What it is, shizza?

On Monday the 20th, Michael and I go to our sonogram to find out if we're having a boy or a girl!! (we'll keep you posted)


I'm SO ready to know for sure so we can start on the baby room and make plans :)


For pretty much the whole pregnancy, Michael and I have both been just positive it's a girl...now I'm just not sure either way. I have a hunch, but haven't been quite as sure about it over the past week, so I can't wait to see!

What's your guess?

We love tun-tins

1... I WANT TO GO TO A PUMPKIN PATCH THIS YEAR.
...AND TAKE ALL THE SUPER CUTE PICTURES THAT MAKES EVERYONE SAY "AWW"
...AND BUY ANOTHER PUMPKIN...(since Bennett has rolled, kicked, hugged, kissed, and snotted on the one on our front porch already, in spite of the "Pumpkin Rules" we discuss each time he asks to visit the "Tun-tin" outside)


Who's with me? And where do we go? And how does it work? Let's play date it :)


2. Have completed #1 and #2 on second trimester To-do list. Have also given myself a much deserved pat on the back. Am skipping to #8 in the near future (as in, hopefully this weekend, if husband and dad cooperate :) ).


3. For those of you who feel as scrambled and overwhelmed with decorating and being festive every year from September-January like I usually feel, I've come up with a solution for simplifying :)
I was brainstorming this summer about different ways we do things around our house and what things I could change, schedule, make more efficient, etc., (yes, I'm a dork) and one thing that kept popping up in my head was how much I LOVE this time of year (Fall thru the New Year) and I LOVE the decor and festivity of it all, but how I never end up really decorating our home to make it feel that way each year, because I give up when I begin to feel overwhelmed dragging multiple unlabeled boxes down from the attic, knowing I'll have to decorate 3-4 times over the next 3-4 months and clean and straighten in between each month, and then lug all the boxes back up to the attic when it's all finished. Yuck. It's enough to throw a big fat bucket of water over all that excitement.
So here's my solution: Instead of hodge-podge whatever decorations that fit in with that time of year (i.e. cornecopias and turkeys running out my ears in Nov., then quickly being stashed away to be replaced by Santas and Christmas trees the day after Thanksgiving), I am now doing....(drum roll please)....SEASONAL THEMES!!
I thought about my favorite decorations for fall that also apply to Halloween AND Thanksgiving, and decided on pumpkins and scarecrows. So that is ALL I am using, which means I don't feel scrambled at the store trying to decide what to buy, AND I don't have boxes and boxes for each month. Instead, I put up my "pumpkin patch" and my scarecrow display in September, and they're staying up until after Thanksgiving!! That's 2-3 months of decor that stays up :) Then for December and January, I'm decorating for both Christmas AND winter at the same time by using snowmen and penguins (and that's ALL!) That way it can go up the first of Dec. and stay up through January :) Of course, I also have a door hanging for each of these two seasons, and in December we'll have a Christmas tree that adds a bit more work, but I can't figure out why I didn't think of all this sooner! Frankly, seems like a touch of genius to me :)
So now I feel festive AND rested - I've de-cluttered and I've decided to buy one new decoration for each season each year so I don't blow my budget either (oh, and I buy a little penguin of some sort for Bennett's stocking each year, as well as a new ornament...this next little booger will probably get a snowman every year :) ).
Is all this clear as mud? Just wanted to offer it up to anyone else who's ever felt overwhelmed by their happy homemaking creativity this time of year :) My seasonal motto: SIMPLIFY!


4. A Bennett Pic-stravaganza, for your viewing pleasure...

first day of school (he goes once a week :) )

dirty, snotty, naked baby on top of my clean laundry. niiiice.

hugging the "tun-tin" on our porch (we do this everyday)

five generations...blurry, but the best picture we got
(Great Great Grandmother Imogene's 98th birthday)

5. Kudos to Karson, who picked a ROCKIN' Girls Night Out. It must be said that Pepe's Pottery is a stinkin' cool place to go, and I'm anticipating the return of my glazed and fired pumpkins! :) Sure do love hanging out with you girls!


