More B-day prep & meringue tarts

Praise the Lord for a good progress report regarding baby Harper today! They continue to be on my mind constantly, but I'm so encouraged by the news they received from her doctor today. Please don't stop praying though--she still has a long recovery ahead, but everyone is grateful for the small steps she's making already!

Due to MLK Day today, the kids didn't have MDO and Lane didn't have class. Lane stayed home with the kids for a little while this morning while I went to the pottery place to finish the plate I'd started for Alexee's birthday (I ran out of time last week when they were at MDO). I've done a birthday plate for each birthday so far for each child. My idea is to do maybe years 1-10. Rhett really painted his own last year, and I'm sure Alexee will want to do the same in a year or two, but it's a project I enjoy. I tried to match it to her invitation this year. The colors are very light right now--they should darken when the piece is fired. I hope it turns out okay. I plan to order the cake/cupcakes on Wednesday, and then I need to think about other food and some sort of little party favors (any ideas?) and a few other details. It's a smaller gathering this year...we had a big party for her 1st last year, but this time we've just planned for family and a few playgroup friends. I think this will make it a little easier (for me) to focus on the Birthday Girl and really celebrate her special day.

I wish I could claim these cute pottery pieces, but I just took pictures of them in the window for future ideas. I thought this Valentine's chocoloate covered strawberry was a fun idea:
And this bunny footprint plate for Easter/spring:
I also ordered these cute lime green shoes to go with Alexee's dress (thanks for sending the link, Heather L.!)

Today was meal day...I made tacos (not very creative, I know). I made these meringue tarts for dessert. The recipe came from a girl in my Bible study a few years ago--I loved them when she brought them to one of our luncheons. The filling wasn't very thick in the ones I made today, and I'm not sure why? Maybe because I used light Cool Whip this time? The recipe is below.
Meringue Tarts

3 egg whites, stiffly beaten
--Gradually add:
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp vinegar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
--Continue to beat mixture until stiff.
--Spoon onto cookie sheet (either lightly greased or lined with parchment paper--they'll stick otherwise). Make a small depression in each tart with a spoon or ice cream scoop (this will hold the filling later). These don't expand during baking.

Bake 1 hour (I think I did only 50 minutes) at 250 degrees and then turn the oven off and leave the tarts in the oven. Cool overnight--don't open the door! (I'm not sure what this will do--I was just warned not to by the girl who gave me this recipe!?)

Filling:
Beat together equal parts yogurt (strawberry, raspberry, etc.) to Cool Whip. Spoon onto each tart and top with a berry. Serve immediately. Meringue mounds can be made ahead of time and stored in an air-tight container. I was also told not to double this recipe--instead make it in two separate bowls/batches if you need more.

29 weeks

We haven't done a lot this weekend, but it has been a very emotional one. I've been glued to the computer, clicking "reload current page" on Kelly's blog, praying I will read encouraging news about sweet Harper (please see previous post, and please continue to pray!). I'm so encouraged about how God is working in their situation, and I pray that things continue to improve.

Lane and other students volunteered to help with the move to the new hospital yesterday morning, then he studied in the afternoon. The kids and I went to Hobby Lobby after A's nap, then I dropped Rhett off at L's office so that he could take him to a birthday party at Jump Zone. Lane sent me a text from the party saying that he was beginning to think it was a sleepover--they were there forever! Rhett had a great time though...jumping and eating pizza and cupcakes. Alexee and I went to the grocery store, then came home for her to eat dinner and take her bath. I worked in the cafe at church this morning, our church service was great, then we went to one of our favorite Mexican restaurants tonight.

