fall la la la la.

I'm so in holiday mode.

I admit, I have listened to Christmas music on more than one occasion already.

I encourage ella to choose a christmas movie for us to watch.

I am just so eager to start baking and wrapping and getting a tree and decorating!

it makes me so giddy just thinking about it.

I am trying to put the breaks on a bit and make myself enjoy the prelude to Christmas.

Fall crafting has helped.

Ella is really interested in Halloween this year, so that is fun.

I really wanted her to be Madeline, she loves the books & show and I just thought it would be adorable! But, a 2 year old has her own, very determined, say and what kind of parent would I be to force her to do what I want... hehe.

Isn't it crazy that October is nearing it's midpoint already.

And then it will be November, and then our little dude will be here!!!!

this is quite an exciting time of year at our house

=)

see you in 8 weeks, or so.

question of the week: "so, anytime now huh?"

really?! Not quite.

change your actions, change your thoughts.

this morning I was thinking of a lot of things I'd like to change about my mental processes. You know how sometimes your initial reaction to something just makes you say, "why would I think that?!" [or maybe it's just me]

I can be really hard on myself at times for things like that, but this morning I had this epiphany moment. I remembered something I had heard on one of the many radio programs I often listen to [can't recall which]. The message was basically this;

you cannot control your thoughts all the time but you can control your actions. if your impulse is to act a certain way, or say a certain thing and you know it is wrong then simply don't do it. if you do it and later feel bad about it, take a minute to reflect on what your desired action should be. After a while your change in behaviors will result in a change of the way you think.

genius, right!

I'm pretty sure they were referring to gossip, but really you can apply that logic to so many different areas of life. I guess it sorta goes hand in hand with that famous quote, "be the change you wish to see." And, the words from that classic primary song "I will go, I will do" also come to mind.

I know this is such a basic principal in psychology too, but some how it just clicked on a more personal level for me this morning.

I just need to stop letting my imperfections get me down

and strive to be better through my actions, everyday.

this week in my life.

I finally recovered (about 95%) from my wisdom teeth disablement.

dentist suspected an infection, though no way to be sure because without x-rays there isn't much they can really do. I took antibiotics and the difference is amazing! I can actually function again! Only problem now is I've seemed to have lost my incredible motivation, [big sigh].

I was seriously on such a roll and now, blah! I have to give myself pep talks to do every little task.

come back motivation, come back!

where is September by the way? it looks like half of it disappeared already. man oh man.

October is gonna be even busier for us.

i really need to get some halloween/fall decor going; I knew I should have bought that big ol bag of halloween candy at the store ;)

okay, okay. I must get up now and clean, I simply must!

the little things.

making dinner usually sounds a little like this;

"ella, please get out of the kitchen"..."devon, can you please get her out of the kitchen?"

repeat, repeat, repeat until dinner is ready.

last night Devon was helping me chop pizza toppings, because my wisdom teeth are coming in and every task takes me 4 times as long [ugh!]. So, ella could not, or should I say would not, be left out.

No dangerous raw ingredients to keep her out of.

No hot stove top.

No pressing time restrictions.

okay ella, you can help!

She got up on a chair and helped us put all the toppings on the pizzas, and she loved it. She was so happy and proud and I couldn't help but step back and remind myself that it's these little moments [the three of us in the kitchen] that matter the most. These are the visions of little girl day dreams that make you want to grow up and have your own little family.

funny how something so simple can just put everything into perspective so quickly.

summer is melting away.

i love summer time because...

it's warm and beach days can happen at any moment.

it stays lighter longer so we can enjoy the afternoon's together when devon gets home from work.

it always smells like someone is bbqing.

there is usually a festival going on somewhere.

it's usually just sunny and happy.

We've had a really great summer, there are just two little things left on our check list of "things to do this summer"... and those plans are in the works.

but,

I'm getting so excited for the holidays.

just one hundred and six little days left till Christmas!

25 and 26

week 25:

week 26:

the new: I am definitely gaining weight now. I know it's normal and I'm completely in a good range but I doubt I will ever be okay seeing the numbers on the scale go up. Seriously, are there really people who can be totally fine with it??? I know I'm healthy it's always just like, eeek! I probably should stop looking.

It's been a little hot here this past week and so I've been getting a little swollen. I never got swollen with Ella, but I'm thinking that's because by this point in my pregnancy with her it was already cold out. I usually swell in the heat normally. Hopefully it won't last.

the joys: this guy keeps me aware that he is there. I love it! His kicks and jabs always make me smile, and I become so anxious to meet him. Ella always comes up to me and asks if she can say hi to baby brother. She always wants to "open him" ( lift my shirt up) first and then hug him and kiss him and talk to him. She sometimes sees things she wants to show him, or finds things she wants to give him. She will hold toys up to my belly and tell me baby brother wants to play with it. Let's hope she is this loving and caring with him when he arrives!

I feel really lucky that I have an easy time being pregnant. It seems like so many women have nothing but complaints, or they are just so miserable. I feel really good!

the funny: when people find out I'm having a boy they usually say something like "oh good! now you're done!" it always catches me off guard, and I never know how to respond to that. I just end up laughing, why is that so funny to me? who knows.