My first week back....

First and foremost 5:30 AM is really early!!! Did you know that the sun isn't even up then! I was the girl who would crawl out of bed at the absolute LAST min to get to school...I mean, I would get up at 6:50 and be out the door by 7:20. It was great. Ohhh how things have changed. I hit the floor running at 5:30 and am still gasping for air at 7:00 when Reegan and I buckle our seat belts and hit the road.

Reegan likes her school. She is apparently loosening up now and smiling and laughing at the other kids. I'm glad that she's happy, it makes coming back a whole lot easier! The other kids love having a baby around. I'm sure they are much more entertaining than spending the day with Mom! It will be good for her!

Ya know....this is going to sound bad so all of you die hard stay at home moms just close your ears....mmm...or eyes since you're reading. I love my job (I'm sure it would be tons harder if I didn't) and have had a lot of fun being back in the real world this week. PLEASE don't get me wrong I miss Reegan like CRAZY....but I like my life too. Luckily with my job I get the best of both worlds....school is out @ 3 (noon woooould be better...but beggars can't be choosers!), Christmas Break is quickly approaching, and in a few months (when she's really fun!) I'll get to spend the whole summer with her! There may come a time that I change my mind...but right now this is what works for us!!

If you haven't heard I was unknowingly trying out for Fear Factor Monday morning.....I accidentally ate a bug! Short version is it crawled onto my leftover cold pizza (not a clue how) and I took a bite! It was a black crunchy one about an inch long and it tasted nasty! The second verse to the story is that I tried to find a picture of it to post so you could visualize the nasty thing....so I went to bugguide.net .....eeewwwwww! After the first few pics I had to quit looking...bugs not only taste nasty they look gross too!

Picture Day

Cutie Pie!









Laine and Reegan
at Thanksgiving @ the T's









Baptism Day!!!!

Mimi and Reegan





















I just want to kiss the little princess!!!!











Our first day of school!

It's been a while...

Wow I had no idea that my last blog was Halloween day. Even Mere has had a few posts since then (he-he sorry Mere!). You would think since I'm not at school I would have time in my 'days off' to blog....but ya know I have learned that maternity leave definitely does not involve 'days OFF'! Reegan is getting so big! She is becoming more and more fun!

Let's see...her tricks are that she loves to smile, she can stand on your legs for a minute or so while holding her head straight up, she toots like a grown man, we're working on tummy time...but she hates it! We are presenting Reegan at church tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes!!

KOBY GOT BAPTIZED LAST WEDNESDAY!!!!! I'll have to post pics later! It was a great time! We even had an after-glow celebration at Starbucks!

Not to put a damper on that great news...but I go back to work Monday. I'm trying not to think about it much...but its hard not to. I think this is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. I've pretty much decided that I'm not even going to attempt makeup until after I drop her off get to school, and quit crying.

I promise to be a better blogger starting next week....eerrrr....maybe the next...school will be nuts this week!

It's been a while....

Wow I had no idea that my last blog was Halloween day. Even Mere has had a few posts since then (he-he sorry Mere!). You would think since I'm not at school I would have time in my 'days off' to blog....but ya know I have learned that maternity leave definitely does not involve 'days OFF'!

Reegan is getting so big! She is becoming more and more fun! Let's see...her tricks are that she loves to smile, she can stand on your legs for a minute or so while holding her head straight up, she toots like a grown man, we're working on tummy time...but she hates it!

We are presenting Reegan at church tomorrow. I'll let you know how it goes!!

KOBY GOT BAPTIZED LAST WEDNESDAY!!!!! I'll have to post pics later! It was a great time! We even had an after-glow celebration at Starbucks!

Not to put a damper on that great news...but I go back to work Monday. I'm trying not to think about it much...but its hard not to. I think this is one of the hardest things I have ever had to do. I've pretty much decided that I'm not even going to attempt makeup until after I drop her off get to school, and quit crying.

I promise to be a better blogger starting next week....eerrrr....maybe the next...school will be nuts this week!

Things that don't last like they used to ...

Inspired by Meredith's blog!!

1. Money. Where does it go? I remember when $10 allowance would last me a week. It doesn't even cover a meal anymore!

2. My figure. In high school I could have a candy bar and a coke every day and still fit in my size 2 jeans. What happened? I can eat a salad every day now and I'm still in a size 6ish.

3. Hair color. Wow what prenatal vitamins do to the growth of my hair! It grows so fast, thus the color grows off so fast...thus back to the $ issue...

4. The evening hours. Yeahhhhh....they use to last all night....now they last until 3 am...then 5 am.... :)

5. Things around the house(with Gus). Lets see, he has chewed up his 3rd pair of shoes and the corner of 2 8x10 rugs. Repeat after me "I love that dog, I love that dog, I love that dog!"

6. Maternity leave. I realize that this isn't something that I haven't done in the past, but it sure is going by fast this time! She is already 6 weeks...that means I only have 3 1/2 more weeks with Reegan....brings tears just thinkin' about it!

Cutie Patootie!!!!

Sorry ‘bout your BAD luck

There are 2 crosses on the side of the road where we turn to go to one of the whitetail ranches. They’re at a stop sign that is pretty hard to see until you are right up on it. The names on the crosses are Gloria and Vanessa. Sooooo…..every time we go to the ranch and pass the crosses it’s the rule that you have to say Hi to Glo’ and Van’ and say “Sorry ‘bout your bad luck”!

Reegan was all dressed up cutie patootie the other day when she pooped so powerfully (with a noise that sounded like a grown man!) it ran down her pants leg and was on her toes! Reegan my sweet baby….“Sorry ‘bout your bad luck”.

One of the ranches that we hunt on was suppose to sell on Friday….which means that we would have had to move all of the hunters to other ranches….it was going to be a huge ordeal…..but the people buying it hit a snag and now it won’t close for a couple more weeks…..which means they were able to hunt the ranch all weekend….and killed a deer that scored 182! Hey Mr. Ranch Buyer Dude….”Sorry ‘bout your bad luck”!

My Mothers ex-husband who donated the sperm to produce me (ok, ok he’s my father…but only biologically)…has been playing the ‘poor pitiful me’ card around town because he hasn’t gotten to see Reegan. TRUST ME I definitely haven’t inquired about him, people just seem to think I actually WANT or care about this information. We have not spoken in over 5 years, and it was barely every 6 months for years before that. (Incase you were wondering my life has been wonderful and MUCH less complicated without him in it!) To set the record straight he does not have a grandchild…his daughter has a child. He made his decision A LONG time ago about how our relationship would work…if he wanted grandchildren in his life he should have thought of that then. I remember when I was twelve years old and poured my heart out in a letter to him basically begging for him to want me, to love me, and to want to be more involved in my life. He stuffed the letter in a drawer and refused to talk about it….Nothing ever changed…it only got worse. DON’T think that is the ONLY reason we don’t speak, it was just a SMALL, small example. Soooo here’s to you Mr. Sperm Donor “SORRY ‘BOUT YOUR BAD LUCK”.

Ta-Da!

I am alive! Really I am! Aaaaannnnndddd I have had some sleep! I'm a new woman. With my Mom staying over and taking feeding #1 last night, and Reegan being absolutely exhausted I was able to sleep for almost 7 CONSECUTIVE hours! Woo-Hoo!

Lets see...whats new in my life...I've been peed on, pooped on, puked on....and its all ok! Never thought I'd say that! :)

Koby's week long hunt started Monday...that means 7 days and 7 nights with no Koby. Even when I was pregnant Reegan wasn't without his voice for that long! Thank goodness for Moms because I couldn't do it with out her! Who knew taking care of an 8 lb hungry bag of poop and puke would be so hard some days!

Heather and Mere came ...mmm....2 weeks ago (it's been a while since I blogged). Reegan loved them. By the end of the weekend Mere was a pro at 'handoffs' and Heather was great at stepping in as mom (and giving advice!).

Pictures!

Here is the link to our maternity pictures and Reegan's infant pics. She was kinda irritated that day so I'm surprised we got any good ones at all! http://howell.photoherald.com/

I had 5 more pgphs earlier but when I uploaded they got lost! AHHHHHHH!

Short and sweet version:

Reegan is wonderful! She loves to eat and be held and we do plenty of both!

Heather and Mere are coming tomorrow! Hip-hip Horray!

Mom - Week 1

She is her fathers daughter! Wow do they look alike!

Wow what a week! I can't believe she is finally here. In case you didn't know...or had ANY doubt in your mind she is absolutely the most PRECIOUS thing in the whole wide world. She is absolutely perfect!!!

Lets see...delivery wasn't bad- gotta love that epidural! After that started wearing off...well you know!! Koby has been the sweetest husband ever! Once we got in a real hospital room the nurse helped me to the bathroom to take a sits-bath. My sweet husband crawled in the shower with me, washed my hair, soaped and rinsed my body, dried me off, got me dressed...the whole time telling me how much he loved me and saying the most wonderful things!

Have I told you that Reegan is a perfect beautiful little girl?!?!?!

