...it's a special day for our family, especially Bug. Like I said before, what an amazing Birthday present for me. Can't wait to get around and say "HI" to everyone, it's been a long time!!!:-)

Time to Serve!!

SERVICE and WARM FUZZIES...

I decided that our family needs to focus more on serving others, and the happiness it brings into our lives when we do. From the little tiny things to big things that we would need to do as a family, it is time we focus on others. Bug and Lexlee understand a bit better about not being awarded for service, but Jibbity on the other hand...makes sure you know when she has served you.haha It was really sweet, last night Jibbity grabbed my hand and told me I needed to go look in my room. She had taken off all the pillows and pulled down the covers for me. She was so excited, and told me she had done service and that her heart felt good. Same thing today when she noticed Lexlee had not put her shoes away appropriately, she says to me,"look what I'm doing Mom...this is service".

So...I came up with a container that we can fill with "warm fuzzies", ya know the feeling you get when you serve someone or do something good?(an old red vines container, mod podge, and scrapbook paper) We will put a little craft pompom in the jar whenever we have done an act of service, little or big, it doesn't matter. The kids are soooo excited to start filling their "SERVICE" jar.

For Family Home Evening Monday night, we talked a lot about service. President Monson's talk on Sunday during General Conference really stuck with me. It was one the kids could actually remember, and they loved the "warm fuzzies" idea. Why not bring that spirit into our home?... now I gotta go buy some warm fuzzies.:-)

Everyone have a great Wednesday Morning!!!

Good Morning!!!

We have been busy!!!

*First of all...I hit the 400 mark on the "BARF" calendar(gross I know, but this is also my journal)...the kids thought that was really awesome, and Bug is betting I will for sure pass 500.

I had an appointment with my Dr. on Thursday...the one where ya drink the nasty orange drink, and they draw your blood. You're suppose to drink it a half hour before your appointment. I got 5 minutes from the Dr. office and had to stop, and lost that nasty drink in a really nice residential neighborhood. Needless to say they gave me another drink, and I will try it again this week. Everything was good though, I was down 2 pounds, blood pressure was good, and no protein. I'm scheduled to be induced the 18th of December(if everything is o.k.) That is only 2 1/2 months!! WooHoo!!!

* I think I have started "nesting". I got a real bug the last few days to get everything in order. It started with the closets, I need organization!!! Then the drawers, on to washing walls and baseboards. The kids were out of school on Thursday and Friday, and have been a HUGE help!!! We even got the ceiling fans cleaned. We only have a four bedroom house, and right now the three girls share, luckily their bedroom is decent sized, the closet though is average. What do you do with three girls in one closet...organize!!! This is what it looks like...

Luckily they for the most part love to keep things tidy and organized too, hopefully it will stay this way for a while. We will definitely be needing to rearrange the bedrooms!!!

*Bug had another game yesterday, and they did sooo good!!! (Thanks Kandice for this pic!)

Super close to a win, but not quite. The girls love getting dressed up to support their favorite big brother!

*Yesterday and today is L.D.S. General Conference. I love to hear from the First Presidency, and all the other amazing speakers that have been chosen to deliver messages that we need to hear. I always look forward to sitting down with my family and listening to what is being said.

*Anyway here it is a beautiful Sunday morning(the sun isn't awake yet, but I am)

...and I am trying to finally take a minute and get caught up a little. I don't work on Sundays(Ribbon Blossoms), but I also try not to get on the computer either, so before everyone is awake, I'll try to get around and say "hi". OOOH, it just started raining! I love the rain!

Have a wonderful Sunday everyone!!!!

Bloggy Friend Goodness!!!

What could be better than getting something wonderful in the mail??? I recently received two surprises in my mailbox, and they absolutely made my day!!!

First of all my awesome bloggy friend Sheila from A Little Dirt Never Hurt(who is my friend in camo decorating, and wilderness decor, love this girl!!!) Sent me the most adorable "taggie" blanket for the new baby boy coming in under 90 days..woohoo!!! She made this and I am absolutely in love with it and the idea!!! So stinkin' cute, I'm pretty sure Hunter Dan will be loving this, maybe even snuggling up with it himself, I'll have to watch him on that one!!!

Isn't this so adorable and perfect for my little huntin' baby boy!?! Thank-you soooooo much Sheila, you made my day for sure!!! Now I'm workin' on a little thank-you for you!haha! Be watching your mail!:-)

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Next up....I recently starting following this adorable and talented lady Brittany at Goings On At The Glenn's.