6. I came home from Girls Night to find Michael towel drying our kitchen and living room floors that he'd just finished sweeping and mopping, and 7 or 8 HUGE bags of cereal on our kitchen table that he and Bennett found and bought while I was out, after I griped this weekend about our Neighborhood Market no longer carrying the healthier off-brand cereals. It must be said, that's nice to come home to. (plus, I'm pretty sure I won't have to budget cereal in on my grocery list for about 3 months!)


7. DON'T FORGET ABOUT #1. I still call for a Pumpkin Patch field trip, friends!

That's bold

Stolen from Cheryl...stuff I've done is bold and italicized.

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink
02. Swam with wild dolphins
03. Climbed a mountain
04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive
05. Been inside the Great Pyramid
06. Held a tarantula
07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone
08. Said "I love you" and meant it
09. Hugged a tree
10. Went hang gliding
11. Visited Paris
12. Watched a lightning storm at sea
13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise
14. Seen the Northern Lights
15. Gone to a huge sports game
16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa
17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables
18. Touched an iceberg
19. Slept under the stars
20. Changed a baby's diaper
21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon (I tried to do this when I was 6 months pregnant, but they wouldn't let me)
22. Watched a meteor shower
23. Gotten drunk on champagne
24. Given more than you can afford to charity
25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope
26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment
27. Had a food fight
28. Bet on a winning horse
29. Asked out a stranger
30. Had a snowball fight
31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can
32. Held a lamb
33. Seen a total eclipse
34. Ridden a roller coaster
35. Hit a home run
36. Danced like a fool and didn't care who was looking
37. Adopted an accent for an entire day
38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment
39. Had two hard drives for your computer
40. Visited all 50 states
41. Taken care of someone who was drunk
42. Had amazing friends
43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
44. Watched whales
45. Stolen a sign
46. Backpacked in Europe
47. Taken a road-trip
48. Gone rock climbing
49. Midnight walk on the beach
50. Gone sky diving
51. Visited Scotland
52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love
53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger's table and had a meal with them
54. Visited Japan
55. Milked a cow (tried)
56. Alphabetized your CDs
57. Pretended to be a superhero
58. Sung karaoke
59. Lounged around in bed all day
60. Played touch football
61. Gone scuba diving
62. Kissed in the rain
63. Played in the mud
64. Played in the rain
65. Gone to a drive-in theater
66. Climbed the Great Wall of China (while pregnant with Bennett, thanks very much :) )
67. Started a business
68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken
69. Toured ancient sites
70. Taken a martial arts class
71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight
72. Gotten married
73. Been in a movie
74. Crashed a party
75. Gotten divorced
76. Gone without food for 5 days
77. Made cookies from scratch
78. Won first prize in a costume contest
79. Ridden a gondola in Venice (thought about it but that's expensive!)
80. Gotten a tattoo
81. Rafted the Snake River (I've rafted the Nile River!)
82. Been on television news programs as an "expert"
83. Gotten flowers for no reason
84. Performed on stage
85. Been to Las Vegas
86. Recorded music
87. Eaten shark
88. Kissed on the first date
89. Gone to Thailand
90. Bought a house
91. Been in a combat zone
92. Buried one/both of your parents
93. Been on a cruise ship
94. Spoken more than one language fluently
95. Performed in Rocky Horror
96. Raised children (raising)
97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour
98. Passed out cold
99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country
100. Picked up and moved to another city just for a change
101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge
102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking
103. Had plastic surgery
104. Survived an accident that you shouldn't have survived
105. Wrote articles for a large publication
106. Lost over 100 pounds (lost all 40 after Bennett and planning to do it again :) )
107. Held someone while they were having a flashback
108. Piloted an airplane
109. Touched a stingray
110. Broken someone's heart
111. Helped an animal give birth
112. Won money on a T.V. game show
113. Broken a bone
114. Gone on an African photo safari
115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears
116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol
117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild
118. Ridden a horse
119. Had major surgery
120. Had a snake as a pet
121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon
122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours
123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states
124. Visited all 7 continents
125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days
126. Eaten kangaroo meat
127. Eaten sushi
128. Had your picture in the newspaper
129. Changed someone's mind about something you care deeply about
130. Gone back to school
131. Parasailed
132. Touched a cockroach (because it crawled on me)
133. Eaten fried green tomatoes
134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey
135. Selected one "important" author who you missed in school, and read
136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
137. Skipped all your school reunions
138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language
139. Been elected to public office
140. Written your own computer language
141. Thought to yourself that you're living your dream
142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care
143. Built your own PC from parts
144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn't know you
145. Had a booth at a street fair
146. Dyed your hair
147. Been a DJ
148. Shaved your head
149. Caused a car accident
150. Saved someone's life