Nursing is going well. We are a good combination, she loves to eat and my body is producing PLENTY for her to eat! So far so good. I'm sore, but nothing like...um....a little further south! I've ordered some nursing bras online because the only places in town that lave them are Target, Walmart, and a new maternity store in town...but they have dumb sizes...what kind of store doesn't carry a 32G!!!! Yeah...ordering online was my only option!

My mom has been a saint cooking, cleaning, doing laundry....who knew how out of control things can get when you add 6 1/2 pounds to the family!

We've gotten out of the house a couple of times. I get tired pretty quick so we've been home quite a bit and taken lots of naps. Koby, Reegan, and I went to Henry's the other night and wound up getting our food to go because the princess was unhappy about the situation. Apparently mexican food isn't her thing! We got home ....she ate and pooped and was fine!

Gotta go be a mom now!

She's Here!!!

9-18-06
9:16am
6lbs 8oz
20"

Mom and baby are doing fine!

Nine Months....

(one of our maternity pictures)

I am officially 9 months pregnant today.

By tomorrow I will be 9 months and 1 DAY pregnant, and by Sunday I will be 9 months and 2 DAYS pregnant....(do you see the pattern!)...grumble-grumble!

Anyway, I'm still here...Mr. Braxton and Mr. Hicks visit often....long enough to give me a lot of false hope.....but not long enough to mean diddly-doo-daa-squat!

The plan right now is to induce on Wednesday the 20th.

I am getting use to the "you're STILL pregnant" comments...though they aren't any less annoying. Now its the people that look at me as if I have something to do with the fact that I am still pregnant...and want an explanation!! Mother Nature, you people! Thats my explanation...she is apparently on vacation, and I hope to be one of the first to know when she gets back!

I had someone ask me yesterday...that I don't know very well at all, I might add...if I minded visitors WHILE I was in labor. WHO ASKS THESE KINDS OF QUESTIONS???

I know I sound grumpy, and really I'm not...I'm just ready, tired, anxious, excited, nervous, apprehensive, eager, restless....all of those things, all of the time, waiting for that one twinge in my stomach that will mean something. I'm ready to get this show on the road!

We're famous...not really...

A few of our pictures are on the Great Expectations Photography website.

http://greatexpectationstx.com

Click on Photography, then on Maternity and Babies. There is a silhouette of mine and Koby's stomachs, one of me in a black top, and one of me in a wrap thingy.

Not Crying over Spilled Lemonade!

I started out the day with one of those "nothing's going my way" mornings. It didn't matter what I did or didn't do it was just going to make me run late! However, during this stress filled morning I did something that I was very proud of myself for....I didn't cuss (REALLY)! Even when I was backing out of the driveway and spilled 64oz of pink lemonade (yep, down to the last oz!) all down the front of my shirt and into my lap....I didn't cuss...I did have to swim out of my car and change EVERY article of clothing I had on....but I didn't cuss....even when I got back into my car and realized that my cell phone and blue tooth were a bit on the drippy side....I didn't cuss....after everything that had happened this morning, this should have been the final straw where I screamed really bad words at the top of my lungs....but I didn't....WHERE IS THIS TONGUE HOLDING ABILITY COMING FROM!

For all of you that are asking YES I AM STILL PREGNANT! I promise that I or SOMEONE will let you know when I am not...so until then Please, PLEASE, PLEASE just assume that I am.

I know that you are anxious and want to call and ask....and I LOVE talking to everybody and am sooooo grateful that I have friends and family that care so much...I REALLY AM....but could you just call and ask "how are you doing" or "what did the Dr. say this week" instead of "You're STILL pregnant?".

I know, I know, I am sounding a little testy about this...but put yourself in my shoes...9 months pregnant...tired of being pregnant...tired of going to the Dr. and there being no change...anxious to meet this baby girl...microanalyzing(if that's a word) every one of Reegan's movements and twinges...looking at my watch every time I have a Braxton-Hicks contraction trying to find some sort of a pattern...even at times thinking gas pains might mean something!!! I promise that I am more tired of ME being pregnant than you are! (clunk, clunk, clunk....(that was me stepping off my soap box! Sorry 'bout that!))

I go back to the Dr. Tuesday (tomorrow) afternoon. I don't suspect that there will be any change at this visit either (but there is always hope!). She hasn't dropped anymore, I do have Braxton-Hicks but they aren't regular or intense, and that 'bottom falling out' pressure that everyone talks about...isn't there yet! I think I'm going to be an oven for a little while longer! The Dr. said that he wouldn't let me go past September 24th. Since that is a Sunday, that means that the last possible date he would induce is the 22nd. He did say though that at either one of my next appointments if I was dilated even to a 2 that he would take me in the next morning and induce. But....I really and truly DON'T feel like it will be this week.

We went and looked at the pictures Koby and I took last weekend. They made me cry! The lady that took them did a great job! They made a video out of them...I'll see if I can upload it. If not she said that they would be on their website by Wednesday...I'll post the address then.

Any bets on what date we'll get to meet the little darling? One of the teachers at school says he lost $25 since I didn't have her this weekend! HA! :)

Reegan's Room

Getting there....

I am finally feeling some since of accomplishment. I was worried that unless I was left completely alone this weekend that nothing would get done and I would be in the same place today that I was Friday....and at this point EVERYday counts! With the help of my mom and Terry shopping, sewing, painting, and decorating and Koby painting, cutting, hanging, screwing(not that kind!), and just keeping me sane we got A LOT done! The nursery gestapo put us on track and we got organized, made decisions and put our rears in gear! (thanks terry!) I'll try to post pics of her room tomorrow.

I'm sleeping less and less. between averaging getting up 5 times a night to pee, Reegan moving around, Braxton-Hicks contractions, and being hot/cold....sleeping just doesn't happen. My Dr. gave me a Z Pack to take last week because I was getting sick....but I think that I am just so run down (not sleeping doesn't help) that my body is not getting completely over it.

10ish days and counting ...ish.....I am such a planner....I want to know when, and how, and what is going to happen all the time....the problem is I don't know the 'WHEN' right now and it is driving me nuts! I wish I just knew that at 1:17 on September 15 I would need to be ready to go to the hospital and by 6: 42 I would have her (i considered being realistic and putting a later time than 6:42.....but then I would have to face the hard truth that I might have to miss a meal during all of this....from what I hear they don't feed you while you're in labor......I'm not to hot on that idea...)

I started packing my bag this weekend and went through Heathers hospital list again that she made me. It's a list of things to take, not to take, to know, to not stress over...yada-yada-yada. It's great, especially since I have no idea where to start with some of this. If anyone else has suggestions I'm all ears!

Reegan(if she comes out a girl! Ha!) is going to wear home from the hospital what I wore home from the hospital. It's pretty cute! Hmmmm, does this all seem like a dream to anyone else?

Far, Far, Away...

I wish I could run away for the weekend! Far FAR away! Or that someone would just lock me up and send me food and water occasionally. I don't even want a phone! I have SOOOO much to do before Reegan gets here! I just REALLY want to be antisocial, get all of my crap done, and then with whatever time is left (HA...time...) do absolutely nothing! But I'm pretty sure this 3 day weekend consists of none of that!

The dogs are doing better. Some how in the ruckus of things Annie's eye got scratched. I took her to the vet and they gave her some antibacterial drops with cortisone in them. They are friends again...but cautious friends. We are doing our best to teach Gus that he can't play rough with her.

We are going to get maternity pictures made this weekend. I'm kinda funny about the whole taking pictures while I'm pregnant thing....especially bare belly....so we'll see how they turn out.

Koby's work was so sweet and gave him a surprise diaper shower yesterday! What a great gift! He even brought some of the cookies and cake home for me! AAAAAAAnnnnnnnddddd when Koby got home he put all the diapers and wipes up where they go!!!! Woo-hooo! (I know it sounds like a little thing...but I am so overwhelmed right now...it's the small things that matter!)

Highs and Lows (this is a long one!)

Highs:

I have a sub, I have a sub, I have a sub hey-hey hey-hey! I am so excited! You don't knooooowwww what a huge relief this is for me! Plus I really like this lady and she has common sense! Woo-hoo! It's all coming together! Now I can stop writing lesson plans and instructions for a retarded monkey to take over my room...she's a real human, normal , sane woman!

I went back to the Dr. yesterday and he said that Reegan has REALLY dropped and I have REALLY thinned out...he sounded almost surprised about it! (doesn't he do this for a living? nothing should shock him...HMMMM...Is he REALLY a Dr.?)

Koby got a new truck! It's Preeeettttttyyyy! I know I shouldn't say a truck is pretty....its MANLY! (But it really is pretty!) It has some ghetto tires and rims on it, but he's gonna get rid of those. It is definitely a big boy truck. If you're not careful getting out of it you'll fall out!

Lows:

Now onto my terrifying morning. Annie(the older dog) almost killed(no exaggeration) Gus this morning. REALLY I'M NOT KIDDING!

Let me preface this story with the fact that Gus picks and plays at her all the time. To the point that I put tobascco sauce on Annie’s collar the other day so that Gus would quit chewing on it and ripping it off her neck. But Annie is always a good sport about him just being a puppy.