I just happened to be her 10th follower and she sent me these awesome handmade cards!!!!

How great is that!!? Love these! Thanks Brittany!!!!:-)

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It sure seemed to be a short weekend, but I got tons of Ribbon Blossoms stuff done!!! So excited to get them on the website!!! Lots to do today....most important though I promised to make cookies with Jibbity.

Have a wonderful Tuesday everyone!!!

What are YOUR Treasures??

When I graduated from High School my parents gave me a gorgeous cedar chest. I love it, and have kept some very special, and precious "treasures" inside through the years. Every once in a while the kiddos ask to see what is inside, they love to see the things I hold dear to me. Inside there is nothing worth $$$$ value, but there are many journals, some flowers from my Grandmas funeral in a glass case, and a special snow globe from Disneyland that Bug picked out for me when he and his Dad went to California during the divorce.

I decided to share some of my most precious treasures that I keep in my chest. Some are silly, some are sweet, all are memories.

These were Bugs first little slippers. He wore them everywhere, and he loved Elmo!!! It got to the point that his little toes were all the way through, and he didn't care. We got him new ones eventually, but they were never worn like these. I can't throw these out, they make me happy, and remind me of that cute little one year old that never took off his Elmo slippers!! How silly is that?!?

This is Lexlee's blessing dress. My amazing Mom made it for her. I truthfully never thought I'd have a little girl, and when she was born and I realized that I had one after all, I couldn't have been more excited. This dress is gorgeous, and means the world to me. She looked absolutely beautiful, and she is my sweetheart.

Jibbity's first ballet slippers. She started dance when she was 2, and she has loved it ever since. She wore these everywhere, and danced all through the house.(she still does) She wore the bottom of one of them out. They are so tiny, and I love the memories of that little munchkin wearing these everywhere. Makes me smile.

This is the teeny tiny bracelet Ashie wore on her blessing day. It was way to big for her, that doesn't even seem possible now. She has grown so much, and is so stinkin' fun and healthy!!!

My most amazing treasure is the gorgeous quilt my Mom made for me when I got married. I can't even imagine how long this took her to put together...all I know was that is was a work in progress from when I was a baby.

Every different colored square is a scrap of fabric from something my mom created for me. There are squares from pajamas, and dresses, formals, and dance costumes. Some I recognize others were before I can remember. Every single one was sewn in with me in mind, and I still marvel at the time and love that was put into this amazing work of art!! Thanks again Mom!!!

Obviously my best and most important "treasures" are the ones that these objects remind me of. But these things that I can hold and be reminded of specific times from the past are more valuable than all the money in the world!

What are YOUR treasures???

Have a wonderful Tuesday!!

Totally Thankful Thursday, and how sweet is this?

I have so much to be thankful for, but sometimes I forget and focus on the trials instead of the blessings...here's a few that popped into my mind.

1. I get to see my family in Idaho next week!!!!!!

2. I worked in the yard yesterday for a while, and it felt wonderful to be out in the fresh air!!!
3. My laundry is caught up!!(for two seconds)
4. I'm still throwing up numerous times daily, but have been able to get some things done, and have more energy!
5. Ashie is crawling all over me as I write this, and being so silly. I love it!!

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Yesterday while out in the flowers, I found some of the decor that goes around my door that had fallen out. This is what it looks like around my door.

I thought a bird had been building a nest up in the grapevine, because every time someone would open the storm door, a bird would fly off. Anyway, I got the ladder out and while putting the flowers and toole back in I saw the nest, and decided to take it out and show it to Jibbity. When I reached up to look at it and take it out, this is what I saw...

How sweet is this?!? There are actually three little birds in there, and they made my day. As I was tucking in a flower above my porch light I noticed this...

Another nest with eggs inside.

They were just beautiful, and after I let Jibbity climb the ladder, see both of the nests, and took a couple of pics, I left them alone. Now as I sit here by my open living room window, and hear the sweet sounds of birds chirping...I like to think they are the precious little babies we discovered yesterday above our door. It makes me smile!

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

The newest member of our family...

Warning we are a weird family!!!!