Weekly pregnancy pic:
This is my last week in the 20's! Next week will feel like a big milestone. I'm feeling fine (large, but no other complaints). I'm extremely thankful for such an easy pregnancy up to this point--I hope that the last 10 or 11 weeks are just as healthy. My due date is April 5th, and I would love to have an April baby so that we'd have February, March and April birthdays to celebrate separately (we'll just party all spring!). However, I was induced about 10 days early with both kids because of their size and concern about needing a C-section, so I'm not sure if the doctor will let me go that long or not. I haven't seen my official OB for my last two appointments, but I'm scheduled to see him in February so I hope to ask his thoughts at that time. Before going to eat tonight:

Prayer Request

SUNDAY UPDATE: Stable but still critical, please please keep praying. See here and here for details.

SATURDAY UPDATE: PRAISE THE LORD for already answering prayers--they have received good news this morning, Harper is improving in Tulsa. Please continue to remember this family and rejoice in the Lord's goodness!

FRIDAY NIGHT UPDATE: Even if you do not know this family, would you please please pray for them as soon as you read this. The baby is in serious condition and has been transported to the Children's Hospital. I know they would truly appreciate every prayer. God is in control, and we ask Him for healing tonight. (See link below.)

Welcome, Harper Brown Stamps!

Please please pray for my dear friend Kelly and her precious new baby and their whole family. See her post here.

A's birthday back-up dress

I'm not sure that Alexee will wear the birthday tutu that I made her (I'm still hoping that she might), so this is my back-up plan. I bought this little dress on sale last year, and I had an 'A' monogrammed on it yesterday. It's kind of "spring-ish", so I'm not sure what shoes she'd wear with it--any suggestions? Do I break the no-white-before-Easter rule (is that still a rule)? Or look for lime green shoes? Or just wear black? I'm still used to Rhett wearing tennis shoes or cowboy boots with everything...I'm not good at the little girl shoe selection!?

Nursery project

I feel like we have a lot to do to get ready for Crosby...mostly just moving furniture around/rearranging rooms, etc., but things that take time that we don't seem to have. I did get to check one thing off my list last night (I love to check things off lists!). I ordered bedding (at least part of it--still need a comforter) for the extra bed that we're going to put in his nursery. We don't really need a bed in his room right now, but it's currently in our garage (which we're trying to clean out--almost there) and the room is big enough for it, so we decided to use it there. We're going to use Rhett's crib bedding, and I'm hoping this vintage airplane bedding will coordinate and be cute with it. We plan to use various vintage vehicles--not just airplanes. I ordered the airplane sheets, a bedskirt and khaki shams with his name monogrammed on them. I'm going to look at Target for a plain red comforter or something like that. I might wait until the bedding arrives so that I can get a better idea of what would look good together.

Cute Christmas items & cute kids

I had a doctor's appointment this morning (everything was fine). I had just a few minutes between dropping the kids off at MDO and the appointment, so I took one of Alexee's dresses to a local store to have it monogrammed. While I was there, I noticed these things on the 60% off Christmas table. All season I wanted one of these metal ornament decorations for the front door but wouldn't buy one. When I saw that they had two left at such a good price, I decided to get one for next year. They also had a few rolls of the decorating mesh, so I decided to try two of those.

Here are two cuties after MDO. Alexee has decided that she's way too cool for the highchair. She'd rather sit at the bar with Rhett.I think Rhett did something that she thought was really funny. They fuss at each other some, but for the most part, they play really well together. R does get frustrated with her when we try to play hide & seek because he says she always gives away his hiding places (it's actually Bogart that gives him away most of the time).

Pajama Pokeno Night

On Monday night my friend Wendy hosted Pajama Pokeno Night. I don't think we've actually played the Pokeno game in about a year now...but we all have a great time eating and visiting. She served breakfast foods: two appetizers, a sausage breakfast casserole, bread and fruit salad. I need to try to get all her recipes. Everything was delicious! I think we should just go in our pajamas every month. I love wearing lounge pants and can't wait to change into them the second I get home. Rhett's the same way (he calls them "comfy clothes"). In fact, he dislikes getting dressed up in "real" clothes so much that he often insists on wearing his comfy clothes underneath them. I can't imagine basketball shorts being very comfortable underneath jeans, but that's what he does.

