Jaycee Leigh

Here are a couple of pictures of my sister-in-law's new baby girl.

6 lbs. 2 oz.

19 1/2 inches long

Day after she was born!

Both of my nieces. Aren't they beautiful.

(sorry for the bad quality, it's a scan)

Quick Update

My sister in law had her baby girl yesterday. Both mother and baby are doing great! Jaycee Leigh Allen was born on October 6, 2009 weighing 6 lbs 2 oz and 19 1/2 inches long.

A quick prayer request. A friend from high school had her twins this week, she was (I think) a week ahead of me or a week behind me, not sure exactly. The boys are WAY early, and each weighing only around 2lbs. They are having lots of medical intervention, but given the circumstances they are doing well. Please pray for my friend and her new baby boys.

Also, my sister is due at the end of this month. I can't wait to meet baby Harvest. Please pray for her to have a quick and easy labor and delivery when it comes time.

I had a doctor's appointment yesterday as well, everything is fine...other than the fact that I had to sit there until 4:00 before ever being called back to a room when my appointment was at 2:45. It was understandable yesterday though, my doctor was called away to do an emergency C-Section and was running behind. It wouldn't have been so bad if it didn't seem to happen that way EVERY time I have an appointment.

It's been a while...

I know it's been a while since I have posted! I am really neglecting this blog and it bothers me a little. There are so many things going on in my world and I haven't quite figured out how to put them all into words without sounding like I am whining, so I have remained silent on most of them.

Everything with baby Maci is fine, and the pregnancy is going well. I am now on the every 2 weeks schedule with my doctor, and time is flying and creeping by all at the same time. Aside from the normal swollen feet, aching back, and reflux that keeps me up all night I really feel great, I love being pregnant. Baby girl is doing well, and I can even see her wiggling around now. It's the coolest thing to watch my stomach jump around and roll when she moves. I will have to work on another belly picture soon (probably minus my head, I hate the way my face looks right now)!

Just thought I would drop in to let anyone who might still be reading know that I am still here, and the pregnancy is going great.

4-D Sonogram

Dirt Cake

Wow, how long has it been since I've posted a Tasty Tuesday. I am still here, alive and well. Just BUSY!!

Just as a side note before we get to the recipe my sister sent me, I am having a 4-D sonogram Thursday afternoon. I will post pictures as soon as I can.

Now, back to you regularly scheduled program post!

You will need:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
2 packages instant vanilla pudding mix
3 1/2 cups milk
1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
1 pack Oreos

Crush Oreo cookies into pieces and keep to the side.
Mix butter, cream cheese, and sugar together in a small bowl.
In a large bowl mix milk and pudding.
After pudding and milk is mixed, fold in the whipped topping.
Combine pudding mixture and cream cheese mixture together.
Layer in a trifle bowl, starting with cookies then the pudding mixture. Continue to layer ending with crushed Oreos as the top layer.
Chill until ready to serve (at least 1 hour).

How Rude!

My biggest pet peeve has got to be, people that come to work (or anywhere) sick. I mean really, the rest of us do not want to share your germs with you.

The most aggravating thing to me is when someone comes to my desk, then backs up two steps and says “Don’t get close to me, I have (fill in the sickness)” If you are sick, and you are going to touch things around the office (or wherever) your germs are still there when I touch that door or faucet or whatever after you! If you are coughing all over the place, the fact that you aren’t breathing directly into my face is not going to keep your germs off of me. If you are sick, don’t come near me, don’t come to my desk to tell me you are sick and for pitty-sake, do not think, for one second, you should touch anything on my desk. Do not cough into your hand and then use the SAME hand to pick-up something you are going to hand to me! Please just stay home if you are sick. I am pregnant, and my immune system isn’t where it should be right now. It is very dangerous for me to get sick, it could mean life and death for me and my child in some cases. What may seem like a harmless sickness to you simply isn’t harmless to others with lowered immunities or to those of us who have much more to loose than a few hours of work.

