Lemonade Anyone???

Today Baby Russell is the size of a lemon.

We have so many friends going through trying times right now please remember these requests in your prayers tonight. This weekend Paul and I found out that a friend we went to high school with has breast cancer. We have friends that are at all different stages of the baby process. Also, a lady from church who works for the sheriffs department was hit by a car on Sunday and is in the hospital with a broken leg. So terrible! To make it worse she has a toddler! Please remember this family, also.
Have a blessed rest of the week!

It's only fitting for this blog post, when life gives you lemons make lemonade!

Kim

Doin' the Charleston to 14 weeks

Tomorrow we will be 14 weeks prego with Baby Russell. Only 4 more weeks before we find out if baby Russell is a little boy or girl??? This weekend we went to Charleston for a little R&R, sight-seeing, and shopping. Friday we drove down and got there in time for me to crash. After teaching all day, then riding 5 hours, I was pooped! Saturday morning we got up early and went to Patriots Point where there is a submarine and aircraft carrier (USS Yorktown) to tour. We did ALOT of walking, I'm glad we went to the submarine now, because I'm not sure I could comfortably get through there in a few more months. LOL! Saturday afternoon we went to the market and then the outlets! We had dinner at cute little quiet restaurant, so romantic!
On Sunday we did the aquarium and then a carriage tour. Today we did a little more shopping then headed home! Great trip, we had a blast! It's so wonderful to have some quiet time to remember how blessed we are to have each other!

Baby Russell is OTW!!

We are soooo excited and proud to finally announce that Baby Russell is on the way and due July 19, 2011. We got to hear the precious heartbeat today and find out the sex of the baby on February 14, Valentine's Day! Can't wait!


Keep us in your thoughts and prayers, as well as many of our friends who at different stages of the baby process!
Kim

7 weeks: A little late

Hubby had a great suggestion that has been tugging at me for a couple days now and finally, I’m giving in. His suggestion was to go ahead and start blogging about this pregnancy even though we are keeping it a secret for now. I can now post all my early prego blogs, since the cats out of the bag.
So, I will start from the beginning. During the beginning of 2010, Paul and I starting talking about starting a family. We had our 4th anniversary in May, went on 2 cruises, went to Europe, and put our house on the market. Also during this school year I was doing National Boards. We prayed about it and decided we were ready to ‘talk about it’. So some time in Spring 2010 we decided. We also decide to keep it a secret from family, friends, EVERYONE! If any of you know me you know how hard this was for me! I didn’t even tell my Mom! One of the hardest things I’ve ever done in my life. But, we did it!
On Nov. 7, I took a test, there was a slight positive, if you stood on one foot under the light and squinted your eyes just a bit. Needless to say we weren’t really convinced. That was Sunday and Paul and I decided we would take another test on Wednesday morning. Tuesday night I couldn’t take it anymore, so I took a test and once again slight positive. Another test on Wednesday morning gave us a more definite line and an answer that YES we were going to have a baby!!! We were thrilled, but I was sooooo ready to TELL someone! So Wednesday night we went over to Paul’s parents and told them the big news, then drove to the river, and told my parents. We took videos of both, but they aren’t very exciting, my Mom even guessed, she is a NUT!
Today is Nov. 27, this Tuesday I will be 7 weeks. It really hasn’t even sunk in yet that this is really happening. Paul says he has gotten used to the idea of being a Dad, but I’m really not sure it will be real to me until I start showing or maybe even till I see his/her little face. Or maybe it will sink in when we tell more people and I feel more pregnant. Getting to that… I really haven’t felt that pregnant, maybe that is coming! I have felt tired and had a little nausea just a couple times, but nothing unbearable! I told Paul today, I think it is easier to deal with knowing what is causing it.

Christmas Q & A

A Christmas Q&A
1. Wrapping Paper of Gift Bags?
A little of both, depending on the shape of the gift!

2. Real Tree or Artificial?
We have an artificial tree, but this year with everything going on with trying to sell the house we didn’t put one up. Call me a slacker, go ahead! I can take it!

3. When do you put the tree up?
Usually sometime around Thanksgiving break.

4. When do you take the tree down?
A few days after Christmas, IF there was one up, LOL!

5. Do you like Eggnog?
YES

6. Favorite gift as a child?
My purple unicorn bedspread and curtains, I went outside to play with my Dad and Will and when I came back in my Mom had the whole thing set up in my room! I was elated!

7. Hardest person to buy for?
Paul’s Dad

8. Easiest Person to buy for?
My Mom

9. Do you have a Nativity Scene?
Yes and it stays up year-round

10. Mail or Email Christmas Cards?
Mail, but this year I didn’t do those either!

11. Worst Christmas Gift you have ever received?
I don’t know! Is there such thing???

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
Anything on the Hallmark channel
13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Year-round

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas Gift?
Never, lol!

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
IDK, everything??

16. Lights on the tree? Colored or White?
White

17. Favorite Christmas Song?
Away in a Manger

18. Travel at Christmas or Stay Home?
All our families are around here, so we go to Washington and Kinston only.

19. Can you name all of Santa's Reindeer?
Uh, no

20. Angel, Bow, or Star on the top of your tree?
Bow, IF I had put one up this year! LOL!

21. Open the presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Morning?
My family on Christmas Eve, Paul’s family Christmas Morning

22. Your favorite Ornament?
Our first Christmas together 2006

NCCAT

NCCAT: North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching
This is where I have been this past weekend. I drove to Cullowhee all by myself in my new car for this Friday through Tuesday workshop on National Boards. YAY me! NCCAT is WONDERFUL! Great food, comfortable lodging, great views, and they treat you sooooo well!! Also I had some great workshops on writing my National Board portfolio entries. I worked with eight other people who are trying to get the same National Board Certificate as me! They were all so wonderful, helpful, supportive, and going through the exact same thing! Back to work tomorrow= YUCK! BUT I only have 3 days of work then 2-weeks OFF for Christmas!! YAY!



Prayer Request: Remember my friend from high school, Victoria, her due date for little Addie was today, but she has still not arrived!!! Can't wait to see her little face and hopefully her RED hair!

Kim

New Ride!

Paul and I went yesterday and said good-bye to the Camaro. I really loved that car, it drove GREAT, looked GREAT, and I liked it all around. All except for one thing, SPACE! We went to a party last night and my friend Christy said, "I think this means you are going to have a baby!". My response: Yes, we are going to have a baby, maybe 2, ONE DAY! LOL! Until then we will still enjoy the extra space, especially Abby. Bless her little heart she was so cramped up in the back of the Camaro. So Paul and I are the new owners of an Equinox!