Here we are before I left for the fun girls' night on Monday. (Rhett has a funny, greasy smile because he'd just applied a large quantity of Carmex to his very-chapped lips.)I have NO cute PJs. There's no way I could sleep in this--I'd have a heat stroke--but I stopped by Target and picked up new Valentine lounge pants and a V-tine t-shirt (and socks!) for the occasion. I know I look like I swallowed a whole watermelon.
Bacon and Gouda appetizers:
I promised my friends I wouldn't post pictures of anyone (although they all looked cute!), but here's the yummy food:

Cake Recipe

I made this cake for our Bible study meeting tonight--it's easy and yummy:

Heath Bar Cake
1 German Chocolate cake mix
1 jar caramel
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 container Cool Whip
1 package Heath Bar toffee bits

Bake cake according to box directions (9x13" pan). Cool 5 minutes and poke holes all over the cake with a wooden spoon. Mix caramel and condensed milk in a small bowl then pour over the cake to soak into the holes. Cool completely, top with Cool Whip and sprinkle with toffee bits. Refrigerate several hours before serving (and store in fridge).

Dinner with Granddad

My Dad was in town yesterday for a boat show, so we got to have dinner with him at McAlister's before he drove back home. Rhett & Alexee were both excited to see him when we pulled into the parking lot. He opened A's door to get her out and she said, "Mo??" It was so sweet that she wondered why Mo wasn't with him on this trip.
Rhett was in wild & crazy mode during dinner. Here he is roaring like a lion through the McAlister's curtains.
Dad, thanks for stopping to see us!

Misc. pics from last week

(Catch up post)

The kids both received new boots from my parents for Christmas. Rhett had almost worn his old cowboy boots out--he loved them. He's wearing his new ones a lot too. He chose his own church clothes and wore his boots to church today. Alexee's boots have pink on them and they look SO cute on her! She wore them to eat pizza with some friends last weekend, along with her new pink Razorbacks shirt that her Daddy chose for her for Christmas.
Our friends who just moved to Houston were passing through after visiting family for Christmas, so we met them and two other families for lunch. Here's the group of all eight kids at the pizza place last Saturday. Crosby is going to change the pattern, but as of right now, all four of these families have a boy (first) and a girl (second child). Three of the boys will start kindergarten together this fall at the same school--it's probably too much to wish for that they'd all be in the same class? That would make me feel so much better!Monday was my first day to deliver a meal for our meal exchange after our Christmas break. I made a chicken enchilada casserole, a salad from my new issue of Paula Deen, and these little crepe desserts. I don't know why I bought crepes--I just saw them beside the strawberries at the store and thought they looked good. I used a recipe from the back of the package for the desserts that I delivered (it contained cream cheese and vanilla pudding and fresh strawberries). But I ran out of that mixture, so for ours we just used ice cream, a frozen berry mixture that had blackberries, raspberries and blueberries and fresh whipped cream that I'd made for waffles the night before. I think I actually liked this creation better than the package recipe. I have crepes on my grocery list for my next trip. To make them into crisp cups, you just invert coffee mugs and put the crepes over them and bake for a short time.
On Wednesday evening our sweet friend Andrea came to babysit while Lane and I went to a movie (we saw Valkyrie and liked it). Rhett and I gave her a container of Snickerdoodles that we baked that day, and the kids made her a card:
Rhett drew a picture of them holding hands for her card. He told me what to write on the inside.

Tutu Practice

After I recently posted a picture of a birthday tutu that I was considering buying for Alexee, several people posted comments or e-mailed me about how easy it is to make them. So I tried it with some leftover Christmas tulle (it's uneven--I didn't really measure it or try to make it very neat--it was just a quick practice run). So then I decided to try to make one like the birthday tutu. I bought the supplies at Hobby Lobby last week for about $17. I don't know that it looks the exact same, but I think it will work, and I saved a few dollars in the process (I think the one I'd found online was $30 plus extra for the flower and shipping). I'm not even sure she will wear it anyway--I tried to get her to try it on yesterday, but it made her mad and she pulled it off. So I'm working on a birthday dress back-up plan. I haven't bought a onesie or shirt yet...still looking for a plain white one to have monogrammed (plain white ones are more difficult to find than I would have thought).

