The blog is full.

I've had a few posts I've wanted to put up but its telling me the blog is full. So until I can figure out how to get more space there won't be any posts. But if you know how to fix this please let me know!
It might be time to print the last 4 years off of the blog and print it!

Words.

I don't know if Levi and I are having conversations yet. But we sure exchange some funny words with each other. He's so funny and witty. Here's some things we've heard lately.

Levi's prayers:

thank you for big muscles ( we bribe him to eat saying it makes his muscles big )
thank you mommy happy
thank you cookie store ( what he calls walmart )
bless papa no puke and drink apple juice ( my dad had the flu and Levi was quite concerned about him not drinking enough apple juice )
thank you Zurg ( off of toy story )
thank you cold water


"bowie my brother?" no, bud she's a girl. she's your sister. "no mom, bowie a kitty cat!"

"daddy go dedi house, dedi go to school. dedi go city bus, daddy go dedi house" - this is a daily occurrence explaining why he can't go to school yet. He's always trying to say daddy stay home and Levi go to school.

Just wait. . .

     My friend posted this story on her blog. I wanted to share it.

 

   - As I wait at Target, a young couple pushes a stroller in the line behind me. The stroller, brand new, appears to be on its maiden voyage. I peer at the tiny sleeping newborn, his fingers curled up near his ruddy face.

“You guys do good work!” I comment. The parents beam with pride, but the weariness in their eyes lets me know that they are all still in the process of getting to know each other. The lady behind the couple glances at the stroller as well, and asks. “Is this your first?” They nod proudly.  ”Just wait…” she snorts, and then follows with a comment about unruly teenagers.

Inwardly, I wince. We seem to live in a country overrun by a great lot of negative naysayers when it comes to parenting. I remember hearing comments like that when I was a new (and overwhelmed!) mom.  It seemed that many parents were suffering from a chronic case of disappointment and dissatisfaction called ”Just-Wait-itis,” characterized by the inflammation of impending doom in parenthood…. I felt trapped in a swirl of know-it-alls who were warning me that the worst was yet to come.

Of course, now that my kids are teenagers, I know the truth. Parenting is complicated; it’s wonderful and challenging; exhausting and gut wrenching; heartwarming and heart breaking.

And, at the outset, parenting can be utterly daunting. It just doesn’t help when others douse young parents with stories leading to doubt and despair.

Instead, we seasoned moms could infuse joy into our “just waits…”. As I regard this weary pair, I think of so many things I could say…

Just wait until your preschool son sees you in the hallway at pick up time and covertly grins and waves to you. (It’s the best flirting in the world.)

Just wait until you watch your kindergartener jump off the bus after that first day, triumphant and tired, melting into your arms.

Just wait until your son is up to bat, and strikes out, holding it together despite disappointment. And just wait until the crack of the bat meeting the ball surprises him and he races to first base…safe.

Just wait until your daughter stands up for a classmate who is struggling, and her peers, humbled, apologize.

Just wait until your child, painfully tethered to tubes and machines in the hospital, whispers, “I just want my mommy.” (And you are suddenly aware that your presence is more powerful than any prescription.)

Just wait until your son gets his very first summer job and he is, unmistakably, walking taller and more confidently as a result.

Just wait until your child’s quick sense of humor makes you double over with laughter.

Just wait until you hear your son invite a friend to church.

Just wait until your daughter receives her first college acceptance and you find yourself overcome with tears…not because she’s leaving, but because she’s ready.

The baby in the stroller whimpers, breaking my reverie.

I smile at the couple and look them straight in the eye.

“You have so much joy ahead of you…” I remark.

“Just wait.”

 

     I truly believe that parenting just gets better and better. Nothing bothers me more or makes me more sad then someone saying "haha just you wait" or " you think you're getting no sleep now, just wait". I'm not perfect by any means but I honestly try to be positive in parenting, and not give it a negative cogitation. Because really parenting brings me so much joy and I can't wait for each stage with Levi. I can't wait to hold our next baby and get to do it all over again. 

