Craft Night!

 I saw this darling "Count Your Blessings" board one day as I wasted time was browsing the internet, and I just HAD to do it!

Isn't that the cutest?
So first thing is first, I needed the wood. I waddled (you know, the way pregnant women walk) into my all-time favorite lumber wood store and proceeded to tell the gentleman what I needed.
I had written down the measurements for the size of the bead-board and the sizes for the hard-board.
Well because they can't just sell me small pieces of wood, I had to buy a WHOLE SHEET of each wood I needed.
I walked away with 16 pieces of bead-board and over 64 pieces of hard-board all cut to my desired size.
As my husband and I loaded all these pieces into my car, an older gentleman looked at me, thought to himself, "what in the world is this little pregnant lady doing with all this wood!" and asked me what I was doing with all this wood.
I answered and said, "I'm going to have a craft night!"
And that is exactly what I did!

I had two actually. I had a handful of ladies on one night and 10 ladies the next night.
I had a table displaying everything you would need for the craft. 

 A variety of scrapbook paper and paints!

My sweet husband is so supportive in so many ways and these craft nights were no different. He didn't ask why I wanted to have these craft nights, he didn't tell me no, "it's a waste of money and time". He simply listened to what I wanted to do, and helped me along the way. He went out and rented tables and chairs, moved the entire living room, went to the store and bought me stuff so I could make goodies and told me he was proud of me. If he doesn't deserve the "Best Husband Award", I don't know who does!

 The first group of ladies, hard at work. :)

I had 16 spots (that's all the wood that I was able to get from the sheet) and each spot was taken! The ladies had such a wonderful time and I did too!  I was glad to see the ladies crafting away in my home, I enjoyed the company and fellowship and most of all, all the "thank you's" that came by way for hosting the craft night. Hosting something is tiring but 2x more rewarding.
I think I just might do it again! Maybe something for Valentines Day...

Family Pictures and the Baby Bump

My sweet friend, Vikki Ceja, you can see her page here, took our Christmas/Family photos. She also took some of my ever-protruding belly! I am 6 months now! Time is flying by!! :)
She did such a great job, I had to share them with you all! :)

26 weeks of the ABC's

My sweet Brooklynn is going to be 2 on the 19th of this month, she is also going to be a big sister! whoo hoo!
So we have goals...big goals before the new baby comes. And they are:
1. Be completely potty-trained (so she can wear her "Dooor-a" panties)
2. Learn each letter of the alphabet and it's sound.

Goal #1 is always being worked on. Potty training is  a slow process. It takes patience and bribes, but we gotta get it done!

Goal #2 just started last week. One letter; one week. Hence, "26 weeks of the ABC's"
Each Monday, she'll learn a new letter, the sound, the "sign" in sign language and a picture of an item that starts with that particular letter.
We make the letter out of construction paper, she glues them on, writes all over it and we put it on our fridge.
Everyday throughout the week, I'll ask her to tell me what the letter is (by pointing to the picture), ask her for the sound, the sign and the picture. And each week is devoted to that particular letter.
When we started with "A", she had a hard time simply saying "A" but since I devoted a whole week to the letter "A" by day 5, she knew how to say it, the sound, when I "signed" it, and different words that start with "A"

Just this past Monday, we created the letter B. I'm telling you, this one was easy for her! Ball is her favorite toy and I told her, her name started with the letter B.

 You can't really tell in the picture, but we have the letter A behind the letter B so when we go over the new letter, she has to tell me the previous letter she learned.
It's true what they say about kids being like sponges! It is so neat to see your child learning and wanting to learn.
24 more weeks to go and ironically, I have 24 more weeks left of this pregnancy. Right on time!
So hopefully, by the end of these 26 weeks, Brooklynn will know every letter in the alphabet, it's sound, the sign and different items for each letter. So exciting!

P.s. This is a typical look at Brooklynn when we are going somewhere. She has to drag with her, her balls, dogs and little stuffed animal. Somethimes she wants to take all these things with her INSIDE the place we're going to. Gotta love it.

2 lines?? Yes! 2 lines!!

After 8 long, "trying" months and multiple negative pregnancy tests...

I saw this on a sunny and bright Friday morning. 

 It was my own little secret until Friday afternoon when I came back from VBS to tell Mike. 

I did whisper, "mommy is going to have a baby" in Brooklynn's ear when I kissed her goodbye in the morning, but I knew she could keep the secret. {smile}

I had to take another one on Saturday morning just to "confirm" it (quoted by my husband).