Here she is in the Christmas tree leftover tutu:
Here's the birthday tutu in process:
I attached a butterfly instead of a flower. I hot glued pink sequins around it for a little bit of sparkle. It would look really sweet on her IF she'd just wear it!?

Third Trimester Begins

Today marks 28 weeks--the first day of the third trimester. According to a website I read, Crosby is about 15 inches long and weighs about 2 to 3 pounds. His movements are a lot stronger now...more kicking than fluttering. It's hard to believe I only have 12 weeks until my due date.

Since I haven't posted pictures in over a week due to our computer troubles, I'm posting last week's photo too (I guess because I used to be an accountant and it would bother me a little to skip a number in a sequence).

27 weeks (Rhett's photography):

28 weeks--today after church. People are starting to comment on me being pregnant everywhere I go. I do feel huge, but I still think it's strange that complete strangers say things--I'm always waaay too afraid to make that assumption and say something to someone--what if they really weren't pregnant!?!

High School 1995

Mary Katherine e-mailed me this today:

Fill this out about your SENIOR year of high school! The longer ago it was, the more fun the answers will be!! REPOST with name of high school and graduating year in the subject box. Send this to all your friends, but don't forget to send it back to me.

1. Did you date someone from your school? Yes
2. Did you marry someone from your high school? No

3. Did you car pool to school? No

4. What kind of car did you have? I drove a dark-green Camaro my senior year.

5. What kind of car do you have now? Tahoe

6. It's Friday night...where are you? Probably eating m&ms in the stands at a basketball game

7. It is Friday night...where are you? (now) Home with my family. My friend Ali did come over to scrapbook for a while.
8. What kind of job did you have in high school? Worked in an office during the summers

9. What kind of job do you do now? Full-time (Mom/housewife)

10. Were you a party animal? No way. I've always liked to be at home and go to bed early--don't see that ever changing.

11. Were you considered a flirt? I sure don't think so.

12. Were you in band, orchestra, or choir? No--no musical talent here.

13. Were you a nerd? I'd probably have to say yes!

14. Did you get suspended or expelled? No way.

15. Can you sing the fight song? Did we even have one???

16. Who was/were your favorite teacher(s)? English teacher, Mrs. Melton
17. Where did you sit during lunch? I don't really even remember going to the cafeteria? I'm sure I did, and I'm sure I sat with my best friend, Darcy.

18. What was your school's full name? Flippin High School

19. When did you graduate? 1995

20. What was your school mascot? Bobcat

21. If you could go back and do it again, would you? No, I don't think so. Parts of it were fun. But I could never pass algebra and chemistry again, and I'd HATE to have to write an English paper now.

22. Did you have fun at Prom? Yeah, I guess--my first year to get to go was exciting, but not so much after that. (we could go as 10th graders if invited by an 11th or 12th grader.)

23. Do you still talk to the person you went to Prom with? No

24. Are you planning on going to your next reunion? Haven't really thought about it. I missed our first one because I was in Seattle visiting my friend Heather, and that was fine with me.

25. Do you still talk to people from school? Not many. My best friend from HS just moved to "my" town, so that's been really fun to get to see her again and see her kids. Other than that, I only see a few people at church when we're home on a weekend.

Snickerdoodles

We're having home computer difficulties (as in it crashed a few days ago...Lane says it's not the hard drive, so all our files should be there once we get a new one...I think it was the processor?). Anyway, I've realized what an addiction I have to e-mail and blogging and my electronic calendar reminders, etc. because I only have access to a computer (L's laptop) at night! I don't know how to upload pictures to his computer, so I might have no-photo posts for a while.