We truly do have so much joy ahead of us. . .

Another boy, but an opposite pregnancy

I convinced myself we were having a girl this time. Everything has been completely opposite. We were lucky enough to find out right at our ultrasound that its another BOY! We are so excited for Levi to have a little brother!

I documented Levi's pregnancy so well and I feel like I'm falling behind because this pregnancy has been flying by!

I'm now 22 weeks along and had a check up this morning. The Dr was concerned today because my blood pressure was quiet low, its slowly been going down at each appointment. So now we have a follow up appointment that will determine if another Ultrasound is needed. I have dizzy spells when I'm pregnant and they've been getting worse. The Dr had a hard time finding the heartbeat, which seems to happen at every appointment. So my very calm DR is starting to make me a little anxious with his worried faces. His concern is that I hadn't gained any weight and have this month and it seems to be all fluid, I'm measuring 2 weeks ahead of my scheduled due date. So now he's told me to take it easy and be careful.

And my next update I'll be better at a posting a belly photo.

i get to call him grandpa.

  My uncle Kelly shared some of the pictures he had scanned in from my grandparents picture album. Its coming up on their 60th anniversary and their 80th birthdays this next year.

My grandpa is on of my favourite men. Not a single grandchild could say otherwise. He makes each and everyone one of us feel like his favourite. He truly cares so deeply about each one. He teases us, he hugs us and gives us noogies. That's grandpa, and that's how we know we're loved. 

I can remember when we lived in Montana and grandpa hopping on Darren's little dirt bike and riding around the little acreage. I remember him always sneaking our ice cream when we weren't looking. Tricking someone into saving their gum by putting it behind there ear. Always making an effort to ask us how were doing. Grandpa could fix and grow anything.

We didn't always get to be lucky and live so close, but that was always one of the reasons I was grateful to move to Canada is to be closer to my grandparents. I truly feel so blessed to have such a wonderful grandpa and that Levi has gotten to know him too.

I feel so lucky to call you my grandpa.

(picture taken by Darren Roberts Photography)

ROOAAR!

 Our ferocious lion!

 We had our candy all ready to go for when we got trick or treaters. Levi loved it, too bad we only got 1 group of kids. He wanted more!

 All bundled up to go out for our cold halloween! We only went to 2 neighbors houses but he still loved it. We skyped the grandparents to show off his cute face.

Levis loot, not bad for 2 houses eh? What a good boy to pick out the raisins!

Being a fun mom.

Levis really been into Halloween this year and all of its "scariness".  We decorated a few things and bagged up our candy to hand out. 

We talked about halloween and its a fun "scary".

So I thought lets make "scary" cookies. Levi's loving all the halloween stuff. I knew it was going to be a lot of work but it'd be worth it cause Levi will have fun.

Being 2 must be really hard. All that emotion and not a able to fully express ones self. Baking cookies today we saw all the emotions. Thats what its like with a 2 year old around.

 Levi was loving it till I told him to stop throwing flour. Then he threw some up and it landed in his face. Didn't find it funny after that. That's when I ended up rolling, cutting and baking the last 6 dozen by myself.

 

The beautiful sprinkle work is done by bubbs.

 After decorating them we got them packaged up and hope to deliver them tomorrow!

Good bye fall, welcome winter!

 all ready to go!

 "Mom its nose!" (Levi calls snow, nose )

 What a good man shoveling all that snow!

 Levi digging out our pumpkins from all the snow!

 Dave showing Levi how to jump in the snow!

 He LOVED it!

 Standing in a drift!

 Levi threw the snow in his face, wasn't too impressed!

Love this picture! The runny nose and rosy cheeks show just how fun it was!

Levi played outside for 45mins this morning and I had to bribe with hot chocolate to get him inside. He's already wanting to go back out! We have a good 6" of snow and in some places 2ft drifts. Feeling a little more like Christmas then Halloween.