Back in the saddle

The first trimester wore me out this time around. With Bennett I felt like I'd been run over by a truck for a couple of weeks, then I was bad sick for 3 days, then it was done, so by week 9 or so, I was good to go. This time around, I was naseous (sp? I can never figure out how to spell this word, or all of its forms) from week 4 to about week 8, and was truck-runneth-me-over exhausted for 3 months. This has been tough for a few reasons: a) Bennett does NOT slow down. Ever. Except when he is asleep, which only happens at night, and for two hours during the day (if I'm as lucky as I plan to be each day :) ). b) Michael started school back in August and has also worn more hats and been busier this time around than ever before, so he's been tired too, which if you know my husband, is highly unusual and very unlike him (which explains Bennett's one speed of turbo). c) I really do NOT like having a messy, dirty house, and it's been that way for at least a couple of months and has been extra annoying since I also didn't have the energy to escape it much of the time.

BUT, my friends, the good news is, I am a couple of weeks into the glories of the second trimester, and about a week ago, my energy returned. I feel like me again. It's so hard when you don't feel like yourself at all and you can't really do anything about it, and even harder when you don't have any idea when/if things will return to normal...can I get an AMEN! from all the previously or currently pregnant women out there??

So anyway, my floors are cleaned, the toilets are scrubbed (praise God!), the dishes are being washed and put away at a regular rate, and the laundry is hanging up in our closets rather than gathering dust while still folded in their baskets in big piles all over the house. And besides that (insert pat on the back), we have a little pumpkin patch and a gathering of scarecrows hanging out in our home, and an adorable "Happy Fall" wreath hanging on our door :) I'm feeling festive and productive and ready to tackle just about anything.

I don't expect anybody to really care one whit about this post, but I'm rejoicing in the new phase I find myself in, and celebrating the desire and action of getting my tush off the couch and into gear again :) Here's a list (for myself, although you're free to read on if you're convinced you care) of things left to do that I'd really like to jump into and accomplish before this new energy fades in a few more months:

1) Clean out the guest closet and bag up stuff for Goodwill.

2) Actually take said bags TO Goodwill, rather than keeping them in said closet.

3) Have a White Paint Day if this baby is a girl, and a Blue/Red Paint Day if this baby is a boy (which we'll find out in about 3 weeks - YAY!!), at which friends and family will hopefully help with a dresser, a shelf, and picture frames.

4) Finally finish contact papering the shelves in our kitchen and bathrooms (the old stuff is nasty and has those "adorable" little roosters and chickens on it that were oh so popular in the 80s/early 90s). I've finished our pantry and the new paper is FANTASTIC. It makes me happy to open our cupboards :)

5) Install new smoke detectors (actually, Michael will probably do this :) )

6) Try to sell this stinkin' jogging stroller at a resale shop since it didn't sell at JBF *sigh*

7) Finish Bennett's first year scrapbook (which I was supposed to do a LONG time ago...obviously, since he's about to turn two). This involves first ordering old pictures that I still need prints of, THEN organizing and scrapbooking them. Yikes.

8) Switching Benito to his toddler bed and moving the crib into the baby's room.