Rhett and I made Snickerdoodles this afternoon. I hadn't made these in years, and I guess I forgot how good they are (especially right out of the oven). I lost track of how many I ate. Here's the recipe if you'd like to bake a good cold-evening snack!

Snickerdoodles

1 1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1/2 cup shortening
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups SELF-RISING FLOUR

Separate dish:
3 T sugar
3 T cinnamon

Heat oven to 400. Mix sugar, margarine, shortening and eggs. Stir in flour. Shape dough by rounded spoonfuls into balls and roll in cinnamon/sugar mixture. Place about 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. Makes about 6 dozen.

Movie Date

"...Marley & Me celebrates two ordinary people as they try to fit love, work, children, and one volcanically misbehaved pooch into a single space." Movie review by Owen Gleiberman

Lane and I had a chance to go see Marley & Me this afternoon. It was so good, but I cried and cried. It was a controlled stream of tears for a while...then came the scene where Owen Wilson carries Marley from their house to the car. I was desperate to think of something funny to prevent me from crying out loud. I really wished they would have left the lights off after the movie so no one could see my face. I wasn't the only one though. It's definitely one for dog lovers, but the story of the growing family is really good, too. I could relate to a lot of things about their story. Bogart got a few extra snacks this evening when we got home!

No broken bones (praise!)

My parents came to visit today, and we took the kids to the skating rink--it was so fun (and no one got hurt)! I wanted to skate, but 1) I didn't think it would be very safe as I'm rapidly approaching my third trimester and 2) I knew I would look ridiculous out there with my big belly and bad balance! Rhett, Jaiden, Micaela and Granddad laced up their skates and had a good time though! I don't think Dad had been on skates since one of my sister's childhood birthday parties, but I guess it's one of those skills like riding a bike! Jaiden's a natural--she's athletic like my sister and knows no fear. Rhett is cautious (note the helmet and pads--his idea), but he's doing great, too. I think after another trip or two to the rink he'll really have the hang of it. He gets bored easily, so I wish we could buy a pass where we could go and skate for 30 minutes and not have to pay full price! After he took his skates off, we walked over to the ice rink to look around. R was excited to find that they'd called everyone off the ice to run the Zamboni machine. Mom and Dad thought it was funny that he knew what a Zamboni was. I think he learned it from Caillou--he never forgets anything. On the way out, R bumped his foot on one of the tables in the snack area and made a big deal out of it saying he couldn't walk on it (he can be a bit dramatic). He wasn't hurt, but he made us laugh so hard when we got back in the car: Dad said, "Well, Rhett that was good exercise wasn't it?" Rhett responded in kind-of a bored voice, "I guess if you call breaking your foot good exercise." I told Dad that R was going to make a great 80-year-old man!

Ready for action:

Alexee & Jeryn didn't skate, so Jeryn brought his calf-rope in for a little practice time.


Alexee got to take make a few laps with Granddad--she LOVED it! We saw a little girl about her size wearing skates--I'll let her try it when I'm not pregnant and can keep up with her a little better! It's difficult enough to chase her around in regular shoes right now!

Observing the ice skaters--we'd like to try that soon, too!
Next fun stop: Cold Stone Creamery! Alexee & Rhett both had kiddie creation strawberry--Rhett's with gummy bears of course, and Alexee's had sprinkles. I tried one of their smoothies, and it was great (hopefully fewer calories than my usual, Cookie Doughn't You Want Some?).

Rhett & Jaiden both cried when it was time for Mom and Dad to leave town. :( We were so glad they came!

Family Christmas Album

Please click here if you would like to view another Christmas album.

Happy New Year!

Welcome 2009!