They were out in the back yard playing, I was hauling all of my school stuff to the car, and I heard this horrible screeching wounded animal sound. I just assumed that they had nabbed a cat in the yard, but when it didn't stop in a couple of seconds I went out the garage door to see what was going on. Annie had Gus by the jugular...Gus was upside down on the ground curled up in the fetal position SCREAMING (it sounded like one of Koby's predator calls...it was a HORRIBLE pathetic sound). Annie had the top part of his body lifted off the ground growling as her jaws were clinched tightly in his neck........I immediately start screaming at Annie...nothing....my arms are full of stuff and I drop everything as I am running towards them still screaming....no change Gus is still screaming...not dog sounds....SCREAMING! I get there assuming that when I get close Annie will let go....no change....I drop to my knees in the mud and still yelling at her in the meanest loudest voice I have and try to pry Annie's death grip off of Gus's throat. As I'm sitting there with both hands around Annie's jaw trying to open it with every bit of strength I have(Still yelling at her) All I could think about was what if I'm not strong enough to get her off and she kills him. Koby said later that I should have hit her and she might have let go....but at that point I didn't want ot let go of her top or bottom jaw....I was CERTAIN she would kill him if I lost my grip. It took me a good 30 seconds to pry Annie's jaws apart with my hands (I'm still yelling-Gus is still screaming). I don't know if Annie ever let go or if I just pried her teeth apart enough to get Gus free.

I have never felt so HELPLESS or scared in my ENTIRE 28 year LIFE! There is NOO DOUBT in my mind that if I hadn't been there Gus would be dead.

Anyway, both are still alive. Gus is at my Granddads this morning for supervision. After all that I couldn't just put him in his kennel and HOPE that he was ok and leave for 8 hours.

Annie knew as soon as she let go that she had screwed up (believe it or not that was BEFORE I beat her). I don't know what happened that made her snap like that. Even if Gus did piss her off somehow, she can't just snap! What if she did that to Reegan? I know it's probably not very likely...but what if?

If this morning didn’t put me into labor…nothing will!

My Wonderful Boys!

Gus The Wonder Dog:
This is a really old picture of Gus...actually it's not that old...it was July... he's just grown a massive 30 pounds since then!

Onto my point...Gus is a Champion!

Over the weekend we saw Koby's aunt Janie who breeds and trains really awesome expensive champion dogs. (Rewind: when Koby bought Gus we got some paperwork with him about his blood line, but not all of it. Anyway the guy said that Gus's mom was a Certified Master Hunter and his Dad was a National Field Trial Champion. It all sounded good...we just hoped it was true) They started talking about Gus...yadda, yadda, yadda....ANYWAY, Janie said that if Gus was the dog that they portrayed him to be that some of her dogs would probably be in his blood line. Sooooo we pull out the paper work that we had and there are 5 of Aunt Janie's best, incredible, champion dogs in his family tree, and that's just on his mom's side! Theeeennnn after She insisted that we contact the breeder to get more of his information.....a couple of phone calls later.....we have his dads history, and it's just as great!! Almost every dog on both sides of Gus's family have some sort of championship title....and some are National championships. Oh...they all have something to do with hunting. It's cool!

Like I said Gus is a Champion!!!

Koby has already put pen and paper to it and decided that Gus's net worth is higher than mine, so I now get to sleep in the kennel and Gus gets the bed! Yeah...let's see how well that's gonna work!!!!

So it looks like we might be breeding him. Lets see....we send him off somewhere for a conjugal visit...and we make money....hmmmm....SOUNDS LIKE PROSTITUTION TO ME!!!! Go get 'em Gus!

My Sweet Thoughtful Husband:









(I thought y'all needed 2 pictures!)

Koby gave me an early 'Having Reegan' present. It is a band for the other side of my wedding ring. So, I have my wedding band, engagement band, and now a family band!

He gave it to me on Saturday. He said that with all that was going on that he realized how important 'family' really was and he wanted me to have it early. So of course I'm bawling and about that time all his family walks in the door and is wondering what the big pregnant lady is blubbering about! I proudly and quickly showed them! So I am constantly looking at my hand saying holy s#*t! I ABSOLUTELY LOVE, LOVE, LOVE IT! He's the sweetest husband in the world I tell you!

What a weekend...

Koby's Dad passed away Friday night. Prayers were answered that when the time came he was able to go peacefully in his sleep. 5 of the 6 siblings were present and accounted for when he passed (the last one was contacted but wasn't there by choice). It was nice that they were all able to be right there in his final hours.

And so began the long weekend...it is always emotionally exhausting when someone dies, then add 3-4 days of company(trying to play "The Good Hostess" a little bit), then the 8+ months of pregnancy. Even so, I am still not as tired as Koby is from just being emotionally exhausted.

There were lots of Doc's old friends from Seminole at the funeral, and lots from Robert Lee. Seeing all those people there reminds me what a good man he was. There were also LOTS of Koby's friends at the funeral...many who drove a long way to be there. Some were old friends, college friends, new friends, people he works with, people he does business with, etc. Many of them didn't know Doc or had just met him a few times....they were all there for Koby. THAT makes me proud of my husband! It warms my heart to know that people think so much of Koby that they would travel hours and hours to be there for him during this time.

Now it's just a matter of time before the reality of it all settles in. For me it probably won't be until we all meet back out at Doc's house Labor Day weekend to....well...do the things you do when someone is gone...and get the house ready to sell. I can't imagine what Koby is feeling.

Reegan is doing fine. I think it is irritating her that she has grown so much that she is out of room, so she just kicks harder! Sleeping is difficult...real difficult. Either she is being a busy body, or I have to pee, or I'm hot, or I can't get comfortable...and when everything finally comes together where I can catch a few winks...I have to pee again! Oh well! 3 1/2 weeks left and no purple streatch marks to speak of (yet! knock-knock-knock).

The Doc's

I went to the Dr. yesterday and through his little laugh he said "no baby yet"! Apparently my cervix is VERY long, hard, and it too is curled up in the fetal position! He said maybe the week of Sept 12 - 15 but if everything looks the way it did yesterday it would be the week of the 19-22. He has promised me that he won't let me go past the 24th! I am pretty sure he understands the repercussions of breaking a promise like that!

On the other side of that....my body and physical exhaustion is telling me that I am ready to have her....but the rest of me....isn't quite ready. OKAY, hear me out! I have so much to do between now and then; finishing her room, redoing her closet, putting all her new stuff away and together, writing thank you notes, finding a sub, writing lesson plans, finishing the school website, etc. .....along with the fact that I am scared to death and have no earthly idea what to do with a baby and keep thinking that if I procrastinate having her (HA!) that I will get everything done AND be able to read my "Babies for Dummies" book so that I don't screw her up!.......Ah-Ha.....maybe there is the truth....I'm afraid that I don't know what I'm doing and that I'll screw her up.

If I ALREADY can't get all my stuff done...will that make me a bad teacher, wife AND mother? Right now I can pretty much choose if I want to be a bad teacher or wife on certain days (by what gets pushed to tomorrows To-Do list) ....but I have to be a good mom...and that will take up twice as much time....so am I doomed at being a good teacher and wife? I KNOW, I KNOW there are TONS of people that do it all the time...I just haven't figured out how I AM GOING TO DO IT. I am probably worrying over nothing......

Now onto the other Doctor in my life, my father in law. He is constantly in my prayers throughout the day. He health is diminishing week by week. He HAS had a good life, he HAS helped a lot of people, and he HAS been a great dad, granddad, and father in law! I can't imagine what he is physically, emotionally, and spiritually going through. I just think that MY talks with God about it are long...I can't imagine his...or even Koby's. It makes me want to put up a GIANT billboard and BEG people not to ever, Ever, EVER pick up a cigarette! It is a huge blessing that Doc is sleeping as much as he is....and I continue to pray that he will peacefully go to Heaven during that time. I do REALLY hope that if it is God's will, that he will have the opportunity to meet Reegan....but I also know how much he is suffering now and I could never selfishly pray for that to continue...

Things I Know.....

• I know that I was REALLY tired after the first day of school
• I know that my classroom air conditioner use to be set on 79...Now it's on 72! It's great!
• I know that I am tired of being pregnant...It's been ok until now...But I'm ready to be done!
• I know that I really do like my job
• I know that my favorite student that I taught in 4th grade is now coming to Christoval and is in High School (yeah-yeah I'm not suppose to have favorites!)
• I know that a 17 year old girl is getting induced today and says she'll be back at school by the end of the week. She didn't get induced yesterday because she didn't want to miss the first day of her Senior year!
• I know that I want to die in my sleep....NOT NOW....but when the time comes...I think everyone should get to go to heaven that way.
• I know that high school kids are tootier than middle school kids...and they are always right!
• I know that I don't like leaving Gus in his kennel all day long...but I don't know what else to do with him when it is 100 degrees outside...And he's a digger....I like my yard....
• I know that I have no IDEA who my sub will be when I'm out
• I know that apparently the more free time you have the more $ you spend...according to OUR account anyway
• I know that I should blog more often
• I know that there is a lot to do between now and September 15!
• I know that Koby cooked a wonderful dinner last night ...and the best part was I didn't have to stand on my fat feet and do it!

