A Heart of Gratitude

We heard the best message today in church and and I am choosing to have this be my purpose and hearts desire. As I am nearing the end of my pregnancy-the hormones have really exploded and attacked me emotionally and verbally! Even though I am pregnant,I can not blame my whole attitude on my pregnancy. But it does make sense at times why I am so emotional! I can still find deep joy in my toughest times because of the cross and all that God has done for me.
Thanksgiving Day is not a day that we should set aside as the ONLY day to be thankful-we need to be Thankful each day and have a Heart of Gratitude if we are true follower of Christ.

Here are 5 Key notes that I got from today's message:
I have heard the verse "Do not quench the spirt" (I. Thess 5:19)over and over again growing up-but it had real meaning and purpose today for me!

1.When you do not rejoice in your life and are focused on your daily trials-you are "quenching" the spirit.
-When you rely on your own ability and life trials-you are "quenching" the spirit.
-You miss out on what God is doing when you focus on the negative.
2. Do you see the Power of God @ work on trials in your life or do you only see the trial? (I often focus on the trials and forget to "let go and let God be God!")
3. Are you grateful for the blessings that God has provided?
I really need to focus more on this! God has blessed me above and beyond. It is such a blessing that Mike is hard working and has a great job that allows me to stay home with P. On top of all that, my family and extended family are so encouraging, godly and uplifting whenever we are together or chat. Not only have I been blessed with a wonderful, husband, son family and in-law family. But, I have been blessed beyond measure with some very close friends who are much like "sisters" to me! Living away from our families has been hard-but God has given me some friends that have filled that gap and stepped in to be there for me!
4. Do you meet each situation with a positive outlook or a negative outlook? I can honestly say that I am 50/50 on this. I am really trying (especially being a stay at home mom to try and focus on the positive and not look at things so negatively!) I know that every day is not going to be a bowl of cherries-but I can definitely rejoice in the tough times and be grateful for what God has given me and the best job -even though it is by far the hardest-"Parker's mommy and our new baby on the way!"
5.Are you living with an Eternal perspective or an Earthly perspective?
I pray that I can continue to look to the Cross and not get so caught up in the earthly trials that can weigh me down. It really is a joy to be a child of God and know what it really means to have a Heart of Gratitude!
I hope this is encouraging to you too!
As we prepare for the Christmas Holiday-I am choosing to "Rejoice in the Lord always" and be grateful for all he has done for me!"

Happy Thanksgiving!

We are staying here in GA for Thanksgiving. I am down to the last 2 months of my pregnancy and no more travel! So, we are having dinner with our friends that live near by (and moved here from SYR). We actually had Thanksgiving with all of them 2 years ago. It was Parker's first thanksgiving -and he was only 3 months old! Amazing how much he has grown! Here was Parker the last time we stayed home for Thanksgiving, and now look at him!

I am so glad that we are not travelling this week! This past Monday, I came down with the really bad 24 hour stomach bug. I was SO ill-Mike ended up "working" from home to assist me with Parker. Parker actually saw mommy hugging the toilet and "puking" and he kept saying "Your funny-Mommy" and I was saying; "No, Mommy doesn't feel good-Go get daddy!"

We had to call my OB and she put me on Zofran so I could stop puking. I am so glad that it worked. If I couldn't stop then I was going to have to go into Labor and Delivery for IV's! And I was so thankful that Mike realized and just knew that I needed home. Once again-drama in the pregnancy...is it a girl?

Now that the stomach bug is behind me I have been able to get ready for Thanksgiving Dinner. Still have a little appetite, but I am sure Thanksgiving Morning I will have it back. I LOVE to cook-but being that I am 32 weeks pregnant, I can't do it all. So I ordered a Turkey and a few sides from Kroger! That is a huge blessing. All I have to do is the mashed potatoes, an appetizer and I MUST not forget my favorite-Dessert. I just made Turtle Cheesecake and can't wait to eat it tomorrow (or is Sweet Pea that wants it more then me?) Don't worry-I made this a lighter recipe, and used fat free Caramel. But then again Cheesecake really is not one of those "healthy desserts" but for the Holidays I just couldn't resist! Our friends are bringing some sides as well and we are looking forward to the great time.

We hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day.

I am so thankful to God for the Family, friends and health he has given to me. And an extra special blessing this Thansgiving is the anticipation and wonder of meeting our Sweet Pea in about 7 weeks! Can't wait to see if Sweet Pea is a He/She! Between the holidays and the birth of Sweet Pea we have SO much to do.

I am off to go hunt down my table cloth so I can set the table!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Jenn, Mike and Parker :)

30 Weeks Already!

(28 weeks pregnant Posing at Halloween with Samantha and Lorelei)

I can't believe that in 2 months our little Sweet Pea will arrive! This Thursday I will be 31 weeks and I am having a ton of Braxton Hicks. I am carrying this baby so different then I did with Parker and starting to get really uncomfortable as I near the end. Here is the blog entry when I was 29 weeks with Parker and a photo. It's really amazing how different it is this time around. My nights are no longer 8 hours straight. I am now awakened by my FULL bladder every 3 hours. I am really looking forward to having my belly flatter (so I can sleep on my stomach) and a bladder that is good to go for at least 8 hours. LOL Grateful to God that Sweet Pea is growing (even though I may be uncomfortable) and praying that last 8 weeks go smoothly.

I am bad-no recent belly shots of me the past few days, but the one above was taken 2 weeks ago for Halloween.

Please be in prayer for Mike and I to come to a final agreement on Baby Names!

We have pretty much agreed on a girl name and a boy name BUT we are battling the whole middle name thing! He thinks we should skip a middle name for the girl completely and for the boy we need to use Ramsey! ( I disagree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) Yes, you read that correctly! As most of you know my dear husband is~ a CPA and a huge fan of the Financial Advisor "Dave Ramsey! So, I don't think that Ramsey flows with our last name! Why is it so hard to name the second child? Not to mention that it is making it harder for us too-because we don't even know the gender of Sweet Pea! It really is causing major tension and I am gonna win this battle the day I birth this precious child! He laughs every time I say that!

Apart from this baby being officially named we are trying to enjoy the rest of the pregnancy and just being a family of 3. Last Wednesday, Mike and I got out on a date. He had the day off and Parker had school. So, we dropped the boy off and went out to breakfast to my favorite place - IHOP ! I LOVE french toast and loved having quality time with Mike and not debating baby names. We even got a chance to go see a Matinee too! Wish we had it more often, but we are looking forward to our next date out (and we love it when we don't have to pay for Child care) This Saturday, we are headed out to dinner with our small group from Church and looking forward to the fellowship and time with the friends kids free. Thanks Aunt LaLa for taking Parker for us so we can get out!

This past Saturday, Mike sent me off to the Outlets with Samantha and her sister. I really didn't need to go buy for me-but did need a few things for Parker. So, I got home with some great deals and found this little surprise from my boys "just because."So,I have to give him credit. He may be getting on my last nerve with naming Sweet Pea, but he does know how to make me smile!

Update on Parker's health;

Parker was starting to feel better but now is fighting a really bad head cold SO the Cough has returned! We still have that nebulizer out. It has become a decoration in our family room and the visits are becoming more frequent again! LOL ~We are still trying to get him to get a full dose of his new medicine Singular. So far , I think he is only getting 1/2 the dose, since it has to be sprinkled in food. Well-we may be forcing it in him or having to switch to the pills. This is a tough age since he is so picky with his food! I remind myself daily that "The Lord doesn't give us more then we can handle" and I am really praying that Sweet Pea takes after Daddy and not Mommy and Parker with Asthma and Allergies!

And last but not least...gotta post this ADORABLE photo of Parker and his friends!

Last Friday, we had play day at my house (with some of my MOPs friends). The day was beautiful for November as you can see -Hence why we love "Shirtless Fall Days!"