There's more, for sure, but I think I'll stop there...I'm beginning to feel overwhelmed :)


And for a couple of side notes, here is a final list of some of my new FAVORITE cleaners I've recently discovered that TOTALLY rock and work miracles (seriously):
1) Mr. Clean Magic Eraser (gets un-gunkable gunk off of stuff with mild scrubbing)
2) Spray-n-Wash for laundry (gets out old stains, even grease or grass. Phenomenal.)
3) Greenworks spray cleaner (smells great, cleans great, and is good for the environment)

And here's a list of upcoming pictures:
1) 15 weeks pregnant (I'm going to try to do one of these every 5 weeks here on out)
2) Bennett updates
3) Great Great Grandmother Imogene's 98th birthday (if we're able to make the drive to Longview this week)

That's all friends...have a great week!

Sesame Street

In honor of the #1 fan of Sesame Street living in our home...
(thanks, Lloyd!)

You Are Ernie

Playful and childlike, you are everyone's favorite friend - even if your goofy antics get annoying at times. You are usually feeling: Amused - you are very easily entertained You are famous for: Always making people smile. From your silly songs to your wild pranks, you keep things fun. How you life your life: With ease. Life is only difficult when your friends won't play with you!

The Sesame Street Personality Quiz

Confessions of Quirkiness

(found during an hour of blog-stalking when I should have been cleaning the house :) )

1. I eat the edges first, including pizza, sandwiches, hamburgers, etc., then the middle part. It's that "save the best for last" theory, which you're not technically supposed to do when you eat because it pretty much guarantees you'll eat the entire thing :)

2. I really cannot stand blue jeans, socks or pantyhose. I will tug and pull and squirm out of discomfort all day long when I wear any of these.

3. When I was younger, I sometimes used to count in a pattern when I walked (1-2-3-1-3-2-1)...can we say Rain Man??

4. I have always played with my ears and popped them...since I was a baby. When I was little, I used to play with other peoples' ears, but as I got older, I quickly learned that my mom was really the only one who thought that was sweet and cute. Everybody else just thinks it's annoying, so now I stick to my own pair.

5. I still bite my nails and have stopped feeling guilty about it.

6. I eat steak with ketchup. I do not care if we are at a five star, head-spinning expensive restaurant. If they're serving steak, I'm packing a bottle of Heinz 57.


7. I tend to bump into people when we're walking along together in a straight line. I'm convinced it's because one of my legs is very slightly shorter than the other.

8. When I'm really nervous and walking into a room/situation where I don't know many people or don't know what to expect, my eyes water. This started in high school for some reason (which was a very positive experience), and doesn't happen much anymore, but is totally embarrassing when it does because people who look closely think I'm crying.


I tag all people reading this blog that have quirks to confess :)

I heart NY!!

Michael and I had a FABULOUS anniversary/my birthday trip to the big apple for several days.
(thanks to Poppy and Mimi for watching our sweet boy while we were gone!)

First I'll list a bunch of the stuff we did, then I'll post the pictures, which is all anybody wants to see anyway :)

Friday we got in, got to our hotel, which was 2 or 3 blocks from Times Square and the theaters where our shows were. We went to broadway's Phantom of the Opera that night, which was AMAZING!! (Andrew Lloyd Weber, how do I love thee?), and then around Times Square. It was around 11:00pm when our show got out, and there were a million cops around and everything was lit up like the 4th of July, so I felt safer there than I would here in good ole DFW. These dudes on bicycle carts kept trying to give us a ride back to our hotel, which was kinda funny.

Saturday we did a bunch of sight seeing and a TON of walking and subway riding. We walked across the entire width of Central Park (width, not length...I'm tough, but not that tough), which was beautiful, saw a lot of the super cool, super expensive stores on 5th avenue (I didn't go in because I didn't want to be tempted beyond Michael's patience/our stores of money :) ). We went to Chinatown and experienced the crazy behind the walls rooms and alley ways necessary to look at "Coach" "Gucci", etc. handbags and all that other fake but real stuff that costs a tenth of the regular price (no, I did not buy any of it - it's ugly, truth be told, and ridiculous...just my opinion, no offense to those of you who choose to indulge). We also went to Little Italy and bought a lot of our souvenier stuff there. I decided on this trip that every time I go somewhere new or exciting, I'm going to buy a picture frame and put a picture from that trip in it. Unfortunately, I didn't do this for Prague, D.C., China, or Europe, but you've gotta start somewhere, right? Saturday night we ate out at a nice New York pizza place and then went back to our hotel to watch football (pregnant lady was exhausted, and my honey wanted the Ohio State game stats :) ).