Hello Everybody!

Wow! Where did the summer go! Teachers start back on Monday, and the students come the next Monday. I can't believe it!

Koby and I have started baby classes. It's kind of a 'Having a Baby 101' Class. Which I need! Last night was our second class. We watched an X rated video of a delivery, saw all the 'tools' that get used during birth, and toured the labor and delivery floor. Is it too late to change my mind about all of this?.....yeah, I thought so. I really am glad to know all of the stuff that they are telling us....I've always done better (in any situation) if I knew what to expect....but...it still doesn't sound like much fun. I know....I know....everyone says it will all be worth it...and I am SURE that it will be....it's jsust getting there that sounds not so fun.

Gus(the puppy) is growing like a weed! He was 27 pounds when we got him a month ago, and he has gained 20lbs since then! He's gonna be a big dude! He sits, fetches, heals on a leash, and kind of stays. One of his favorite things to do lately is to take everything out of his toy basket and kennel one at a time! It winds up being strung out all over the house and he is so proud of himself!

Koby's dad is about the same. Hospice has started visiting him. It is hard to talk about, much less type. No one should have to loose both of their parents before they are 30. Doc has had lots of visitors of family and friends, which wears him out, but he's glad to see everyone. It's always nice to know that there are people around that care!

Prayer Request....

We just found out today that Koby's Dad has terminal lung cancer. Without treatment life expectancy is at most a couple of months, with treatment about a year. As of right now Doc does not plan on having any treatment. The cancer is larger than grapefruit size and has also made it's way into his heart.

I'm not expecting that our prayers will in anyway cure him, but if you don't mind please pray for strength and peace..........

Thanks

I really am still alive....REALLY!!!

WOW what a month! I have tons of pictures that I'll have to post later (yes I promise I'll post them!)

Let's start with all the N*E*W things in my life:

*I have a new car! It's a Mercury Mountaineer. I LOVE it! It's white, leather, still has the third row seat but when your not using it, it folds flat into the floor....and it might get better gas mileage than my Tahoe!

*We are the official owners of "5 Star Outfitters" and will have a website in the next week that is http://5staroutfitters.com . Whitetail and turkey hunts seem to be selling well and we have an exotic hunt in 2 weeks. Hats and T-shirts will be here in about a week! I just KNOW that you are all going to want one!

*We have a new puppy! Just what we need ...right?!?!?! He is a 14 week old yellow lab named Gus. As much of a handful as he is....he is a sweetheart. With some common sense he is 99% house trained........and in about a year he will quit chewing! Really, he's not bad about that either....he has plenty of toys and bones, and sticks to chewing on them. Even so I'm pretty sure he's going to grow up thinking his name is NO!

Other highlights:

My Belly is now bigger than Koby's! On the 15th I will be 7 months. Everything is going great! She's running out of room to wiggle. I'm trying to teach her that my ribs are not monkey bars! I'll let you know when that works!! I'm still on track on the amount of weight my Dr. said to gain(unless I keep eating brownie mix like I did last night!), and I have another appointment later this week. After this appointment I start going every 2 weeks to the Dr.

Koby painted her room last week! It's so cute it is kind of an apple green. We also got her furniture in (Dresser, chest of drawers, and bed) last week. It looks so good! It's all becoming real now! And kinda scarry.......

My mom and I went to a wedding last week and found some wonderful baby shops with their summer stuff 50% off! Reegan will be well clothed for next summer! Koby swears that she already has more clothes than he does.......but he's not a growing girl!!!!!

9 1/2 weeks to go!.......hopefully that's all!

Is it really summer?

It looks like summer, and it is sure hot enough to be summer....but teachers aren't suppose to work MORE in the summer!

The past couple of weeks have been pretty busy around here. I have been working on some pretty time consuming stuff for my mom's office....that seems to have no end!

There is a big 3 day Festival on the Concho this weekend. I am also running the talent show(which is almost over. we had prelim's tues and thurs and the finals are tonight...woohoo!) and am part of the riverstage concert crew(there's only about 10 of us!). We have 3 bands for Fri night and 4 for Sat including Reckless Kelly and Robert Earl Keen. We are expecting over 1,000 ppl for Fri night and at least 1,500 for Sat night. Needless to say all of this has been a lot of work! I think it will all be a lot of fun.....but I am honestly ready for it to be over!

Did anyone think about the fact that it's sweaty outside in the middle of June!

I'll write more next week when the circus leaves town!

Random Thoughts (What else do you have the last week of school)

* Apparently my TV remote was tired of being homebound...because it somehow made it to school with me today...instead of my cell phone!

* My belly button ring is officially out, and other than the initial shock of doing it, it hasn't been traumatic (I didn't get instant wrinkles or gray hair or anything).

* I am sooo excited that there are only 2 days of school left (1/2 days at that)....but...why am I that excited since I am coming back to work on computers for the next few weeks...so it's not REALLY the end...

* Tomorrow I will not only be 28 years old, but Reegan will be 24 weeks, which means she has reached viability! Yeah for us!

* It makes me smile to walk into the teacher bathroom and the water still be blue from Sammy cleaning it yesterday afternoon. I'm not sure if it's that I just like a clean toilet, or that I was the first one to use it!

* All of the things about restless uncomfortable nights that my pregnancy books talk about, came true last night! By 1:27 when I was getting up to pee for the 4th time I KNEW it was going to be a long night! Then came Reegan fighting or dancing with her umbilical cord(it's the only explanation I know of!), then came the numb hands, then the leg cramps, then the hot flash....by about 5:20 I deemed my good night of sleep hopeless and just prayed to catch a wink or two. (maybe that explains why the TV remote came to school today...who knows I could write a book about it's adventures....EEEkkk that's the sleeplessness talking!)

* Taking both your grandparents to the Doctor is undeniably comparable to being on the Jerry Springer show. (hmmmm, weeerrrreee there hidden cameras?)

* Only in a small school do you have to hunt a teacher down at their house to come back to school and give their patiently awaiting class a final exam!

* Last but not least please add a friend of mine to your prayer list. 2 weeks ago she had a grapefruit sized mass removed from one of her ovaries...come to find out it was cancer. After further testing she will have a full hysterectomy, and go through chemo (a type that she will certainly loose her long beautiful hair). Not only is the cancer hard for her and her husband to deal with but the extra blow of being 26 years old and not getting the awesome opportunity to bear her own children.

Lot's to say, and little time to say it.

The end of school is always so hectic! I know I've said that before but it really is! Things are wild around here! On top of everything else I have eight seniors in my room scrambling to finish a paper that is apparently due by 3:00!!!!

Let's see...the event of the day yesterday is that my mom achieved one of her life long dreams. That's right ladies and gentlemen she got her tattoo (WARNING: picture below may be inappropriate for small children). The name of the tattoo place was Electric Voodoo...yeah really! One of the guys that works there, Dean, came highly reccomended...yeah really! The darling tattoo is on the inside of her right ankle. At least it isn't on the outside of that ankle since that is her pew ankle...ok long story...she sits on the end of the pew at church and it is her right ankle that faces toward the aisle...it's her pew ankle...and in my educated opinion you should not get a tattoo on your pew ankle! We all know how I feel about tattoos so I of course think it is a little large...but the 55 year old woman loves it...so I guess it's ok.

In other news: My sweet husband always knows how to make me smile! He went to a furniture store in Brady yesterday to look at a round crib for Reegan. I have always LOVED round cribs, I think they are soooooo sweet! They look like little a little princess bed! Koby went and priced it and took pictures of it for me! The best part is that we haven't talked about this in months...and he actually REMEMBERED! Isn't he just so thoughtful! The bad news is that they are so insanely expensive...then the round bedding on top of that(when you can find it) is just as outragious!!!! We're going to do the regular crib and save the $$ for something else. I have no doubt that her room is going to be precious no matter what...especially when she's in it!

In case anyone was wanting another belly picture...here they are!

All work no play? I THINK NOT!!!!

When I came back to school this morning I realized that I hadn't been here since 9:30am on Tuesday the 9th! Yes you heard me right, I haven't been at school in almost a week! It's been great! Back to the grinding board for 2 more weeks. I have to keep telling myself that I CAN do this! It shouldn't be too bad since the last 3 days of school we are out at noon! I think I'm more excited than the kids!

The end of school is always so chaotic! It's even more chaotic this year because I can't concentrate on anything that I should be doing because all I can think about is baby stuff! I'm pretty much just on cloud 9...and it seems that very little work gets done on cloud 9!

Ohhh by the way. Our little bundle of joy's name is Reegan Grace Howell. Isn't that just the sweetest! We are so excited! It is all finally becoming more and more real! Now we're starting to plan out her room. I'll post a pic of the bedding soon. I think that my father in law is going to help out buying the baby furniture. We are VERY grateful for that!!!!! He's coming in town next weekend for us to go shopping! YEAaaahhhh! I feel like things are finally coming together...and only 17 1/2 more weeks until Reegan's here (give or take a little...but not too much!)!!!!!