Remember the "trophy" Hunter Dan got back in the fall? Oh wait I wasn't blogging then. Anyway Hunter Dan is a big time outdoors man, he loves hunting, fishing, camping, and 4-wheelin'. He was exceedingly excited last(whenever it was... in the fall sometime) when he shot this buck!

YAY, honey...way to go!!!

Away it went to the taxidermist with GREAT anticipation of its return... and wouldn't ya know it....it's back already. Well, a few months back when I was suppose to be doing shortmama's "home redo...one room at a time", I posted about how we would be changing the living room into a more outdoors, wilderness, cabiny type room, to accommodate our growing collection of wilderness "stuff"(you can read that post and see pics of the living room here)...didn't happen yet, because of.... "the puking my guts out thing" STILL going on, and lack of money.

Well, no big deal! Hunter Dan doesn't care if he's nestled in with more boutique type things, and here ya go...our newest family member found a place on my unchanged walls. Right above my rocking chair.

Everyone meet "Francisco" (that's a fun name to say.)~Buddy the Elf

We(the kids and I, Hunter Dan does not appreciate our humor)needed our new little friend to have a name. Lexlee piped up with "Francisco", everyone else added..."that's a fun name to say". (Seriously, we love "Elf", and watch it year round!) Hunter Dan gave me the look of "No you will not!" So.....his name is Francisco. He will look fabulous at Halloween time with some cob webs and spiders gently nestled in his antlers, and at Christmas with a Santa hat and red clown nose! Come May 5th, he just might get a sombrero, and mustache.....

Oh Hunter Dan will be so pleased! Thank-you sweetheart for adding this new member to our family, and giving me one more thing to decorate for the Holidays!!:-)

For the Beauty of the Earth...

For the beauty of the earth, For the beauty of the skies,

For the love which from our birth Over and around us lies,

Lord of all, to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise.

After a mighty rainstorm Friday evening, we looked out to notice a rainbow. As we walked outside to a freshly cleansed yard and got a better look, we seriously watched as the partial rainbow became an absolutely gorgeous full one. The colors were brilliant, with the sun shining through the clouds, just above the beautiful green leaf-filled trees, with our amazing American flag sitting motionless in the mix, the sight was enough to leave me speechless, and in awe of the beauty our Heavenly Father has given us. It's these little moments that last but a few minutes, that make me realize how precious life is, and how truly blessed we are. To me it was like a little smile from my Heavenly Father gently, but with great force, reminding me how much he loves me, and all his children.

Think of All the beauty still left around you and be happy.

~Anne Frank

My two oldest Munchkins!!

I have to say...as far as ex's and step-moms go, I am extremely lucky!! I feel very blessed that my kiddos have a really great step-mom, and a Dad who is very much a part of their lives. My two oldest munchkins left for beautiful, sunny, full of beaches, Disneyland, California Friday evening, with their Dad, step-mom, two brothers, and one sister.

It's funny, Jibbity loves those siblings of Bug, and Lexlee, she thinks they are the best, they play so cute together, and get along really well. I'll never forget...when Jibbity was born, Bug piped up and said,"now our new baby sister will have a step-mom, and step-dad too". (kind of funny) I have to say though, being five years old, it broke her little heart, (and mine), when they drove off, and headed for fun times at Disneyland, the beach, and just "vacation". She doesn't quite understand. She's very upset mostly though that the kids will miss her dance recital. She asked the kids dad "if they could just go the next week... after her recital".

Later after her favorite meal of ramen noodles with her chopsticks,(horrible mom I know) Hunter Dan took her to get a "snowie", and all was well, plus...she gets to sleep on the living room floor, and well what else is better than that?!(she's pretty easy to please)

Anyway...I miss them so much! When they are at their Dad's for the weekend they are only 45 minutes away. But right now they are a LONG ways away from me! Bug has just been so cute, he hugs me at least fifty times a day, and asks all the time how I am feeling. He'll come up to me and say,"you look like you need a big bear hug, as light as a feather so you won't throw up". He is a sweetheart, and so so much help around the house. Lexlee is simply my little darling. She has got to be one of the sweetest, most tender-hearted little girls ever(true she is also the slowest little girl I've ever known...seriously twenty minutes to put on earrings, fifteen minutes to tie her shoes...I am NOT joking!) You know I love you to the moon Lexlee:-)!!! I miss her and her gentle ways with Ashie, and Ashie simply adores her!

This will be a long week without them...I am looking forward to next Sunday!!

I love you two!!!