19 Weeks!!

I am 19 weeks today!! 

Only one more week before we find out what we are having (fingers crossed)!!

I am healthy and happy and loving life. I love being pregnant, I LOVE every little kick or movement that I feel, just felt one actually:) Even when I am trying to go to sleep and I feel a kick it puts a smile on my face even though it is dark and nobody sees it. I love knowing our little baby is moving around:)

I think I have really accepted this and am very hopeful that we will have a healthy baby in March. I can tell this because I FINALLY put this announcement on Facebook, now the whole world knows:)

I keep telling Matthew it is going to be a girl because he wants a brother SO bad and is very adamant about NOT having ANOTHER sister.  Of course Allison would like to have a sister but she must be around me too much because she will say, "I don't care what it is, I just want a healthy baby."

New Callings

The last two weeks we have known that Chris was going to be getting a new calling. Chris has been the Young Men's President for over a year and has learned....well, I will just say a lot, to be nice. Anyways, a few weeks ago the seminary teacher ended up in the hospital because he was burning the candle at both end and there was also a flame in the middle. He had big projects for work he was doing so he wasn't going to bed until like 4 or 5AM and then getting up at 6AM for seminary EVERY DAY. He has done this for at least two months and finally his body just said, I need sleep and shut down on him. While he was in the hospital and taking more rest time, they had a few different people sub for him in seminary. Chris was one of those people and taught two days. He is such a talented teacher. I LOVE listening to him give lessons or talks. We kind of joked about him being the seminary teacher but then the Bishop called and said he was on his way over. We were starting to wonder if he would give Chris an option because surely you can't be the seminary teacher and YM President at the same time. Sure enough, that is what happened. Bishop asked which one he would rather have. Without hesitation Chris said seminary teacher and "said" that his scripture study was so much better when he had a reason to be reading them in preparing for a lesson...blah, blah, blah.....oh Chris made it sound so good:) I secretly had to laugh because I know how much he has wanted to be done with the boys, so even though, yes that was all true about doing better scripture study, it was more of a way out of YM. He would rather be the Shepherd then the herder. He does such a great job teaching so they are getting the best side of him when he teaches rather then herding.  His name got submitted to the Stake Presidency and sure enough we got a call from a High Councilman and he wanted to come talk to Chris....thankfully we already knew what it was about. So we knew that change was coming.

Our Relief Society President has been the president for over 5 years. She has done a great job but 5 years is A LOT!! Being the Visiting Teaching Coordinator for the past year and a half I have gotten to know the Relief Society Presidency and that is one of the best things about callings, is that you get to know people so well. I love serving with people because your friendship just skyrockets. When I would go to RS Presidency meeting we would all joke about when Debbie Dalton would be getting released. Last Sunday, I was subbing as Primary chorister and Bishop came and got me.....uh oh... We went outside into the beautiful weather and he asked if I would accept a new calling. Debbie served with Karen Eliason (1st Councilor who is my good friend in the ward), Stacey Leber was 2nd Councilor, and Lori McGhee, secretary.

This week Chris and I both knew that we would be getting our new callings. I am now the Relief Society Secretary. I have actually never been a secretary before, those I enjoy office type work but I am excited to be able to get to know Natalie Kewish, our new Relief Society President and they only called the 1st Councilor, Sara Nelson. I am still wondering who the 2nd Councilor is going to be. I have ideas of what I might be able to do to help out but I am excited to meet with Natalie and see what she has in store for me as well. I am HOPING to get released as Visiting Teaching Coordinator SOON!! I hate being "the nag of the ward". What a terrible name for that calling but unfortunately it fits. I LOVED visiting teaching when I went into this calling and even with the big fire that I had about it, doesn't change if people are going to do it or not. I sort of feel like this calling has ruined the visiting teaching program for me but I do know that I am needed to help out so I will do my job but I was definitely a better VTer in TX. Until I get released though...I get to do both.

Chris said that he thinks that almost every single seminary aged youth came up and told him how excited they are that he is their teacher. One girl was so excited that she asked to give him a hug. (insert ahhhhhh) He will do an awesome job and I wish I got to go to seminary in the mornings now:)

Newly released Relief Society Presidency:

Karen Eliason, Debbie Dalton, Stacey Leber and Lori McGhee

Fall Festival

There was a fall festival at the same place that Allison' had her field trip the just the before so we got to go back the next day. It was cute to listen to Allison tell Matthew everything she learned the day before. I love that they are such great friends and really care about each other most of the time.