Guess What.........

She's a Girl, She's a Girl, SHE'S A GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!

NO Doubt about it! She has an innie!

Koby and I are sooooo excited!

More later............

3 more weeks of school!

Prom was so much fun Saturday night! That is one thing I miss is getting to dress up for an event...yes it's a pain having to go find the perfect dress or tux...but it's just so much fun playing dress up! It was neat being able to see some of my kiddo's all dressed up, corsages on, impeccable makeup, and smiling from ear to ear! Oh yeah, Koby and I danced! It was fun!

it is 10:45 and the water is still off at school this morning. It's becoming a real issue with this pregnant girl! I guess it's kind of like an indoor porta-potty! I don't mind peeing on top of my own pee (or even someone in the fam's), but going on top of someone elses or LOTS of someone else's....eeeewwww!!!
UPDATE: it is almost 3:00 and we still don't have water...Buuuuuttttt...our Ag teacher has brought his class over EVERY period with 5 gallon buckets of water(obviously from down the road somewhere) to pour in the toilet tanks so that we could flush them! Noone even asked him to. I thought it was very thoughtful of him and all of his students that were willing to do it! Thanks guys!

The baby is moving around a lot more lately and Koby can even feel it moving now! I was laying in bed the other morning and mashing around on my stomach and I felt a leg! I touched it and it immediately moved and kicked me! It was the weirdest thing!

Okay. I am 21 1/2 weeks now(almost 5 months) and we are still calling this baby an it! We go Wednesday @ 2 for the "Moment of Truth" sonogram and have the Dr.'s appt right after at 3:20. So HOPEFULLY we will be able to find out what 'IT' is!

So the question is what do you think 'IT' is, a boy or a girl?

If you haven't commented on a blog lately here's a refresher course. At the end of this blog it says a number and then the word Comments. Click on that ... Then, a new page comes up. On the right hand side of the page type your comment in the box.

If you have a login and password place the radial button on 'blogger' and sign in.

If you don't have a user name and password click the radial button beside the word other, then just type in your name and click publish! It's that easy!

I am sooooooooo excited to find out what we are having!!!!! YEAAAAaaaaahhhhh! Spread those legs little darlin' we need to get a good look!

Crawling out of bed is harder than it use to be...

I can't decide why getting out of bed is so difficult....is it because I haven't been able to work out lately so I don't have the energy, is it because it is getting close to the end of school and I'm just getting lazier, or is could it possibly have something to do with my waist going from 27" to ...an undisclosed number?

I am so excited about school being out on the 26th! I guess I am most excited about getting things done this summer. I'll be able to workout every day (if the Dr. releases me), lay out, do lesson plans, swim, work on the babies room, cook....ok...well, yes...to the untrained eye these things don't really look like 'getting things done'...but these are things I enjoy doing and feel a sense of accomplishment after doing!! Therefore, I deem them important!!

I've been selling Prom tickets this week since it is this Saturday night. High school boys just amaze me sometimes! I have told several boys(with a smile!) "I realize that it is the last day to buy tickets and you forgot enough money to buy you AND your date a $4 ticket....borrow some money from a friend...you invited her, don't you think you should buy her ticket too?!?" (Side note: I only said that to students who were so irresponsible not to bring $ today, never to a student who might possibly not have the $). Some of the boys hung their head, a little ashamed that I had to say it(knowing that their mothers would have said the same thing), others it was a light bulb moment...like their brains were saying 'what a great idea'!!!

It is days like this that I question even more than normal(if that's possible) what would EVER possess a teacher to date a student! If anyone has read the San Angelo paper lately, this just happened at a school about 15 miles from town! ...Coming to a town near you, child predators!

Finally a new blog!

I haven't blogged in a week. I think that is a new record for me! The last week has been kind of crazy at school with all the end of the year stuff....regional golf, organizing pictures for the seniors, regional track, ARD's out the waa-zoo, meetings over this and that....I've just been trying to keep it all together.

Within the last week or so we have decided that we are going to have a garage sale Mothers Day weekend. They are always so hard to put together...but I never regret it in the end ($$$$). This means that I have done lots of cleaning out lately. It is amazing the crap that I keep! Most of it was already boxed up and earmarked for a garage sale. But then there is some of it that is still just hanging out around my bedroom like it belongs there! Uuuucccckk, why do I hold on to some things?!?!

My mother would like me to write about her getting a tattoo...but really I don't think she wants to hear what I have to say about it(sorry mom). I guess I'm not with the rest of the fam' on this...tattoo’s just aren't my thing...mainly when they are in a very visible area. Yes I know that I have my eye liner tattooed on (here we go!)...but that decision was made because one way or another I would have worn eyeliner the rest of my life. I won't ever regret that decision, and no one even knows that it is a tattoo. I won't however draw a picture on my bicep or ankle everyday for the rest of my life! I guess that is my REAL issue with it...will there come a day that you would ever regret that decision? Will there come a day when you get all dressed up, but the tattoo (in a visible spot) dresses you down so much that it wasn't worth the effort?

Koby likes the look of the tribal tattoos across the small of a girls back....and yeah I guess they look ok when you are 21...but what happens 10 years, 2 kids, and 30 pounds later....is it still cute(in it's stretched out state) or just a tacky thing you did when you were young? That would be my luck...me at the pool with the kids exposing my tattoo with stretch marks throughout it....claiming that I had to pay extra to get it to look like that!

OFF THE SOAP BOX!

Have you heard the latest news about The View....Rosie O'Donnell was announced to take Meredith's place.........hmmmm......I plead no comment.

Some of our kids have been joking about 2 of our teachers that are out today (who happen to be hispanic) that they are taking advantage of the "Mexican Skip Day"!!! :) They're not....but it IS funny!

Did anyone see Desperate Housewives last night? I'm not sure if it's hormones or what but I bawled when they took Gabrielle's baby away!

Does Size Really Matter?

It's another Monday morning. The only thing that got me going this morning was thinking there are only 4 more weeks of school....WRONG....there are 5 more weeks....grumble, grumble. Oh well, we still have one bad weather day and our last 3 days are only 1/2 days anyway since we have finals!

2 weeks and 2 days until we can find out what this little banana fish is. It gets old calling it an 'IT'.

This whole no exercising thing is making my butt big...ok so maybe it is really the eating part that is making my butt big! I'm just hungry all the time. It is a good thing that I like fruits, vegetables, and yogurt otherwise I'd be a whale already!

I am growing out of some of my smaller maternity clothes so I decided to wear a new skirt today. It's pretty cute-right above the knee length denim with some embroidery on it. I took 2 tags off of the skirt and assumed that I was done (YEP, you see where this is going don't you!). I guess at 6:45 I didn't inspect the garment as properly as I should have because 2nd period (oh yes I had already walked around the school and gone through 1st period) one of my girls said "Mrs. Howell, I think you still have a tag on your skirt!"....OH YES I DID! It couldn't have been just a little price tag hanging out from under my shirt, it was the long stick on tag that boldly tells what size the skirt is about ten times!!! I guess that the up side is that in most maternity clothes I wear a small....at least it wasn't XX-LARGE plastered across my butt!

An Easter to Remember

Ok...my grandmother has never really been the comedian of the family. I'm not sure that she really intended to be this weekend, but she definitely stole the show! We all sat down for a lovely Easter lunch. We ate, talked, ate, laughed, and ate some more. Between dinner and dessert my grandmother proclaimed that she had an announcement!

(PAUSE: let's remember her condition shall we....she's 82 years old, on 24/7 oxygen, not real stable on her feet, incontinent often, and has Alzheimers. About a year ago we took all of her panties away and put depends in her panty drawer so that when she messed all over herself we could just throw them away. At the time she didn't even realize that we had done it, or just didn't care.)

Back to the announcement.... She stood up and declared that while the whole family was at their house over New Years for their anniversary, someone stole her panties and she wanted them back!

(PAUSE: She's told us this before. She has actually called each family member previously and accused them of taking her panties....the scary part is that a couple of us have honestly confessed to her and she doesn't remember that either! We might as well tell her it was Colonel Mustard in the ballroom with the candle stick!)

As she is making her announcement she stands up and says. "Until someone confesses and brings me my panties, or y'all take up a collection to buy me new panties this is what I am wearing!"

SHE IS WEARING MY GRANDDADS UNDERWEAR! YES....she REALLY is! I'm pretty sure there wasn't a dry eye at the table from laughing so hard! Is this the appropriate time to discuss table etiquette! DON'T DROP TROU AT THE DINNER TABLE GRANNY!

All of this never even phased my granddad. I think he is so use to her....oddness...lately that he doesn't even pay attention! Kind of like when she feeds their birds scrambled eggs. He says nothing, and cleans all of the eggs out of their cage later. Granny, birds don't like to eat eggs, that’s cannibalism!

Getting to see everyone, and the kids is always a highlight. However, this Easter will always be remembered as the one when granny dropped trou!

Strange things...

