cowboys

Just for fun, I thought I'd share a picture of my three oldest boys. Several months ago, my husband was building display cabinets and other things for a store in Pigeon Forge. The 3 oldest boys were with him one day and the lady that runs the old-time photo wanted to use them as models. Here's one of the pictures:

Oh and they informed me that those are root beer bottles in their hands. :)

Until next time...

JenT

Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving everyone.

What are you thankful for this year?

Me?

I'm thankful for a God that is bigger than my circumstances.

I'm thankful for friends and family that will help when we are in need.

I'm thankful for healthy children.

I'm thankful for a new healthy baby.

I'm thankful for so many things that I couldn't name them all. These are just a few.

So - what are you thankful for?




Until next time...





JenT

BABY! BABY! BABY! BABY! BABY! BABY!

Yes! The baby has finally made an appearance. And what an appearance it was!

He. Is. A. Big. Boy.

I am not joking.

11 lbs 8 oz

23.5 inches long

Yeow.

He was 9 days overdue however.

I feel better. He feels better.

We're both healthy. Pray for a safe and healthy recovery.

BTW: first successful VBAC!

Until next time...

JenT

placemats

Chaotic craftiness

Concentration

Covering up :)


Completed project

My mom had the idea of the kids, well actually all of us, making placemats for Christmas dinner. We used card stock, old Christmas cards, markers, ribbon, glue, and her handy-dandy laminating machine to create "masterpieces".

Everyone got to design their own placemat and when they were finished Ma-maw laminated them. They are now awaiting Christmas dinner.

Does anyone else have craft they will do with their children for Christmas or even Thanksgiving?

What's that? Is the baby here? Don't ask.

Until next time...

JenT

I had to do it...

...even though I didn't want to.

Too many times this boy has been mistaken for a girl. Never mind the fact that we put our girls in dresses and our boys in pants. I loved his hair and while I usually give the boys their first haircut on their first birthday, I just couldn't clip those blond curls. But enough was enough.

So...before...


and after...


I must say he did an excellent job for a 2 year old. He didn't move around AT ALL and it was so easy. He even flushed the hair down the toilet for me. :)


Until next time...

JenT

while I'm waiting

So while I'm waiting the arrival of our latest blessing, I'm trying to catch up on some sewing that I've put off for a while. The girls need some dresses, so I'm working on those. One of my aunts blessed me with a lot of material. Very large pieces that are enough for a couple of the girls to have matching dresses.

Some things I finished...

The little girls needed nightgowns. The pink material was with the material my aunt gave me. I found the blue at Wal-Mart for only $1.50 a yard (another blessing with our financially tight situation).

Some bibs that I have been needing to make for several months now. :)



And some skirts that I'll need after the baby is born.

I also made some skirt and vest combos for the older girls, but I don't have a picture of them. A lady in NM gave me a whole bolt of lightweight denim right before we left. :) So even in the midst of hard times we've been blessed.


Until next time...

nothing yet

My due date is today.

Nothing.

I'm not surprised. None of my babies were born on their due date.

I only have 6.5 hours of this day left. If something is going to happen it has to happen fast.

I'm thinking...

...nothing.



Until next time...

the adventure

(Some of the windmills in west TX, as the sun was rising, on the drive back.)

So I looked back over my posts and noticed that I had not updated you, my readers, on all of our adventures.

You know we had to move from east TN rather suddenly. You knew we went to NM. Well guess where we are now? Georgia. See? Rather an adventure.

We headed out from TN in August. It took us 4 days to get to OK, where most of my family lives, to visit them. We even considered staying there, but then decided to stick with our original plan to go to New Mexico. We're glad we did.

New Mexico is aptly nicknamed "The Land of Enchantment". There is something that pulls you there and even if you leave the state, you've carried something out with you. And no, it's not the sand. lol

But the job situation isn't the best out there (is it anywhere?). We had a great house, met some wonderful people, had fun seeing some of the sites, but the job wasn't going to support us for long.

It was a great 5 week vacation!

Back east we come.

One of the main reasons for coming back was our midwife. I'm a pretty private person when it comes to things like giving birth, and I don't like having to get to know someone new, especially so close to the actual event. Our midwife is great!

Since we obviously couldn't go back to the house we were in, we had to find another place close to our midwife. A long-time friend generously offered to let us stay in his house until the baby is born and for how ever long we need to afterward.

So while we are back east we are not exactly where we were. And who knows where we'll go next!

It has been one great adventure. :)


Until next time...

the waiting game

So we're waiting.

I'm due the 14th. Just 5 days away. But none of my babies have come on their due date and I suspect this one won't either. But who knows...he/she may surprise me.

No, I don't know if it's a boy or girl. Since we do homebirths there is not a required ultra-sound. And I don't mind. It's nice to be surprised. :)

Everything is ready, we're just...waiting.


Until next time...

The Hubbard Museum in Ruidoso, NM

I have more pictures of these statues. They are really awesome. Some of them look like they are floating. Most of them only have the tip of the hoof on the ground. Anyone know how they do this?



Until next time...

I can't think of a title to do this justice

Please pray for the Anderson family. They are friends of ours and just lost their 4 year old son through cancer. He was diagnosed 3 years ago with stage 4 Neuroblastoma. Practically his whole young life was spent in hospitals. They tried every treatment they could find and still it was his time to go.

I can't imagine losing a child; not after birth anyway. I have had two miscarriages at only a few weeks along. Somehow even though it was the death of a child, it is not the same as having four years of loving and being with someone. He was also their youngest.

If you want to read more about his illness and treatment, maybe send a message to the family you can go to his CarePage here. If you don't have an account it's free to make one. His CarePage is SamuelAndersonCarePage (no spaces just like it is), if the link doesn't work.


Until next time...

driving to Las Cruces

Please excuse the poor quality of the pictures. They were taken from a moving van. The mountains in New Mexico are dynamic. They are so rugged, yet they have a beauty that just stays with you. There is a reason NM is called "The Land of Enchantment".



Until next time...

White Sands National Monument, NM

Enjoying White Sands.

Until next time...

hot air balloon festival in NM

We saw a lot of balloons, but didn't get very many good pictures.


Until next time...