Baby Murray.

 This is our little baby murray. We found out the gender but want to keep it a secret, we will see how long we last.

The pictures aren't very clear and kind of alienish it but our little bamabino  wouldn't stop wiggling through this whole thing. I was more excited to make sure this kiddo was healthy then what the gender was. Seems that its healthy and no concerns.

Compromise. . .

Its what marriage is made up of.

So today it made a very hard decision for me, so simple.
I've gone back and forth and back again about finding out the gender on this baby. Tomorrows the ultrasound. I really want to try the surprise, because with Levi it wasn't. But I am also a control freak and not being as prepared would freak me out.
Dave wants to find out what were having.

So today he told me "since I don't let him put colored lights on the Christmas tree we are finding out what we are having". 
So that made the decision. and we had a little chuckle.  I only like white Christmas lights and wasn't gonna give that up this year.

2.25 yrs old

Levi seems to have learned so much since turning 2!

He talks alot and we get most of what he's saying so I need to share a few of these funny things.

-Levi saw me heading to the bathroom today and said "go potty, mom get sticker". Thanks kiddo!

- This weekend on our little adventure, the back roads we had been on had tons of cattle. So we'd have to stop often to honk and get them to move out of the way. Every time the herd of cows was gone levi would ask for more. As gross as this is we would tell him theres more poop (the road was covered) up ahead there will be more cows. So that's how levi learned to spot the cows. So today as were heading out the door to gymnastics  we saw poop on the road by our house and levi said "more cows? more poop on road." Nope bubb, no cows in bridge villa.

- When you ask levi how much he loves you, how excited he is, or how much he missed you he always answers the same. "this much." with his fingers about 2cm apart. "nooooo, this MUCH". With his arms spread out. Such a trickster!

- When we say "love ya" Levi always replies "love ya more" its my favourite thing each and every night.

Levi's learned:
 the difference between light/dark.
 the color yellow and blue
 how to sign "I love you"
 he's really good at tricking us that he has no arms (tucks them into his shirt)
 how to prolong bed time
 every part of his body
 how to give bear hugs
 the names of lots of pixar characters from his disney books
 to sing the alphabet
 to count to 10
 how to play hide and seek



        One thing I am most excited about is seeing him become a big brother. I don't think he grasps that I'm growing a baby but he does know mom has "baby murray" in her tummy. He talks about going on the bus ride with baby murray and that baby murray came to the calgary temple. He kisses my tummy and likes to say hi to baby murray. It just blows my mind how he thinks to include this baby that he's never met in to all of his activties. He asked today if baby murray was coming to gymnastics, and of course baby murray goes where I go for the time being.

Meal Planning/Recipes

Ive started meal planning and for us it really works well with our schedule. I give myself $80/week to plan all the meals, I try to plan 6 suppers with 4 lunch left overs and a few fancy breakfasts. Because I just started, doing a whole month seems overwhelming to me, plus being students/fruggle I find I save more knowing exactly what to buy for just one week. Instead of buying bulk and having food go bad in our house.

This is the what I print off and have on the fridge:

I don't know why but I always try new recipes, I rarely repeat the same meal. Not sure why, but I need to start making them over again so I can perfect them and get quicker at them! All the recipes I use are off of the internet, I have a fear of cookbooks. I like the internet because you can read comments on the blog of what people thought of it. Cookbooks you just don't have that reassurance that its gonna be a flop.