Sweet Pea Update & Fall Sweet Treats

Today I had my 28 week check up at my OB. (*Thank you Liz & Kayleigh for letting Parker come over and play so I could go to my appointment alone.) Sweet Pea is doing well and such a kicker in some of the most awkward places. Baby really likes to stick out (maybe an elbow? ) under my right rib all the time. Sweet Pea's heart is healthy and beating 150 bpm (for inquiring minds). AND NO weight gain for preggo mama in the past 4 weeks! It sure was tempting last weekend to give in to all those Peanut M& M's from Parker's Halloween Candy-but I really resisted the urge most of the week! I've maintained 24 lbs and praying not to go past my 28 lb pregnancy record! (Haha-with this sweet tooth we will see?)

I have another upcoming Ultra-sound on 11/30 to check on my placenta. Praying that it has moved in the right direction and will allow for another vaginal birth, but obviously God is in control and may have other plans for Sweet Pea's arrival. I'm so grateful each time I go in and hear that all is well! The miracle of life in amazing and there is not a day that goes by where I do not praise God for this pregnancy even though it has been more "dramatic" at times!

I also had the "LOVELY" Glucose test and no wonder I am not a fan of Orange Soda!....I really forgot how much I hated it after the test with Parker 2 & 1/2 years ago! This time it really made me want to puke-but I held in the urge. Praying that there is NO phone call this coming Tuesday saying that I failed. As much as I love my sweets I have tried to balance it out!

So, now that I have been a really good girl the past 2 weeks, here is what's cooking up in my kitchen! I LOVE the Fall and had to make this today: Pumpkin Roll

And for my boys (or more for my munchy cravings....)
Chex Mix Peanut Butter Muddy Buddies

I have been craving this for 1 week!!! So excited to munch on it tonight with my boys! I apologize for any sudden cravings that I pass onto to you blog readers. But-these are some of the yummiest treats for the fall that I just couldn't resist sharing!

:)

Trick or Treat '09

Here is our Raggedy Andy! (We had a special wig-but of course he didn't want anything to do with it-so happy his "red hair" came in great use for the costume!)LOL

He was a a perfect Raggedy Andy with a sports theme going most of the night.

He carried around a tennis ball to the houses we visited.

Unfortunately, Parker was coming down with a bad cold and his Asthma was beginning to flare up. Not to mention that we also had had unwelcoming rain. But,we didn't let either one stop us from taking P out for a little bit to get the hang of "Trick or Treating."

We met up with his match Raggedy Ann (aka-Marlee) at Uncle Rick and Aunt Lala's house.

It was a blast for them as they got first dibs on all of Aunt Lala's BIG candy bars!

Then we went to a few houses in Marlee's cousins neighborhood.

They sure got the hang of it as we got to the last few houses.

Following the trick or treating-we had some chili with some friends and watched the Yankees beat the Phillie's!!! Yippee! It was a fun memorable night! Special thanks to Marlee's Grandma for making the costumes just for Her and Parker!

Please keep Parker in your prayers-he is having a rough time with his asthma. We just got back from the Pediatrician. We are trying a new prescription on top of the new recomendation of 6 breathing treatments a day! Maybe the prayer is more for me/us ~( I will be battling a strong willed red-head to do 4 of the 6 treatments when daddy is not around.)

Praying that the new prescription and treatments work and he doesn't get worse!

Definitely a full time job being a stay at home mom with a Asthma child-but grateful to have Parker in our lives and wouldn't trade him in the world for anyone! :)

Shoe Deal of the Year...Thanks to Oprah and Payless!

I had an Alexander (Horrible, NoGood, Very Bad day)-yesterday! I was really down and then discovered that my steroid I am currently taken for my asthma flarring up- is the main reason for it! So, I am grateful that I do not have to take it every day. So, I didn't need to take it last night and had a very productive day today! :)

My day ended on a very happy note. Simple things really make this pregnant~ stay at home mama happy and shoes REALLY make me happy!
I was watching Oprah today and at the end of the show-they announced that for the next 24 hours, you can get 50%off your total purchase at Payless .

