Strawberry Pick'n

We went to a nearby strawberry patch to get some yummy strawberries this year. A fruit that is loved by the whole family, so we couldn't resist. I got a few pictures of the activity. I was mostly surprised by how much fun the girls thought it was. It was pretty hot outside, Kelsey had fallen asleep in the van just before we arrived, and with all the recent rain we had to walk through some mud to get to the middle of the patch - but still under these circumstances the girls loved it.

Coming home

This week I am preparing for our trip to Tennessee! It has been almost a year for the girls and I since we moved to NC. I have found that I can go about three months before I start getting seriously homesick. I guess that is why I have traveled back to see most of you so often this year. I am hoping that over this next year the homesickness will fade and that I will be able to at least go a little longer before returning for my fill of Tenessee. I wanted to post the new song "Back to Tenessee" off of the new Hannah Montana album (sung by her dad) but apparently it is still too new or not popular enough to get on playlist.com so I found some others that will suffice for now.
I'm anxious to see all of you in TN and can't wait to spend the week with you this time next week!

Be still my soul

There hasn't been much excitement to report in our household of late, just the routine of life. However I find myself very anxious over the future.
We have worked hard to wrap up our school year with the girls. I gave them their first achievement tests last week. This is a requirement here in NC for homeschoolers. It ended up being a very easy task but something I had stressed over for last couple of months. Now it seems to be "no big deal". Funny how that is always the perspective from hindsight.
Anna finished her soccer season. She played with the Homeschool Dragons team this year, the local team made of homeschoolers here in Iredell County. They had some really great players on the team and were able to make it to the finals but lost the last championship game. Emily has finished her dance lessons for the year and has her recital this coming Saturday night. Will be sure to post pictures afterwards. Kelsey has become a little Mommy around the house. She is constantly playing with baby dolls and stuffed animals, wrapping them in blankets and placing them in the bed or car seat carrier.
The car seat carrier has been my recent project. Before we moved we sold all of our "baby supplies" in a garage sale, not feeling the need to carry it with us, because of course, we were done having children. So now I am scurrying to find some of the necessities that we need to have in place before baby's arrival - like an infant car seat carrier. I know some of you mother's have differenting opinions on second-hand car seats but I feel at peace about it. So I shopped a few consignment stores and finally found the perfect one. The girls were with me and they helped pick it out. It was a group effort in taking it all apart and cleaning it up. Anna washed it, Emily helped me disassemble it and Kelsey made sure all the buckles worked. I used some fabric that a friend gave me to fix it up and am proud of it's new look.

I have had ladies at the YMCA ask me about the colors for the baby's room. I laugh on the inside and think - you have no idea. I usually respond with, "well, this is the fourth daughter and she will be sharing a room with one of her sisters", in order to avoid the reality that this baby doesn't even have a bed to sleep in yet. My nature is to plan ahead. This has been so hard because we literally don't have any room. My thought has been that maybe we would be in a house before she arrives but then again we might still be here in the apartment. We have looked at some more rental houses. One which we really liked, applied for, and then got turned down. Surprisingly I didn't freak out. The Holy Spirit has been my comfort and strength. Sure I was disappointed but I was able to look beyond in faith that the Lord has something out there for us in His perfect timing (it just doesn't seem to be in MY perfect timing).
So I wait. Waiting for this baby's arrival, waiting for peace on the selection of her name, waiting for a house to come along, waiting for school to be done and the pool to be open, waiting on answers about the future. Be still my soul, the Lord is on my side.

Camping fun

We took another attempt at camping. This time we drug along another family to suffer with us. We had a good time together. However the first night it did down pour, leaving everything that wasn't in a tent wet for the next day. The guys had to go buy some dry wood so that we could cook and the sun came out for a small portion of the afternoon to let us hang some things out to dry, like all the chairs to sit in.
We took a hike one afternoon to the waterfall at the Stone Mountain state park in NC. There were many, many stairs to get to the bottom and it felt like twice as many to get back up to the top again. The next day we found a rock water slide in the creek that ran throughout the park. Almost everyone took a turn sliding down the freezing cold water into the pool below. It was really cold!!! Of course, the standard camping festivities such as smores, family games, bug bites, hot dogs, many trips to the bath house in the middle of the night (especially by me, at 7 months pregnant) were had by all. Enjoy the pictures!

Easter 2009

We had our first Easter here in NC. It was really fun to have my Mom and Mike come to visit us for the holiday weekend. This year the two older girls received bibles as part of their Easter gifts. My mom had picked them out and brought them along with some beautiful purses that matched their Easter dresses perfectly. On Easter Sunday, Emily made her public profession of faith before the congregation, to become a communing member of the church.
For the first time this year we made the Easter tomb cookies on Saturday night. I was fearful that they weren't going to crack and open for Sunday morning. But the kids remembered right away when they awoke and went to the oven to check and see. Thankfully, Christ is risen indeed! the cookies had cracked and were empty inside!

Spring Outing

Yesterday I took the girls back to the Biltmore Estates. I had bought a year pass last April when we made our first trip to NC to visit John. At the time I thought we would take advantage of the day trip more often. But last week I was feeling pressured to go again before it expires next week. I looked at my calender and the weather forecast and there was only one option that worked. And it turned out to be a beautiful day!!!
I took my husband's digital camera on which he takes wonderful pictures. But this is me, we are talking about - and for some reason I have no gifts behind the camera. I have beautiful images and ideas in my head of what I want, but can't seem to get my children or the camera to cooperate with me. I was wanting some fun pictures of the girls in the flower garden - and we did get a few, but next time I will be sure to take Daddy with us!
The girls favorite part, of course, was the new Riverbend Farms at Biltmore. They have a farmyard area where you can pet sheep, goats, a baby cow, chickens, and a bunny rabbit. They also have an area that demonstrates churning butter, and a live blacksmith in action. Emily fell in love with one baby goat in particular and carried it around with her. A fun time was had by all.

zumba momma

Yesterday I had the girls take some pictures of me when I was dressed for zumba. I have conitnued to teach through this pregnancy, which is quite an acomplishment for me. Never before have I exercised during a pregnancy. I usually find it too tiring and uncomfortable, especially during my nauseated first trimester. But this time I have pushed through, even when I would come home sick. I think I wouldn't have done it if exercise were a luxury to me, but at this point it is a JOB! So, no exercies = no money.
I am thankful for the good health and endurance the Lord has provided for me. I am hopeful that this will make the post partum weight loss an easier challenge. My class participants have repeatedly asked me when I will return after the baby is born. I guess that is a good sign that they want me to come back. Lord willingly I will be able to teach again after six weeks of rest.
My last couple of classes I have just now found it hard to move around. No more jumping for me. I almost sprained the arch of my foot last night trying to demonstrate a move and realized that I need to be careful before I take myself completely out. In this mornings 6 a.m. class, I think the baby was trying to kick her way out - as if to say, why couldn't you sleep a little longer!
Pray for me this month, as I do not have a sub lined up to take over until the end of April/ beginning of May. I want to be able to teach as long as I can but am realizing that it is much harder now, than it was even two weeks ago. The count down til delivery has already begun in my head - 3 months, 1 week to go. July seems like a long ways away!!!