1. The first and probably strangest is my tongue. no it is not an odd shape and I have no earthly idea how to roll it. When I get stressed my tongue...well...kinda sheds...in patches! It is the weirdest looking thing. It is called geographia. Last week when everything was so nuts around our house...this is what my tongue looked like by the end of the week! Yeah...gross huh....

2. I don't believe in feeding dogs people food. I never have. However, I eat my breakfast on the way to school every morning and I never eat the last bite. Why, you ask? It is because I save it for our superintendent’s dog that greets everyone as they walk in the school doors. Yes I guess that makes me a hypocrite, I would scream if someone fed Annie people food but I give Oreo some everyday! I guess there IS a difference since Oreo is an outside dog...if he gets sick no one has to clean it up!

3. I know that my tummy is growing, and that people think it is cute...but do they have to ask me to lift my shirt up...somehow that seems a little private to me! My mom and I talked about this a couple of months ago because people at her office want to see and feel. I'm too the point that feeling is ok (it wasn't when my pooch was just fat)...but really...can you just look at it through the shirt? For family I don't mind lifting the shirt and giving you a gander, that's ok...but do you have to take a picture? It is just so weird to me. Under MUCH duress do I raise my shirt for my mother to take a picture every week...and if you notice there are few that I smile in. I know, I know I will enjoy looking at them later...but it just bothers me. The pic to the right is @ 16 weeks. Yes my boobs are still bigger than my belly!

4. I don't care what we are having, and I am not really that anxious to find out (yes, I know this is weird). Yes I want to know, don't get me wrong, and I will love whatever it is. But, at this point the biggest reason I want to know is so that I can decorate (my favorite past time!). My sweet husband wants to know tomorrow! Tomorrow would be fine with me, but a few weeks would be too. I guess maybe because it isn't all real to me yet (when does it get real?) even after 2 sonograms. Maybe because I've only gained 6 1/2 pounds, maybe because it isn't kicking me to death yet, maybe because I can't hold it.......I DON'T KNOW...but this whole thing has to get real before the baby gets here right? RIGHT? I certainly hope so!

5. My stomach has literally grown in the last 36 hours! It is the weirdest thing...just poof and it was there! There was just a small little bump....now it is a little larger bump. This pic is 17 1/2 weeks (the color is all screwey when I upload it...) Now maybe I'll actually look pregnant not just over weight! My boobs are still bigger than my belly though....

Aaaaahhhhh.....

It is amazing how much better you feel when you accomplish things! We worked in the yard all day yesterday and it looks sooooo much nicer...15 bags of leaves and grass later...how could it not look better!!! All we have to do now is fertilize and sit back and watch it grow! (I'm not going to mention the fact that once it grows then you have to mow it again! I'm not bursting that bubble today!)Now our yard looks kinda like all the neighbors that hire lawn companies! MY yard guy was pretty tired though...having to do most of the tough stuff by himself!

Ya know it must be hard being the only boy around here in the fam'...you have to do all the guy stuff for the grandparents, parents, and our house all by yourself! Even if we do have a boy, it will be a long time before he's much help!

Please and Thank You!

What are we teaching our children? Are please and thank you that hard to say! Does it just not roll off the tongue as nicely as F#$@ and S#!%! They can apparently say those words REAL well(they are such potty mouths!). What happened to a little bit of manners...common courtesy?

I'm not just talking about students....It goes all the way up to people my age! How hard is this! Their mothers should be ashamed! When you ask someone to do something for you, say PLEASE. When they do something for you say, Thank You! I realize that this day in age chivalry is almost dead... but common courtesy? It makes me not want to do nice things for certain people. It is almost like they EXPECT it when they don't say it....and even if they do, can they not be sweet? It's not that hard to say the words and give a small smile...or even no smile...I could handle that!

I hope that my children are polite and courteous to other people. I know that there will be days that they mess up, but overall they WILL say please and thank you!

WARNING....Kleenax may be needed to read this post

Ok you know I talked about how Alex was on her last leg yesterday....well apparently she really was. She wound up having some kind of seizure or stroke yesterday afternoon. I took her to the vet and he recommended that we put her to sleep, so we did. WE ARE SOOOO SAD.

Ya’ know, I have NEVER in my life been so attached to an animal before. She was such a wonderful, sweet, calm, thoughtful dog. Yes thoughtful....she came and checked on me every morning while I was in the bathroom getting ready (she's done this her whole life)... not expecting to get petted just to check on me...she always let Annie(the other dog) go first...she always knew when we felt bad and needed some attention. Her favorite spot to lay was usually under Koby's feet at our breakfast bar. In our grieving last night we quietly joked at how we were sitting at the bar...both of us had our feet up off the ground out of her way, since that was her spot.

Annie is sad too. She is 11 years old and has been with Alex all her life. Poor girl, doesn't know what's going on. We tried to get her to come and sleep with us last night and she wouldn't. She was laying behind the dinning table this morning and wouldn't come out from there either. I'm going to go get her some bones and treats this afternoon. Eating always makes ME feel better when I'm sad.

She was the best dog EVER. We're gonna miss her a lot.

I think I have learned not to say the phrase "what else can happen this week". HOPEFULLY it will get better!

....

I couldn't decide on a title for this entry:

What Tha!
One More Thing...
Who needs a Refrigerator Anyway?
When it Rains it Pours
As Dead as a Doornail
Game Off (PLEASE!)

The three of us (me, Koby, and Mom) have worked our butts off for the past week, and all weekend. REALLY I SWEAR MINE IS SMALLER! The hunters were supposed to leave yesterday morning after the morning hunt. They wound up staying not only through lunch (and eating all the leftovers in the lodge's fridge) but through dinner too! My mom and I took them pizza...we weren't about to cook another meal! We finally get home last night a little before 9:00, Koby was closer to 9:30 (hoping for a little rest) and our refrigerator is dead....and apparently had been for MANY days! Everything on the freezer side especially was not only completely thawed, but warm too. It was nasty and the LAST thing any of us wanted to deal with. (Thanks mom for helping).

Now maybe we can get a little rest after Koby gets home at 8 and after I go to Bunco. I know, I know, I could miss Bunco...but it is REALLY hard to miss! We only get together once a month and I might miss some really good gossip! Important stuff! I am not worried about our group not having enough people to play Bunco....because we don't play anyway and haven't in probably over a year!

Oh- and as if we don't have enough on our plate, time wise and financially. Koby wants another dog! I love dogs, especially golden retriever or lab puppies they are soo sweet! But, we have 2 dogs already and a baby on the way...is that not enough!(love you babe- don't agree on this one) I realize that Alex is on her last leg...but she has been for for2 years! We don't need ANOTHER dog that poops, pees, and pukes on the floor right now! 3 dogs and a baby...YIKES! It sounds like we could have our own sitcom!

And (one more thing) the Dr.'s office called and said that my cervix is on the small side of normal. They will repeat the sonogram in 6 weeks to make sure it is not thinning. If I start having contractions I should call immediately.

The Wild, WILD, West...

Ok...I've always been one of those people that starts in the middle of a story. So, lets go back a bit.

Koby is managing a taxidermy shop now, but he is doing hunts on the side. The ranch that he is hunting on is a 5000 acre high fence ranch about 30 min or less from our house. Koby wasn't going to do turkey hunts this year but about a month ago some hunters call and wanted to book one, so of coarse Koby said yes.(side note: we also have another hunt the weekend after Easter)

The rancher says he is going to build a lodge for the hunters and guides to stay in for next year. For now they are using a fairly nice double wide trailer. It has 3 bedrooms, 2 beds in each room.(there were 6 hunters this trip so Koby, Wayne(guide) and I stayed at our house)

I forgot to mention that this house was NAKED when we got there. ABSOLUTELY nothing in it!! We furnished everything! Soooo since Koby works until 8 every night that means I did A LOT of running around town, worrying, and list making last week trying to make sure everything got done.

Another side note....but a BIG part of the weekend: I took Friday off to help get everything ready for the hunt. At about 11:00 I realized that I was spotting, and soon after started cramping. I called my Dr. and immediately got off my feet. We wound up having to go to the hospital for a sonogram mid afternoon. Thank goodness everything turned out ok. They said that there were no holes in the walls, and that my cervix was not trying to dilate. But that I was putting too much strain on my body and I am not superwoman and to take it easier. ( I was only walking 2 miles at lunch, working out at 4, and running errands until 8!)

On a little bit lighter note it looks like our kiddo is going to be a thumb sucker! It is pretty cool the things you can see with a sonogram! We did try to find out the sex of the baby but it sat there with it's legs crossed the whole time! Having this sonogram means that we probably won't have the 18 week sonogram so the next one will be at 22 or 24 weeks! Which means that we won't find out what the baby is until then. I'm just glad that everything is ok.

On with the hunt: Koby had asked me to cook for this hunt. That means out of bed at 3:30 and back in bed anywhere between 10 and 12. There were 8 men that had to be fed 3 good sized meals a day with dessert! With all that had gone on I was suppose to take it easy for the weekend....This is where I am glad that I live close to my Mom.....SuperMom to the rescue! I cooked breakfast, the guys left by 5ish (that's AM), I cleaned up and then took a little nap! My mom was there by midmorning and helped get lunch together, serve lunch, clean up from lunch, start cooking dinner, and Sunday night she even stayed through dinner to help serve and clean up....even then we didn't get home and in bed until 11 and I couldn't tell you when Koby got home. THANKS MOM!