Baby number 2 is on it's way, nice and comfy in her/his home for the next 7 1/2 months!

Mike and I have been trying for a baby since December of last year. 

I had my "whole plan" figured out!

I'll get pregnant early January, the baby will be born in October (the same as Brooklynn's) the baby will be a girl, they'll be about 2 years apart, we'll throw birthday parties together, they'll be best friends... and so on and so on.

Well, obviously that didn't happen! The next month came and I said to myself ok, that's ok, they'll just be 25 months apart... I think that'll be good.

Failed again.

Then I started to get really down. Aunt Flow came every month and I started to queston God why?

I know there are many women who have been trying to conceive longer than me, but God, don't you remember {my} plan?? my future {I} wanted?? 

Well, that just about did it! I was convicted! Of course! That was why I wasn't getting pregnant! Because it was all apart of MY big 'ol plan! 

Did I ever ask if it was in God's plan and His will? nope.

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD." Isaiah 55:8

I sunk to my knees and prayed let your will be done. 

And well, here I am today, wanting to shout to you that I AM PREGNANT!

What a blessing it is, to actually experience the grace of God, and experience an answered prayer. All because of a faithful and repentive heart. 

Because this was such great and exciting news, we had to act quick to surprise my mom and dad! I wanted to surprise them with a framed picture of Brooklynn showing she was going to be a big sister.

I sewed my little heart out as I made a skirt and a "big sis" shirt for Brooklynn.

I had my friend, Vikki, [check out her FB page HERE] take pictures of us and with Brooklynn showcasing her new outfit.

The came out great!

I liked them all so much, we framed 4 pictures for them! .

My parents couldn't have been more thrilled. It took my mom a couple seconds to register the "big sis" wording on Brooklynn's shirt, but it was all worth it when I was showered with hugs and the tears that filled our eyes. 

Thank you Jesus for this little blessing of joy. Good comes to those who wait on the LORD.

Smiles, Tears and Congratulations

My {TWIN} got engaged!! 

I'm about 2 weeks late with this blog post... but at least I'm blogging about it right??

Ryan (her now fiance)

had it aaalll planned out and I was apart of it!

It all started like this:

 ------Please note, this conversation is paraphrased, and a little dramatization is involved.-------

Ryan: Kriss, I'm going to ask Kim to be my wife next Sunday at the Block in Orange, can you ask her if she wants to go to the Block with you, like a "twin day"

Me: What! Omg yes!

Me: {ring ring}Kimie, what are you and Ryan doing next Sunday? Mikey and I want to go down to The Block and have dinner and shop, you guys in?

Kimie: Heck yes! I'll ask Ry what he's doing that day.

----Of course, Ryan told her he had to work, but encouraged her to still go with me.

She told me she was coming but Ryan was not. I had to ask all the questions on why he wasn't coming and of course acted sympathetic. (she was sad about it) {oh please! Get over it!}

Sunday came, all the preparations were being made. 

Kim was in a --weird-- mood (I knew she wanted Ryan to come with us to the mall) gag! get over it! Juuuust kidding!

Little did she know, Ryan was going to be there... waiting... with a ring and some roses.

I took her on a scavenger hunt all throughout the mall. 

We stopped at designated stores (all thought of by Ryan) and we had different family members there waiting to hand her a rose and a "love quote". 

Kimberly basically had paparazzi (a hired photographer and videographer)

and a posse (all of her friends and family following her to the next stop)  

I had to throw this picture in. Ryan, hoping everything is going as planned.

 As the "scavenger hunt" was coming to an end, we still had one more stop to go to before the LAST stop. 

Both my parents and Ryan's parents were waiting to hand Kimie the last of the roses and love quotes.

Our last stop was Lucky Strike.

We walked in

and right on cue, a DVD of the both of them played on the big screen. (awwwww)

She stood there nervously. With tears down her face... waiting... anticipating.

And then he came out. (no picture - shucks!)

Got down on one knee, mumbled some words only Kimie heard and asked her to be his wife.

What do you think she said?

I'm assuming yes. We really couldn't hear. haha

SHE SAID YES, SHE SAID YES!

Ryan had invited friends and family to join in on the celebration.

Ryan's cousin and sister.

Kimberly and Anna

Ryan and Kimberly's Families

 Ryan's family

 Our family. whoop whoop

Soon to be Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Tillman

All in all, it was a night of smiles, tears and congratulations!

Oh ya, and some bowling! 

Twinie, Twin, Twin, I love you and couldn't be more happier for you! You deserve the world and more.