Fall is FUN

Less than 10 weeks til baby 4 joins our family!  I am striving to take advantage of that time and do some fun things with the kids.  I know once winter hits and this baby comes....time for going out as a family will be limited since my husband works 6 days a week.  So this past weekend I summoned all my energy and took the kids out.  We met my parents for lunch and then I took them to a free fall festival!

First up, some outdoor games.  This one was the Mystery Box. The Genius was feeling a very strange hair bow.  The Hippie felt slime!  There was also a big bouncy room.  The Professor just so happens to be deathly afraid of bouncy rooms.  He did NOT want his sisters going in, but they did!  All 3 kids enjoyed the games.  Then the girls got a new hair-do.

Afterwards we went inside to see what was there.

They got to listen to a story and were given some bracelets. 
Then onto face painting and balloon animals!

In the gym were games for the bigger kids.  While the girls went around and played, the Professor and I hung out in the 5 and under area.

I was getting tired so we grabbed some free popcorn and went Christmas shopping.  The girls got their dad gifts, got gifts for the Professor and chose a gift for the baby!  I was exhausted but it was so much fun! 
We got home and everyone had a sucker and we watched a show together.

Fall really is FUN!

Wordless Wednesday

Cute Stuff

The Professor is just cute.  He has done a few extra cute things lately that I want to write down before I forget.
At our home-school co-op he is in a class for 2's-3's.  Last Friday they took the kids outside and let them collect grass, leaves, flowers etc... and brought them inside to let them make a fall wreath.  He was proud of his little glue covered nature artwork.  I said, "Buddy, did you go outside?" He says "ummhmm".  I said, "What did you learn about?"  He said, "Leaves and Lion Flowers."  Lion Flowers?  Then I noticed the dandelions on his wreath.  How cute!  I will always think of dandelions as Lion Flowers now.
Monday night we hosted a Bible study here at our house.  Our 9 year old baked a coffee cake for us to have.  As I was laying the cake out on the table, the Professor said, "CAKE" BIRTHDAY"  He then proceeded to go through our entire family trying to figure out whose birthday it was.  LOL! He could not comprehend that the cake was a fun cake!

29 weeks and 3 days!

Less than 11 weeks til we meet this little baby.  I tell you what, this baby boy has sure kept us on our toes this entire pregnancy.  I have been to a doctor weekly or bi-weekly since we found out we were pregnant.  In some ways it is fun....lots of sneak peeks at the baby, feeling like I get time to focus on this baby and this pregnancy.
On the other hand, I don't enjoy either taking 3 other kids with me or leaving them with a sitter.  It also makes it feel like the time is moving slowly. 
Today I had a follow up ultrasound.  No real concerns, they were basically just re-checking the hole in his heart.  I guess I have a very cautious office.  Today our baby boy measured in the 74%.  He weighs 3 pounds 8.3 ounces.  He was all snuggled up, had his ankles crossed and one hand flung over his face.  The tech said she saw a little hair on his head too.  Might I add....he seems to be taking after his brother and his head is measuring....large. Sigh. 
The only downside is that he is still breech.  I know that he still has time to flip but I am SO scared of a c-section.  My husband works 6 days a week and will only get 1-2 days off when the baby is born and my parents work full time.  We don't really have any close friends here.  So recovery will be hard enough on me delivering naturally.  I am asking everyone to pray that our boy will flip. 
Other than that it was all good news.  They will evidently keep doing ultrasounds to check on his position, so I go back in 4 weeks again.  Actually on Election Day! 

Festival!

Last weekend was gorgeous!  My poor husband works 6 days a week but I loaded up the 3 kids and took them to a local festival. 

We arrived quite easily.  However I discovered it was set up different than past years.  I had come with the Professors awesome jogging stroller but found we had to now park off site.  Luckily I had his little umbrella stroller but the umbrella stroller was not made for outdoor festivals.  I knew this pregnant mom would need it though. Ha!  Getting onto a bus with a stroller and 3 kids and steep steps...not an easy task at 28 weeks pregnant.

The girls sitting in a hand hewn wooden canoe.  This was amazing!

Sampling some free apple cake!

All 3 kids made their own bean bags with cloth and dried cherry pits.  The girls sewed the Professor's bean bag for him.

The got to make pioneer hats and bonnets.  The Professor was impressed that the volunteer knew her colors too.  He kept telling her which color he was using and when she would say, "Yes green" he'd say "good". Ha!

We had a hay ride (not recommended at 28 weeks pregnant...OUCH) and a horse drawn wagon ride and all for FREE! Festivals like this are simply unbeatable.  We had loads of fun.  I got everyone McDonald's on the way home as a special treat.  The Professor konked out and I joined him by taking a 2 hour nap! 

What local festivities have you been joining up with?

French Bread Pizza

I actually think the title of this post should read "Delicious and Unhealthy". LOL!  Seriously.  It is not often I make a recipe that everyone in my family LOVES.  And this was one.  Everyone from the Professor to my hubby loved this and asked for more.  But it is not healthy and not something to make on a regular basis.  But every now then this can be an awesome dinner.
1 loaf of Italian Bread
1 cup butter softened
1 cup mayo
4 cups cheese (I used 1/2 mozz. and 1/2 mild cheddar)
Any pizza toppings you like chopped or diced small
Mix the butter, mayo, cheeses and toppings.
Slice the loaf of bread in half length wise
Spread the mixture over the bread and bake at 350 for 20 minutes or til cheese in brown and bubbly.

Enjoy!!!!

The Hippie Turned 8!!!!

Even though her present from us was those tickets to see Toby Mac perform, we still made her a cake and my parents got her some awesome gifts!

Then on Sept. 30th she made the most important decision of her life!

Her daddy had the honor of baptizing her!  Words cannot express what it means to know that our two older kids have asked Jesus into their hearts and then chosen to get baptized as well.  There is no greater joy for a parent!