They enjoyed going through the hay maze then we went into the petting zoo.

We saw goats, pig, donkey, sheep, ram, billy goat, chicks and a llama.

Then they got to shell the corn cobs.

They stuck their cobs in the hole and turned the wheel and it pulled all the dried kernels off.

This was one of the things I really wanted to do here and show the kids was how to make a candle.

They didn't like having the smoke in their face.

It was set up well to accommodate so many people.

Then they "milked" (or watered) the "cow".

Towards the end the kids wanted to do the crafts. 

They made fall frames, and decorated leaves.

The kids seemed like they had a fun time and they thanked me for taking them so they must have enjoyed it.

It was also a beautiful perfect weather day to be outside.

First Grade Field Trip

On Friday, October 17th, the first graders at Chamberlayne Elementary took a field trip to General Sheppard Crump Museum & Frontier.

They had been learning about the past, present, and future so this is where they were to see the past first hand.

The saddest part about this field trip was that it was the first time that I didn't get to be a chaperone. Apparently they were only allowed two adults for class, even though this is a public place for anyone just to show up......SOOOO I became a random person that just happened to show up the same time as this bus. Thankfully they didn't seem to mind and Allison was SO happy that I was there but I made sure that I stayed back and told Mrs. Johnakin that if I ever needed to not be somewhere to just let me know. I was more sad about not being a chaperone and being on the bus to and from with Allison then I thought I would be. I guess I just figured they would always need a chaperone. Thankfully they didn't kick me "out" and I did get to experience it with Allison.

The kids learned how to play some of the games they played back in the 1700s. This place is a pre-Civil War farm (with animals & outbuildings) set among fields & woods.

This game was called Graces. They have a hoop and two sticks. 

How to play

Graces is played with two people. Each person gets two rods, four in total. Then, one of the players takes a wooden hoop and, pushing apart the two rods, makes the hoop fly in the air for the other player to try and catch it. The winner is the player who catches the hoop ten times first.

Mastering aiming and catching can be very time-consuming. To throw the hoop, one takes the hoop and, with one rod in each hand, places the hoop over both of the rods so as they are inside of the hoop. The player would then let the hoop slide slightly down the rod and cross the rods in an X shape. Ideally, the hoop should be on the lower triangle of the X shape. Then, pulling the rods apart, the hoop will quickly slide up and shoot away from the player, towards the direction aimed for.

The hoop is generally 9 inches (23 cm) in diameter and decorated with different colored ribbons. The ribbon, used to make the hoop softer to catch, is wrapped all around the hoop in alteration with the ends left hanging off so that they will slow the hoop down in the air^. The dowel rods are 15 inches (38 cm) to 2 feet (61 cm) long. Some rods come to a point.

These first graders I don't really think were able to do it very well but they still had fun.

The tour guide also taught them how to play What Time Is It Mr. Wolf?

They had fun playing that.

These city kids sure think seeing all of these animals are much cooler then I think they are having grown up with them.

Here they are waiting to "pet" the hen.

Not quite sure what is up with Allison's facial expression:/

After seeing the chickens they got to get some grain for the sheep and feed them.

Then we went over to the mules and talked about them and what they were used for.

People don't usually know what these things are but I grew up with Mules instead of horses so this is a common sight for me. 

Mules are a mix of a donkey and a horse. They are stronger and tend to be better workers then horses or donkeys.

A fun fact about me, not only did we ride mules a lot but I learned how to drive a team of mules in a wagon. My dad is quite the cowboy so this is what I learned from him. Not all that many people can say they know how to drive a wagon.

I am so glad that I get to be a stay-at-home mom and go to things like this with my kids.

Goodbye Texas Cub Scout

We have lived here for almost two years now. No, I am still not adjusted. I still wish we could move back to Texas. There are great people here but I just like the smaller town feel of Texas and kind of felt more home there. I try to hold on to whatever is Texan.

Anyways, one day Matthew asked if I could please change his State patch and pack number over to Virginia:( I would have rather had him wear the Texas one the rest of his Cub Scout days but since he asked so nicely I went and picked up his Virginia Battlefield Area Council patch and his correct pack numbers:(  I at least had to get one more picture of our Texas patch and pack number before I pulled it off.