I thought it had to have a catch! Funny thing was-, I was just "crying" the other day to Mike that I don't have black boots anymore and my feet have grown~ (obviously with the pregnancy). I desperately needed some good ol' black flats! I went to Oprah's website, printed the coupon and tested the sale tonight! One important little detail- I only had 30 minutes to shop!

Mike got home at 6:30 and I needed to be back by 7:15. (He had a softball game at 8 tonight). Well, I was focused and had a list of what I needed the minute I entered the store.

Here is how I did....(and the total for each shoe item(s) is after my 50%)

4 Pairs of flat ballets =$32.00

(2 favorites that I had to get -I LOVE Purple!)

2 Pairs of boots (1 short pair and 1 knee length pair) =$30.00

2 Pair of shoes for Parker=$16.50

2 pairs of socks= $2.50

1 set of (3 pair of earrings)=$2.00

All came to $87.00 (and that was with the tax)

My receipt came to $165.93 ~BUT after the 50% off coupon I saved $83.00!

So, I got all of the above for $87.94 in 25 minutes!

The ladies in the store were impressed to see a pregnant girl shop that fast!

Check out the Payless near you to save 50% if you read this post before 9PM on Friday, 10/30!

Thanks Payless and Oprah for making a pregnant mommy very happy!

Happy Shoe Girl,

Jenn :)

27 Weeks & Pumpkin Patch Fun

(My current view looking down at 27 weeks)

So, I promised that I would post some belly photos more frequently-so here is a recent photo from when I was in Vegas.
(At 26 & 1/2 weeks) and yes-that is Jerry Springer posing with my sister, Joy and me; he was promoting "America's Got Talent" outside our hotel)

I am so happy that we are 1 week shy of entering the 3rd trimester. I'm Really looking forward to January's arrival-yet that means we have to get through the hustle and bustle of the holiday seasons! As January nears I have my moments of "we will soon be parents of 2 kids!" AHHHH! But God does not give us more then we can handle!

I feel we have been so spoiled with a happy content baby boy from the start~ He does give us our moments now that he is officially 2, but I still feel like our world is about to end once Sweet Pea arrives. I am trying not to dwell on that pessimistic thought . (...Thoughts of a colic baby, a child that does not sleep or much worse). Just trying to enjoy the remaining 86 days (or less) left as a family of just 3. (I was a handful from the start-so I know my payback is nearing! LOL) .

I ended up at the OB on Friday, for a different check-up. My Asthma is flaring up with this pregnancy. It was almost NON existent when I was pregnant with Parker. My OB said Asthma goes one of 2 ways -worse or better...and mine has gone worse in this pregnancy. So, I got put on an oral steroid *(and I am only taking it as needed). That first night I took the medicine it gave me some funky dreams! I am feeling MUCH-MUCH better and so grateful for the outstanding care of my OB. She actually apologized to me that it was not charted at all that I was asthmatic. That was her main reason for rushing me in on Friday! She was concerned and confused. I called wanting to know if I could have a few doses of my inhaler! Glad that is all charted now and praying that we do not have issues come delivery day. I'm very happy to report that Sweet Pea is doing just fine and oh so ACTIVE! I go back on November 6th for the not so fun, Gestational Diabetes Test!

This past weekend we went to a Pumpkin Patch with some friends! We had a blast and loved watching all the kids interact. Of course our main purpose was for the kids pleasure-but we found our selves enjoying the corn maizes, and the hay rides too!



(Our Goofy Family)

Parker is going to be "Raggedy Andy" for Halloween and his good friend, Marlee, will be "Raggedy Ann!" Can't wait to post the photos after. We will see how long Parker's wig lasts-at least he has that part of the costume already on his head if he chooses not to wear it! LOL :)