So, here I am back at school on Monday morning. Koby had to cook breakfast for the hunters this morning (can't cook and get to school) and then they went out one more time to try to kill some turkeys. They had already killed 5, hopefully they got a few more today.

I'll try to post a tummy picture later this week. I thought I would be bigger than this at 4 months....I'M NOT COMPLAINING THOUGH! Soon enough I will be as big as a house!

I Can't Tell Time...

Ok...I was hungry (as usual) and smelling the aroma of food (our cooking class is making lunch for all of the teachers)... looked at my watch and going along with my stomach and my nose thought that my watch said 11:45 instead of 10:45. As I grabbed my keys and drink and proceeded to try to kick students out of my room as quickly as possible...one of them kindly broke the news that we still had an hour until lunch! Grrrrrrrrrrr!

My head is spinning today! First of all I'm trying to finish the last task of a grant that we have received for the past couple of years that is due tomorrow....BUT I am taking the day off tomorrow so I have to do it today. I am also submitting another grant application that has to be finished today, get lesson plans done for a sub for tomorrow, organize and get info out about our school wide April Wellness Challenge(along with handing out their pedometers), and collect the rest of the jewelry $ where people took stuff and said "oh I'll bring you a check later"!

I'm taking off tomorrow to help Koby finish getting stuff ready for his hunt. Granted, we started with a blank slate. The house was completely empty, no beds, no towels, no shower curtains, no kitchen table, some places no blinds, and absolutely nothing in any kitchen cabinet. BUT when you start getting it together 7 days before the hunt starts...things are bound to get a little hairy at the end! So that's where we stand now. Not to mention I am cooking for the entire hunt! Once we are out there and the last minute stuff is done and the last minute groceries (meat, milk, etc.) are bought then it will be fine. Cooking is the easy part.

Almost lunch Gotta run! :)

Hip-Hip Horray!

Happy Birthday to You,

Happy Birthday to You,

Happy Birthday to HEATHER,

Happy Birthday to You!!

My Favorite Recipe....this week!

This recipe is soooo easy and soooo good. It is just different enough to be REALLY good!

Chicken in Wine Sauce

4 chicken breasts
2 can cream of chicken soup (or cream of mushroom)
1 soup can of white wine (the alcohol cooks out! Instead of buying a real bottle of wine you can get the cooking wine over by the vinegar and salad dressing)
Smoked Swiss & Cheddar Cheese (it doesn't have to be out of the deli, Kraft makes it)
Stuffing Mix
You can add mushrooms or big pieces of onion to the sauce if you want

Place chicken in glass dish sprayed with PAM. Mix soup and wine over heat, pour over chicken. Cover each breast with a slice of Smoked Swiss & Cheddar cheese. Top the cheese with 1 heaping tablespoon of dry stuffing mix (right out of the box!). Pour just a little melted butter on the stuffing mix. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

I served it over wheat rice.

THIS IS THE BEST THING I HAVE COOKED IN A LONG TIME!!!!

I knew it was coming...but I'm still not ready!

No this blog is not about the baby...it's about my 10 year class reunion! TEN YEAR....TEN! Koby and I have been talking about our reunions being this summer for about 6 months. It was really ok with me until I got the "E-Mail"....It really IS happening...It really HAS been TEN years. This is so weird. I'm still wondering if I'm old enough to have a baby, and I'm certainly not old enough to have a reunion! That's for old people!

There were over 600 of us that graduated, how many will actually show up for this event? Will this just be a reunion of the football team and the pot heads...WHO KNOWS...this could get interesting!

On a side note, spring is in the air! No I'm not talking about the weather, I'm talking about the strong aroma (or stench!) of cologne that clouds the high school hall way. Bucks rut in the fall and high school boys rut in the spring!

It's fun to stand in the hall between classes and watch their attempt at suaveness! Most of the time it looks like a little puppy trying to get the attention of an older dog (not that I am comparing our students to dogs!). You know how the puppy is always chasing the other dog, biting at it's heals, chewing on it's ears until it gets the attention that it has been begging for.....YEP that's some of our kiddos! Then there are others that actually have the charm and charisma down…we’ll be peeling them off of some unsuspecting girl in the next few weeks!

Oh Yeah, the Dr.'s appt went fine. We got to hear the heart beat again. That was cool. It's kind of reassuring to hear it and know that everything is still going ok in there. We will have the gender sonogram on April 18th. I'll be glad to see the little bugger and know that all of it's parts are in tact and there's not an elbow coming out of it's nose or anything!

I've always heard people say that they really don't care want they were having as long as it was healthy.....I always thought they were full of it. Well I REALLY feel that way. I DON'T care what it is. I'm more excited to see on the sonogram that it is healthy than to know its gender. Yes that part will be nice too....but it isn't my top priority. Hmmmmm maybe all of those other moms to be knew what they were talking about.

Ya know those days that you know from the get-go things just don't seem to want to go your way! That's today! I have chased and chased and CHASED my tail and I'm pretty sure that I am in the same spot that I started in at 7:00 this morning! I CAN'T believe that it is only Wednesday! I have put out more fires today than all the Texas fire departments combined!

I have a Dr.'s appointment this afternoon...I'll give ya a full report tomorrow!

TTFN

:)

Spring Break was great! I feel like I can conquer the world! I think it is a combination of getting PLENTY of rest last week, and being in the second trimester. I got tired of being tired all the time!

I officially can't wear any of my real pants! I am still at the stage of just feeling fat rather than pregnant. I assume that will pass in a few weeks as things start to grow more.

It's Christmas at school! All of the tech 'toys' that I ordered are in! I can't wait to hook them all up! We have webcams, a scanner, a color printer.....all kinds of new stuff!

Ya know, I would enjoy cooking a lot more if someone else would do the grocery shopping for me and all I had to do is get it out of the fridge!

Why can't insurance policies be easier to understand? I just want to know what they will pay when I'm on maternity leave... THAT'S IT! Shouldn't that be real easy to spell out somewhere in the giant manual?

Spring Break Here I Come!

I am so excited that next week is Spring Break! I have so much stuff that I need to get done around the house. I can't wait to wear my pj's all day and just get stuff organized! I am use to having a summer to get this kind of stuff done...and since I worked at the Service Center last year from 8-5 nothing got cleaned out! I have one closet that has not been TOUCHED since we moved in a year ago. It just happens to be the one in the baby's room...so I should get on that!

It's amazing how my definition of a successful Spring Break has changed over the years! Not that doing those old things wouldn't still be fun(If my body recovered like it use to)! There are just so many other responsibilities now that seem to take priority. Ya know...It doesn't bother me...I will still be able to count this as another successful Spring Break!

Sex for dumbies....

Okay this is insane! At my school we now have 5 girls that are anywhere from sophomores to seniors that are pregnant! Do they not know what causes this...and that there are ways to prevent it! Where are there mothers!

I am almost 28 years old and I am already worried if I am ready to have this baby! I can't imagine if I was 17! They don't have a care in the world about it though. they are still to caught up in their own little world saying things like "I'll have the baby in time to play basketball in the fall", "I won't have to worry about it for the first few months, it'll just sleep anyway", "We're going to get married, everything will be perfect", "My mom will take care of the baby, she knows how to do all that stuff"..........WHERE IS THEIR SENSE OF REALITY! At what point do they realize that this baby isn't going to be like all the other dollies they play with!

I worry if we will be ok financially, about buying the safest car seat on the market, about eating a balenced diet and exercising, starting a college fund, which baby monitor is the best, what toys are best for brain stimulation, and...even if we will be good parents...

When will all of these worries kick in for these girls? Will they get past their selfish high school selves to realize that soon life will not be all about them?

I'll get off my soap box now. It just breaks my heart that they are so nieve and clueless.

Almost Friday!

Lets see...we'll start with this mornings bathroom trip at 5:30am. I ran into the door frame WITH MY FACE! I didn't bust my lip but it is swollen and I do have some scabby spots on it! Koby kindly offered to buy me a night light! Thanks babe! :)

Koby gets up at 5:50, I usually make myself get up at 6:50. I was wide awake when his alarm went of and was hungry for fish sticks! I'm not sure which is scarrier...that I wanted them...or that I found some in the garage freezer! I had a great breakfast!

I've decided that a Cinnamon Dolce Latte from Starbucks can't be good for me everyday, so I've been attempting to recreate them at home. Honestly, it's not quite the same but as long as it has cinnamon and milk and decaf coffee then I guess I'm getting close!

I'm ready for Koby to not work 50 hours a week.....and really from the time he leaves to the time he gets home it is about 63 hours a week. It is so hard when he leaves before I get up, and by 8:00 when he gets home I'm already showered and almost ready for bed. When we do see each other we are both so tired that we just grunt at each other like cave men! Hopefully that will be all over at the end of the month.

I am sooooo ready to go to Fort Worth this weekend!!!!!!!