I Am Happy!

I am so happy to be pregnant. I think before I have taken pregnancy for granted because that is one thing that women's bodies are suppose to do right? I am amazed how happy being pregnant has made me. I tell Chris at least four times a day how excited/happy I am to be pregnant. Every little kick or movement that I feel just puts a smile on my face. It also makes my children very happy to know when I feel the baby move because it is reassuring to them that it is still alive. I may have ruined them since they know that just because you are pregnant doesn't mean you will have a baby at the end so for all of us that movement inside that I feel is so reassuring every single day. I also find so much more good in my kids and I feel like my love has either grown or resurfaced for them since being pregnant. I had been depressed a lot since moving here but I think a lot of it was because I wanted a baby so badly it clouded many things. We continue hoping and praying that things will go well and that we will actually have a healthy baby in March but until then I am happy with each day and week that passes that I can still feel the baby and things seem to be doing well.

Disney on Ice - Frozen Pictures

When I took my camera back to the car, Allison was again in tears because we wouldn't have any pictures of Disney on Ice so I took my tablet with me. I may or may not have hid it in my coat when we walked in. I am sure that it was fine and legal because everybody has phones that probably take better pictures then what I have but I still didn't even want to chance it. Regular camera were fine but if it had a detachable lens then it was too professional.

These are the few pictures that I got:

Mickey and Minny Mouse!!

It was fun to see them.

Then so many other Disney characters came out like Timon & Pumba, Snow White, Ariel, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Aurora and all of their princes, Nemo, his dad and Dori, Woody and Buzz. I am sure there were others but I can't remember. It seemed all the big major Disney characters were there at the beginning and it was fun for us to see them.

 These were the best pictures we got from my tablet but I guess it is to prove that we were there and hopefully Allison will be able to remember it.

Teacher Gifts

Matthew and Allison had really great teachers last year. I saw some of these cute ideas on pinterest and wanted to make them for the teachers just to show them how appreciated they were to us. I was going to do it for the last day of school but it just didn't happen so after all the school supplies went on sale this fall I gathered up extra and made a few little crafty things for the teachers.

This one was for Mrs. Snider, Allison's Kindergarten teacher.

I wanted to do a C for Ms. Curfman, Matthew's 2nd grade teacher but I knew that she is really serious with her boyfriend and didn't want to make something when her last name might change soon. I found something else that she could change her name on but this one was SO MUCH WORK. I probably won't ever make one of these again.

I was pretty excited to give this to the teachers when school started.

I don't know much about the teachers the kids have this year so I don't know if I will like them quite as much. Allison's teacher was Matthew's teacher for two months so I did know her a bit more and I was happy when we found out she got Mrs. Johnakin.

When we went to meet the teacher night Mrs. Johnakin said to Allison, "On Tuesday when School starts I am going to need lots of hugs because my little girl is going to start Kindergarten and I am not going to be able to be there." This made me start thinking.

I came up with the idea that if we made her something cute to put "Hugs" in then she could have a "Hug" whenever she wanted.

This is what I made:

I was pretty pleased with it, only burnt my fingers twice on this project but Allison was very excited to give it to her and give her a big hug and say, "Mrs. Johnakin, you said you would need lots of hugs today to I brought these for you."

This is the extent of my craftiness:)

Poor Sick Little Girl

I don't even really remember this event. It says that this was taken on August 8 on my tablet but I don't remember all the details of it. 

All I remember is that she was sick and laid around a lot and also slept a lot.

Here she is putting on a happy face.

Poor sweet girl.

It must not have been too bad or lasted too long since neither 

Chris or I really remember much about this.

Jumpology

These pictures are also from my tablet. These were taken back in April when Matthew finished the Book of Mormon, I took the kids there to celebrate a bit and the fact that Chris was out of town for two weeks it gave us something to do.

I had never been to a place like Jumpology, trampolines everywhere and you jump a lot....hence the name.

After about five minutes of watching them, I decided it would be more fun to join them then just watch them for an hour. We had fun together.

Allison's Birthday Fun

I finally plugged my tablet into my computer and pulled off pictures from it. Obviously it doesn't take great or even good pictures but it is sort of better then nothing when I don't have my camera.

This was the day of Allison' birthday, I took her and Matthew to Kangaroo Jac's, a bounce house place. I love how sweet they are together:)