Prayer Buddy Reveal!

I felt very blessed to be able to pray for Laura at http://nomoreweightforme.blogspot.com/ this Advent!  It is a gift to be able to pray for others as well as when we are prayed for!

I enjoyed getting to learn about Laura through her blog, and can't wait to continue following her journey of losing weight and praying for her to be able to start a family too!

God bless you Laura! :)

Christmas, Snow and Belly Pics!

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!!  We are so blessed by all of you!

This was the main picture we used for our Christmas card!  (I say "main" because we used 4 pics in our card- I may have to scan it, because it turned out pretty cute!)

And here is the snow we woke up to the morning after Christmas!  So not officially a white Christmas for us, but close enough to make me deliriously happy!

And I forced Rob out into the blizzardy conditions to take a few pics of me and the belly in the snow! ;)  The snowflakes made it a bit difficult to get a clear pic, but you get the idea!  The belly is definitely growing! 

I have an OB appointment tomorrow morning, but we'll see if the roads are passable!  I'm 26 weeks today, so I'm scheduled for the glucose tolerance test tomorrow as well.  And of course, I just can't wait to see how much weight I've gained from all the glorious holiday food I've eaten! LOL!  :) 

My first "Quick Takes" one day late!

 1.  Isabel discovered one of her Christmas presents about 5 days ago.  In DH's office closet.  It is an art easel which he had not covered (!!!) and she went in to look for something, came out and said nothing.  Yesterday she finally comes up to me with a somber face and says, "Mommy, I think I've ruined my Christmas surprise!" and about bursts into tears!  Poor thing!  I told her that since her cousins are coming for Christmas, that the easel may not in fact be for her and even though she accidentally saw it she will just have to wait to check the tag on Christmas morning to see if it is really a present for her!  Bless her heart.

2.  DH is deer hunting.  This is the 3rd or 4th trip to hunt this season and likely the last (since deer hunting ends Dec. 31st), and he has not gotten anything!  There hasn't even been a deer sighting any time he's gone!  It's been very frustrating for all of us.  Surprising fact, but last year he shot 3 deer and we basically ate deer meat (over ground beef) for the entire year...I've learned alot about cooking deer in the last year ;)  Most important in my book of deer meat tips:  don't eat the bucks!  Wayyyy too gamey!

3.  I was just amazed last night at a Cyber Baby Shower I attended for Sew Infertile!  First, she and her baby are gorgeous.  Her family is just the cutest!  TCIE who organized it all is simply amazing for coordinating everything!  It was so fun to see and hear other bloggers whom I read regularly!  I was just overall very impressed!   Who knew a cyber shower could be so much fun??

4.  We're possibly going to get a little bit of snow tonight (a little bit like an inch)...but I LOVE the winter weather, so I will take any I can get!  They had snow showers in the forecast for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, but have now taken them out :(  So bummed.  Really, I'm an inclement weather junkie.  Snow storms, thunderstorms, tornadoes...it all fascinates me!  I never wish for destruction or damage obviously, but I'm just fascinated by how intense weather can be sometimes.

5.  Isabel came down with a fever (102.0) Thursday, the day before we were supposed to go to our first ARCH (Association of Roman Catholic Homeschoolers) activity which was a craft-making fair.  To say I was disappointed was an understatement.  I have not made any Catholic homeschooling friends yet and we are halfway through our first year of homeschooling!  I've got to get on the ball!  And I'm worried that once new baby gets here it will significantly decrease my ability/desire to get out and do more activities like this.

6.  Our cat, Kee Kee is always a pest around Christmas time.  He consistently drinks (all) the water from under our Christmas tree and if we happen to leave a wrapped present under the tree, he unwraps it (or does his best) in the middle of the night.  Oh, not to mention all the ornaments he bats off during the night.  *sigh*  If  Kee Kee is my biggest battle this Christmas, I'm doing pretty good ;)

7.  I'm looking forward to Christmas Eve Mass.  I LOVE it.  I love that the sanctuary is decorated with poinsettias and Christmas trees.  I love the joyful music!  I love that the anticipation of Christ being born is finally ready to be fulfilled!  I love the warmth and love of family (who normally wouldn't attend) going with us to Mass...the way it should be.  I love especially that I am pregnant during Christmas (I'll be almost 26 weeks then)...it makes it more real to think of Mary carrying baby Jesus in her womb.  Although it is rather crazy to realize that I've been pregnant 4 out of the 8 Christmases that DH and I have been married...I'm so excited that this time I feel like I'm at a place where I can truly enjoy and bask in the excitement and wonder of being pregnant with a baby we hope to be able to keep!  Thank you God!

Be still and know that I am here.

I think the Lord has been trying to send me a message through my baby. 

Lately I've been running around here and there....there is so much to be completed before Christmas! 

Christmas shopping.
Ooops, gotta run to the grocery store we are out of milk (actually in our house it's eggnog).
Couldn't find all the Christmas gifts at store A, make a list of more stores to try.
Time for school.
Time for a playdate.
Run to the post office for Christmas stamps.
Wait....did I order the Christmas cards yet?
Where is the order for a Christmas gift that I placed back in mid-November?
Not to mention dirty dishes, laundry, the bathrooms need cleaning again, are we going to finish putting up the Christmas lights on our house?

Wait....have I felt baby move today?.....In the busyness of this time of year, I am moving around so much I haven't noticed if the baby has been moving.  So I stop and am still....and I wait....and yes, baby is moving.