Random Thoughts

Do you get more freckles when you are pregnant? I looked down in the tub last night and I have 5...5 new freckles on my stomach!

Sewage is suppose to go down the drain...not back up!

At some point I am suppose to get less tired. I wish I knew when that was so I could start planning things that need to get done!

Not only is the hair on my head growing faster, so is the hair on my legs!

Since it is only my friends and family that read this I don't mind announcing that I am officially a 34 DD now...AND I STILL HAVE 6 MONTHS TO GO!

Why is it so hard for certain students to get to my class on time. One more tardy and they have ISS...what a stupid reason to go to ISS!

Is Jonathan ever going to Blog again?

I will be 3 months on Friday and I have only gained 3 pounds, Wooo-Hoo! (I'm pretty sure it is all in my chest!)

When will people EVER learn that you catch more flies with honey than with vinegar. If you'll just be sweet, or ask nicely I will do anything you want! Otherwise you might just be SOL!

We get to leave in 3 days and go to Fort Worth to play!!!

Problem!

Ok so maybe mine isn't a PROBLEM....More of a concern. It's my belly button ring. Ya know, it was really cute 7 years ago when I got it.....now it's not so cute anymore. Not just because I'm pregnant....but because I'm almost 28 and my body doesn't look like it did when I was 21. I don't really pay much attention to it, and 99% of the time I don't even remember that it is there. It was a silly thing I did when I was young.

I know that I am going to have to take it out before too long when my skin begins to stretch over the ends of it. Not a big deal, right? So why can't I just take it out now.....I keep telling myself "I'll take it out tomorrow", or "I'll take it out this weekend"....as those days have come and gone....I still have it!!! Why am I so attached to this dumb thing that no one sees anyway? If there was a REAL diamond in the sucker that would be a WHOLE other story! I guess it is kind of like holding on to my youth a little bit. I've never been one to hold on to or be sentimental about miscellaneous THINGS so this is kind of odd for me. I'm still not sure why I can't just take it out!

New Topic! I've had a couple of people ask me how to post a comment if they don't have, and don't want a blog account. They just want to comment from time to time. Here's how you do it. At the bottom of each post it tells you the # of comments made for that post. Click on it. On the next page on the right hand side you can type in your comments. If you don't have a login, underneath the comment box choose the button 'Other' then just type in your name. Then click 'publish your comment'. That's it, it's that easy!

Game On!!!

This is fun!

If you could compete in one Winter Olympic Event what would it be?

Curling! There is absolutely no athletic ability required...just a little bit of precision! It is also played inside so I wouldn't have to worry about being cold!

Do you tee-tee in the shower?
If I need to go...it all goes to the same place!

If you could change one thing about your appearance what would it be?

My butt(I would just chop it off!) and my pointy little nose! I'm not sure what kind of nose I would want though....just a different one.

What are you proudest of?

Being married for almost 2 years. Ya know, people tell you when you get married that you will have to work at it...but at that point you don't understand. Not that our marriage has been real hard or anything, but it is something that you have to work at everyday. I like Dr. Phil's explanation that in everything you say and do in your relationship you are either contributing to it or contaminating it....there is no in between. If you really think about that it's true.

What is your greatest accomplishment?

1. I learned early the value of a dollar. How to save $ and how to spent wisely. I think that has really benefited me in where I am today. No credit cards in my house!!! I can have medium priced nice things without having the biggest and best of everything.(I love Target!)

2. Getting my masters degree and being dedicated enough to get a 3.8 GPA

What is your best characteristic?

Physical- I might as well say my boobs! I might not be able to say that in a few months!

Other- that I'm honest, that I am able to see multiple sides to a situation(whether I agree with it or not I understand where people are coming from), and that I feel things good or bad, for me or someone else, deeply(yeah that means I'm a mush). Koby always jokingly tells me that I'm a Howell now and I don't (or shouldn't) have 'feelers' anymore!

Now if you have a blog put your answers to these questions there, if you don't write it in the comments.....and if you don't want to answer ALL of the questions...It doesn't matter it's not for a grade!!!

In Response to Heather's....

The Sickest I've ever been: When I was in high school and had a horrible...horrible ear infection and had (this is gross) puss pockets in my ears. My equilibrium was so messed up I could barely get to the bathroom.

Most Pain: Probably my second knee surgery or the day I had my tonsils taken out and tried to swallow some liquid Motrin and it went up my nose!

Best Decision: Going back to teaching

Most Surprised: When a black lady called me on the phone and with some choice vocabulary accused me of sleeping with her husband!!! She had the wrong number....but convincing HER of that was a different story!!! :)

Felt Saddest: when I miscarried

Hardest Thing: mmmm maybe explaining and talking about 9-11 to a bunch of 9 year olds my first year of teaching.

Most Scared: When I was little it was riding the Texas Giant! I hate roller coasters!! Recently it was when Koby had already quit his job and we were going to buy a business....and the guy called and said he decided not to sell! There was about 48 hours there that were REAL SCARY!

Now, you can either answer the same questions on your blog, or in the comments!

Happy Valentines Day!

I am joining the health club today! Actually WE are joining the health club today, my mom is joining too! I am not sure if she is joining for her health, to stay on my rear, or just purely for my entertainment! Whatever the reason I'm glad she is!

I am about 9 1/2 weeks today. The weeks start on Fridays...so this Friday will be 10 weeks. After reading about it I have pretty much decided against doing a sonogram at 12 weeks. It will be much more accurate if I wait until 16-18 weeks. My goal is to know by 20 weeks which is April 28. That is if the little stinker will sit spread eagle long enough for us to tell!

I learn new things everyday......

Okay, I ran into a friend of mine last night that just had a baby. As we got to visiting she said that she went to the Imaging Center when she was 12 weeks to find out what she was having.....I had no idea that you could find out that early!!!! You can tell this is my first rodeo! My Dr. won't do another sonogram until about 20 weeks so I would have to pay $100 for one earlier if I want it. I wonder how accurate it is that early in the pregnancy?

My Week

Oh my gosh! Could my week have been any crazier! AAAAHHHH! I've been out of town since Tuesday...sorry for not having time to post! It's been wild.

Lets see- Monday-I went to the Doc's office and had an appointment with my favorite nurse. I think she wanted to play the game 20 questions but it turned into more like 100! She asked me everything from how much I weigh, to if I had AIDS! Wow what a question! I guess it is important to ask to some people....but wow!

Tuesday- Ran around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to get things ready for a sub for Tues afternoon, Wed, and Thurs. We left at noon for the Technology conference in Austin.(Side note- this is usually my all time favorite conference. There are fun people that I know there, we're all tech nerds and can share info, and I usually get to buy something for my classroom!!)

Wednesday- I got up pumped about the conference and getting to see the latest and greatest tech stuff to put on my wish list. I had a great morning...decaf Starbucks, saw some friends, walked around the exhibit hall picking up free stuff....it was all going well! I had lunch with my sister in law Karen.....then we get the call that the in law family emergency happened! I love my in laws don't get me wrong, and I would do anything to help anytime (and I did and would do it again)....It's just that it was during my FAVORITE conference...gggrrrrrr!!! My other sister in law stayed in my hotel room for the night. She's a sweetie...however when Koby snores I can just roll over and hit him...I didn't think it was appropriate for me to hop to the next bed and do the same to her!! Don't worry everyone is doing better and everything is being taken care of! Ohhh and I got the call from the Dr.’s nurse that I don’t have AIDS…in case anyone had a doubt!!!!

Thursday- I got to go to the conference for a little while in the morning! Koby went down to Austin with his boss for a hunting dinner thing so I got to see him in passing for just a minute. I finally got home about 6:45. He finally got home at 2:30 AM!!!!

Friday- Here I am! I woke up starving to death this morning! On my way out the door I heated up a frozen burrito....I can't tell you how good it smelled! I jumped in the car and take off down the road and go to take a bite....and the darn thing is still frozen in the middle! So along my 20 min drive to work I get to smell this delicious burrito that I could only get about 2 warm bites out of...gggrrrrrrr! Since I have worn my jeans for the past few days I am a little tired of them being a little too tight around the middle when I sit for long periods of time or when I eat...wind pants with an elastic waist band sounded much better for today!

Now that I have eaten a warm burrito, my pants feel great, and I am back to my normal routine....maybe things will slow down!

We got a new camera...a DIGITAL camera! No more disposable camera's for me!

My mom and I went out Tuesday afternoon looking at the spec on every digital camrea in town. Being the technology teacher I know the best specs to have....but being on a teacher salry I wasn't sure what specs I was going to have to do without. Sooooo we did the only logical thing we could think of ....call a mom that has 2 kids and takes lots of pictures of them with her digital camera...HEATHER! Between her knowledge and ours we wound up with 2 Sony Cybershot cameras with a 256mb memory cards.

No I have not gone crazy, I DO realize that the baby is not due until mid September. The method to my madness is that we are going to take a picture of my stomach every week until the baby is born. This wasn't my idea, but I think it will be really cool to look at later. Koby, my loving husband, can't miss out on a chance for a competition! Thank goodness he is winning the belly contest so far!