We had another quiet New Year's Eve here at our house. It looked a lot like last year: sitting on the couch watching a movie and eating popcorn, cheese & fruit. We watched the Kung Fu Panda DVD that Rhett received for Christmas. We'd been out of town for the previous two nights, so we were tired. We fell asleep on the couch around 10:00. L did set his watch alarm to go off 10 minutes before midnight. He slept for about 9 more minutes, and I told him to wake up when the ball was dropping in New York. I remember that being more exciting when I was a kid. Waking up to see Kellie Pickler and Bill & Hillary Clinton in NY last night just didn't quite seem worth it.

I guess I don't really have any official resolutions. However, a few days ago I did make a list of things I want to try to get done before Crosby arrives. Things like finish Alexee's first year scrapbook, paint birthday plates for both the kids, do Shutterfly photo books for both their birthdays, do paintings for C's nursery along with a few paintings orders for other people, etc. I've also promised myself I'd get back to regular exercise and Bible reading...I was doing okay at both back in the fall, then the holiday "rush" hit and I seemed to always have a million other things I was trying to get done. (Not a good excuse, but the truth.) I've felt the effects of neglecting both, and I really hope I can get the year started off right by making these things priorities. Our church has a daily Bible reading journal that I plan to dust off, and I'm also going to follow a daily devotion by my pastor from my hometown church, found here if you'd like to read along.

We spent the day at home today. Rhett and I worked diligently to take down both Christmas trees and all the other decorations. He was great help--he did a good job packing each ornament neatly away in its proper box. Lane grilled steaks tonight and we had our black eyed peas for good luck. We made the kids eat at least two, and I think Lane even made Bogart eat a few. We also had twice-baked potatoes and bread from Fresh Market (we went by there yesterday, along with EVERYONE else in town--it was crazy! I'm surprised there was anything left to buy in the whole store.)

Rhett was really sad to see the decorations come down. I was sad for him, but I'm personally ready to get back into a normal routine and get the house cleaned up--it seems like it's been such a mess during the holiday season (well, it's always a mess, but even more than usual during the month of December).

I wish you all a blessed 2009! It will likely be a big year of change for our family: we look forward to the arrival of our third child in April (or earlier), Lane will move from a classroom setting into a hospital setting this summer--our schedules will all have to adjust to that, Rhett will start kindergarten in the fall (I can barely even type that last part!?)...I trust that God is in control and I ask Him to guide each of us in the year ahead!

Birthday Party Planning

Now that the Christmas rush is over, I'm going to start thinking about Alexee's 2nd birthday (Feb. 2). I had SO much fun planning her 1st birthday bash last year! I found cute (and very inexpensive) invitations at a warehouse sale I went to back in October. They are pink and yellow and have a little fairy wearing a tutu on one side. I was thinking of ordering Alexee a tutu and having a onesie monogrammed with a two or a cupcake or something. I found this one when searching tonight...I think it's very sweet, and I would LOVE to see her in it! The shirt and bloomers below don't match, but I like the idea. Do you have any tutu advice/sources/etc.?

After-Christmas sales & snowmen

I made a quick shopping trip to a couple of my favorite kids' clothing stores today to look for after-Christmas sale items. I did this last year and was pleasantly surprised when I found the clothes in the back of the closet this season. For 2009, I shopped for three coordinating pieces!

I liked these blue snowflake clothes because 1) They can wear them in January, too, because they don't look like Christmas only and 2) I think they'll look so handsome/pretty with R & A's blue eyes and blond hair (I wonder if C will have the same coloring?? I'm sure he'll look cute regardless! I'm thinking he might have Lane's dark hair?) :)
I also found this little SOFT fall out fit for Crosby and a candy-cane jumper for Alexee:
Hopefully L's Mom won't check the blog before we deliver this gift this evening. I painted her a snowman and decided to use "Let it Snow" so she could hang in through January.
And finally, here's my 26 week picture. I kind-of look like a snowman myself! Rhett told me on Christmas Eve that I looked like I was wearing a Santa suit. :) I noticed on the counter on the side of our blog that I have less than 100 days to go now--yeah!