And I realize that with all this rushing around, if I haven't even noticed the baby moving within me, how can I notice the baby who is to be born to us on Christmas day?  Have I taken the time to notice Jesus today? 

Be still and know that I am here.  "Be still and know that I am God"  Psalm 46:10.

The God-child is getting ready to be born.  Will our hearts be still enough to know when He is here?

Holly, Jolly Choices at Shutterfly!

Yes, I use them too!

Shutterfly is offering some terrific Christmas cards in their selection this year!

Classic black and whites with an elegant appeal such as Oh Holy Night featured below:

Or perhaps you want to show off as many pictures as you can fit! 

Picture Tree offers that option!  I love the idea of being able to fit eight pictures into one card!!

One of my favorite features and why I like to use Shutterfly, is that you can sort the Christmas cards by "religious Christmas cards" and that is a key feature for me, because if it doesn't say "Merry Christmas" or have some sort of religious Christmas theme, then you probably won't see it arrive in your mailbox...at least not from our household.  I think it's important to keep the Reason for the season front and center!

I love Wishing You a Christ-filled Christmas shown below:

 Room for four pictures and a beautiful message???  I'm loving it! 

Shutterfly is also offering a promotion for bloggers to create a post like this showcasing some of your favorite Shutterfly cards to be able to receive 50 free Christmas cards, but hurry because this deal is ending soon....like at the end of the week!

Get on over to Shutterfly so you don't miss out on a beautiful Christmas card opportunity!  Already ordered your cards??  Shutterfly has photo calendars, photo mugs (great gift idea for someone!) and holiday invitations as well.  Happy shopping!

Prayer Buddy, I have a request! *UPDATED!*

This sounds silly, but to me it is just devastating...tragic (okay so I'm a little dramatic over this)!

I've lost my Christmas CDs!!!!!!!!!!   

Yes, my entire collection of Christmas cds...the whole case....just gone.

So prayer buddy, if you could ask St. Anthony for his intercession, I would really appreciate it!

I've searched the entire house, the car, the garage....even called work to ask them to search there.

I have had pregnancy brain really bad this go round, but I really have no idea where these cds could be.

Thanks for the prayers!

UPDATED 12/8!!!  Prayer Buddy, you are good!!!  My husband found my cds this morning in our garage.  Not sure how they got there...maybe they slipped out of something, but I really can't believe that's where they were!  Anyway I was SOOOOOOOOOO excited to have them back!  Thanks for the prayers! :)

Hello December!

I went to confession last Saturday to jump-start my Advent and it has really helped to set me out on the right foot and to get my attitude more in line with the season.  My priest basically said the same thing that I've already been told!  "We all have dry times" and "You are being a little too hard on yourself" (in regards to my prayer life seeming to be lacking). 

He recommended that I use "less words" when I pray. 

I don't know what happens in the confessional, but I just start rambling sometimes (maybe trying to over-explain things) and as I was doing this, I could see in his eyes (I go face-to-face) that he was thinking, "Woah there, slowwww down." 

So now that I have a cleansed and renewed heart and soul, I really do feel refreshed and eager to prepare for Jesus! 

My Advent plans include:

*Advent Prayer Buddies:  I'm so happy to be able to pray for my assigned prayer buddy this season! 
*Advent Special Intention:  I'm praying for God to work some special blessings, and know that He alone can move hearts toward His will.
*Advent Prayer Tree:  This is a tradition that I grew up with as a child and have continued it since we have had Isabel.  I take a small Christmas tree and print out names of friends, family and other special people; tie them up with some red ribbon and we pick one scroll off the tree at dinner to pray for as a family.  I love that this teaches Isabel that during Advent we can do little things (like offer our prayers for other people), and that can help prepare our own heart for Jesus' birth!

*Decorating!  Okay so everyone does this, but I LOVE putting out all of our Christmas decor...and playing the Christmas music that goes along with it!  It feels so "right" to have the house decorated for Christmas.  All the work that goes into decorating reminds me that it is so worth the time and effort!  We are decorating for the coming of our Lord and Savior!  What a beautiful thing!  I think we're getting our Christmas tree on Thursday....can't wait!
*Teaching!...My little one that is, about the beauty and wonder of preparing our hearts and waiting with eager hope for Jesus!   Who knew that I would love homeschooling and watching her learn and grow so much??  My lesson plans for the next four weeks all revolve around Advent...I'm super excited about the laminated, traceable seasonal vocab words I made for her today (she is big into tracing her letters and probably loves dry erase markers a little too much). 

I mean, seriously, who wouldn't love to teach her?

I'm looking forward to it all, and hoping that in it all I can draw closer to God and better appreciate the reality of Christ our King, born to us as a little child. 

And for the pregnancy update:  

Here's my 21 1/2 week belly shot. 

I had an OBGYN appointment on the 11/29 and had gained *gasp* 8lbs in the last 4 weeks!  Okay, so that may be shocking to you, and while I was a little surprised it was that much, I wasn't very concerned.... I saw a new doc who was a little shocked and who clearly had no idea how much I gained with Isabel!  LOL!  Overall being up 15lbs from the beginning of my pregnancy is SUPER good in my opinion! ;) 

We are no closer to a name...in fact, it's become more of a game/battle between Rob and I to even discuss names.  So you are still in suspense, as we are! ;)