Sunday we took the subway to the southern end of Manhattan and saw Ground Zero...pretty amazing, and then took the ferry across to Statton Island to see the TINY Statue of Liberty, which was a total let-down after seeing it being so HUGE in the movies, but was also interesting since it was so very different from what I expected. We walked around this area pretty much all morning, then caught lunch and went to change before our Sunday matinee of broadway's Wicked, which was also FANTASTIC. The plot for this show is phenomenal...it's one of those complete outside the box thinking kind of deals, which I always enjoy, and at the same time wish I'd thought of :) For dinner we ate at the Rock Center Cafe, which is right under the Rockefeller Center, and is also where everybody ice skates in the winter and is usually filmed by the network stations for Good Morning America, etc. VERY cool experience - we ate the fanciest, most expensive BBQ we've ever had, and I could tell our waiter was slightly annoyed that we weren't drinking anything but water - hee :) After dinner, we took the tour of the Rockefeller Center and got some great pictures of the city from a crazy amount of stories high.

Monday we packed up, ate a leisurely breakfast, and shuttled back across to New Jersey to catch our flight home. Fantastic trip, and quite nice to get some adult alone time and to celebrate our 5 years and where God has brought us in that time. I'd recommend NY to anyone, definitely.
And now, without further ado, the pictures...


Coming into the city, our driver got a ticket :)

Our hotel lobby

View from our room - Times Square

At Phantom

We were in the second row. Awesome.

After the show.

In Central Park.

Grand Central Station elevator.

The Campbell Apartments :)

Elmo on the subway...a $5 picture b/c Michael didn't have change :) I told Elmo it's because my son REALLY likes him.

Ground Zero construction.

On the ferry, headed back to Manhattan.

Teeny tiny Statue of Liberty *sigh*

After the show.

At the Rock Center Cafe.

On top of the Rockefeller Center. (Empire State Building in the background)

Thanks, honey for this amazing trip!! I loved every minute of it!

Pray for the Carders

Take a look at the link that says "Amy" on my sidebar to see this sweet family's story. They need to be covered in prayer and lifted up to the Lord, especially now that little Ella has been born (evening of Aug. 31st). Please pray for both Amy and baby Ella's healing and recovery.

We love you, Carder family. You're in our prayers and thoughts.

Strength in weakness

I don't feel I'm very good at expressing myself about serious, deeper issues in life, so I typically choose to keep things light and fluffy and fun, with a bit of sarcasm thrown in for good measure.
But recently I've really been chewing on some things, from past experiences combined with recent events and conversations with women far wiser than myself. So here goes what I've been thinking about, as best as I can say it.

Our world, and especially our American culture has taught us that weakness is shameful and awful, and is certainly something to be hidden and tucked away in darkness where no one else is able to see or find it.

I now know and am convinced more and more through examples from my own life and from others, that this is not only a false belief and world view, but that it is much more serious: it is a lie from Satan. And along with this, I'm beginning to believe that it is one of the biggest, most harmful and destructive lies we can choose to accept.

Our church did something called card board testimonies last weekend, and I was once again amazed at the raw power, glory, and truth attributed to God, as well as the comfort and emotional healing our entire congregation experienced from these testimonies/confessions. People who experienced addictions, abuse, death, loss, doubt and fear, and all kinds of bondage came forward and testified that Jesus Christ set them free. It was one of the most powerful things I've ever experienced. These brave people blessed literally thousands of people by stepping forward in truth. But what really struck me was the fact that they weren't always at this wonderful, rejoicing point of life; they weren't always out on the other side, testifying. At some point, they were lost, alone, crippled by fear, or beaten down and torn apart by the enemy. And God rescued and redeemed them all. But if they hadn't been honest and hadn't stepped into the light, there would be no testimony to give, and most likely no help to be had in a lot of their situations.