Here's some of the recipes I have tried lately:
(you'll notice I love the crock pot and 30min meals)

http://foodfamilyfinds.com/baked-apple-pie-pillsbury-crescents-rolls-recipe/

http://www.texascottageblog.com/2011/08/smore-cups.html

http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Mozzarella-Stick?pmcode=IKLDC05S&_mid=838832&_rid=838832.650200.781355
(wonton wrappers are really cheap, $1.35 at the international store by costco)

http://sweet-verbena.blogspot.ca/2011/08/pumpkin-muffins.html
(tasted like cake! so yummy)

http://www.chef-in-training.com/2012/04/crock-pot-beef-and-broccoli/
(this actually tasted really good as left overs the next day)

http://dashingdish.com/recipe/lasagna-roll-ups/
(the only recipe i've repeated since meal planning, its that good)

http://pearls-handcuffs-happyhour.blogspot.ca/2011/01/get-your-thanksgiving-pants-ready.html
(this makes a huge batch!)

http://www.bigoven.com/recipe/194728/foil-pack-chicken-and-broccoli-dinner-15

http://madeitateitlovedit.blogspot.ca/2012/03/sweet-and-sour-chicken.html
(this way really good, a little more time consuming but we thought it was worth it)

http://www.chef-in-training.com/2012/01/crock-pot-chicken-parmesan/
(i added garlic croutons at the very end to give more flavor and a little crunch)

My go to meals:

Buffalo chicken:

3 chicken breasts
1 pkg ranch mix
1 bottle franks buffalo wing sauce

Mix and add to crock pot: low 6hrs or high 3hrs.
Shred and eat on toasted buns.
Feeds us 3, 3 meals

Sweet n sour meatballs:

1 box (64ct) of meatballs
1 jar of grape jelly
1 jar of chili sauce

Mix and add to crock pot: low 6hrs or high 3hrs.
Serve on rice.
Feeds us 3, 3 meals.

my doctor thinks he's funny.

18 week check up today and everything went smoothly!

cravings: salty and spicy
weight gain: 1lb
movement: still flutters and a few strong kicks
gender prediction: girl
heart beat: 148
maternity clothes: yep 3 weeks now!
sickness: occasionally
baby size: sweet potato
mood: happy!
wedding rings on/off: on
starting to show: yep, more then i'd like :)
looking forward to: ultrasound in a week!
names: so far just baby Murray

    When my DR started looking for the heartbeat he picked up one right away and said "oo there's baby's heartbeat, we will keep looking and make sure there's only one." Then he started to look for another "and this is baby #2's heartbeat." SAY WHAT?? Say it again please. After a swarm of thoughts and a mini anxiety attack he finally announces that he's joking and the second heartbeat is mine. He sure thought it was funny, and I give him credit cause he gave me a good scare.

 Everything is going smoothly and hard to believe I'm almost half way done already! We have the ultrasound next week to find out the gender, I am very excited! I really love the second trimester, all the baby movement and I feel so good. I still have headaches like crazy but I'll take that over the nausea!

our adventure.

When we were leaving Calgary and getting ready to head home, Dave asked if we wanted to take a detour. Little did we know it was gonna be an adventure. We headed towards Kananaskis country and it was gorgeous! 

 Gotta look cool during a tailgate bum change.

We ended up on a logging road, 79km of gravol road. After 30km we had been on the road for an hour already, and thankfully found a short cut heading towards pincher creek.

 I don't know if this shows high up we had gone into the mountains but we were up high!

We saw tons of cows on the road and Levi loved honking at them. He was pretty excited to see the sheep too!

When we got to pincher creek Dave joked we could just got straight to his parents house in mountain view and stay over the night. We headed over to there place to surprise everyone, and no one was home when we got there. So we waited around and after about an hour Dave's mom came home, and she had only been in the shop next door. We were sad we didn't get to see Rachel and Cub, hopefully we get to see them soon!

It was fun to be spontaneous and it sure made it easy that Levi is good at traveling!

Calgary Temple.

On Friday we got to go see the beautiful Calgary temple. It was a special trip for us because we had our own little tour guide with us. My mom worked there painting all last summer and I wish I could have taken pictures to show all the details that they painted. It was neat to hear moms stories along the way about the temple. We went at supper time with 3 kids 2years and younger, so needless to say by the time we snapped these pictures they were done!