I believe more and more that honesty and openness about our weaknesses and struggles is key to truly bonding and growing deeper in Christ, and in spurring each other on toward the goal. Otherwise, we're fluffy, shiny Christians that stand for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and not much else - otherwise known as "American Christians."

My own personal healing and the healing of my family only came from honesty and bringing things out of the darkness and into the light, asking for help, not being ashamed of the truth of the way things were, and pursuing God's will in our lives. I don't say this to say "Go, me!" because God knows that had I stepped out in truth years earlier, so much pain could have been avoided and that many more people could've been helped, and He alone knows how He miraculously healed us, but I'm amazed, absolutely amazed, at how many other people I've been able to encourage and give strength to, not because I have a lot of wisdom to offer, or because I've got it all together (ha!), but because God makes me strong, and my weaknesses, failures and pain can be a testimony and a source of perseverance for others.

I think it's so important that I know that God can fill me with purpose and a new ministry to others when I've dealt with my own hang-ups and problems.
Being honest and bringing things to light does the opposite of what the enemy lies and tells us it does. It doesn't bring shame and hurt, isolation and rejection. It brings acceptance, encouragement, freedom, and great joy in the knowledge that God is using us to help others.

News

It's been a while friends, but yours truly has been busier than one person should be allowed. I've got three pieces of news to share, each following piece bigger than the previous one...here goes.

1. NEWS -- This just out...Mr. B. is officially the CUTEST clown ever known.


I couldn't keep his hat on long enough :(

The peeps at church dressed the kiddos up on their last summer day, keeping in with the circus theme they've had going. This is what I found when I went to pick him up (minus the sad/annoyed expressions that inevitably come when he sees a camera). Plus they had a bag of goodies and B. babbled on and on about the bounce house they got to play in when I asked him about it. So thanks Mindy and all the ladies who made it such a great experience for our little ones!


2. BIGGER NEWS -- You may have wondered in the past, "Who are the most wonderful, giving, selfless, hard-working people in the whole wide world?" I mean, who cannot possibly be topped? Oh friends, I have the answer. Their names are Micah and Lori. You read me right, and I'll tell you why. I took in upon myself recently to strip, texture, and repaint our master bathroom (see wallpaper picture below and you'll understand why), but I myself did not texture...oh, no, two angels from heaven came to do this for me. I was going to simply borrow a texturing machine (called a hopper - who knew?!) from Micah, which was wonderful in and of itself, when they were like, hey, why don't we just come do it for you? So they brought their sweet Annalee over for Bennett to play with, and we spent about 4 hours prepping, papering, texturing, and smoothing my bathroom walls. Michael was out of town, so Micah had to do all the nasty stuff (like removing our toilet - gross with a capital G) and stuffing his hand down the glop-ridden hopper, and skating on toilet water (don't ask). You won't find two more kind-hearted, giving people. I couldn't believe they spent their whole Saturday morning doing this for us and helping me out with my "small project." THANK YOU BOTH!!
The pictures I've included are befores, the work process, and afters.


hideous, I know..ALL OVER the walls


our prep work - we had to do this to the WHOLE bathroom, and around the CEILING..argh


Micah and the hopper


How they had to travel to the back yard to hose off so they'd prevent hoppered floors :)


still debating the wood doors..but the walls are beautiful!


pretty bathroom :)

4. BIGGEST NEWS -- Campbell Baby #2 is ON THE WAY, predicted to make an appearance around March 26, 2009!! This is yet another answer to prayer for us. This baby was in the works in our hearts and minds, and not really what we were going to actively try for for another couple of months, but God knew our hearts and what our family needed, so here he/she comes and we are THRILLED, PUMPED, and whatever other all caps words that equal excitement you can think of! We absolutely believe this is a direct blessing from God for our family and we are so thankful for the ease and wonder of it all. We'd appreciate your thoughts and prayers for our sweet one and our family as we change and grow.

(And if anyone has an AWESOME doctor they'd like to recommend, please e-mail me or facebook me or something to let me know, because I wasn't real satisfied with my last one, and have yet to find another one that I feel good about).