Wash your hands, and try to stay well....no matter how hard the inconsiderate people make it!!

And while I am on my "soap" box so to speak, check out this post by Ellen at Profoundly Seth...I have got to get one of these signs before little Maci gets here (and yes, I am going to be one of "those" mothers I am afraid)

For those who foolishly asked....

.....here is a "pregnant belly" shot (if you can call it that) standing in my mom's kitchen at 22 weeks. I am sure it's obvious by looking at my face I was oh-so-happy to take this picture!

Take it all in, this may be the last picture you see of me until after Miss Maci is born and I drop around 85 lbs!! Enjoy {Wink}

22w 1d Sonogram

Maci - 22 weeks 1 day

I know I am late getting the latest posted from my doctor's appointment last week. Things have been so hectic, I just haven't had much time. I went for a routine appointment, and mentioned that I had not been feeling her move very much that day and only a handful of times for the past 2 days. My doctor got a concerned look on her face and ordered a sonogram and to make sure my fluid was at the proper level off I went in a tizzy. This is the first doctor's appointment that I have gone to alone since I miscarried last year, for precisely that reason. I didn't want to be alone for any surprises. Either my mom, Nichole or Bill have been with me for every appointment. But of course Thursday of all days, Bill had to work, Nichole had a sick baby and I told my mom that I was fine, I had been feeling some movement and we didn't have a sonogram scheduled, so I could be a big girl and go by myself this one time....HUH....well I had to wait forever for the sonogram since they were working me in, it gave my mind plenty of time to wander and think of every horrible scenario possible. Finally, they called me in and I hopped up on the little table, and right away she started kicking and squirming and moving all around. My fluid levels were fine. They told me I have an anterior placenta and that it is cushioning some of her kicks and movements, and that is why depending on where she moves and kicks I don't feel her for a while. They say once she gets bigger that won't be a problem anymore, I will feel her no matter where she moves. So all is well, and little Miss Maci is doing just fine. My next appointment is at the end of September and I will have to do the dreaded glucose test...I am not looking forward to that, but I will also go that same week for a 4-D sonogram, I am super excited about that, can't wait to post the pictures.

Update on Papaw

*****UPDATED*****
The CT scans came back all clear. Papaw is officially cancer free, and doesn't have to take any treatments at all!!! Praise God!!!
*********************

We got a great report on Papaw this week. He had his 1st "Cancer Doctor" appointment Thursday, they did blood work and said that everything came back normal, and said that his lymph nodes looked good. They will do a CT scan next week to scan his head, chest and stomach, but the doctor seems to think that the scans will come back clear. Praise God!! Praise God!! Praise God!!

Random Thoughts 3

Just a quick post to let you know I am still here....

I have moved positions at work and moved locations. I am glad for the change, but I stay extremely busy! I don't have much time to blog anymore (sniff). Anyway, just wanted to let you guys know I have not fallen off the face of the earth.

Our air went out last Thursday, and we couldn't find anyone to replace it until Monday. That was a miserable weekend. I stayed at Nichole's house or Mom's until Monday night. I really appreciated them letting me stay, but I really missed Bill for those 4 nights (he stayed at our house).

I am now halfway through my pregnancy, and VERY excited. I have started feeling the baby move, not very strong or regular, but I am feeling her and I know it's her. I still don't
"look" pregnant, I just look like I am gaining weight, I am getting wider instead of getting a belly...LOL

We are 99% sure we have decided on her name, but I am not going to announce just yet because we don't have a middle name and we are pretty wishy washy about these things.

Papaw got a semi-good report from the doctor this week, the cancer has NOT spread to any surrounding cells that they tested. He has a doctor's appointment next Thursday. From what I understand (which isn't much) they will run some tests to make sure the cancer hasn't spread to other organs. So please keep praying for him.

Well time is short, and I need to run grab some lunch...

Papaw Holston

I can't say alot, because I don't know alot...but my Grandfather (Papaw) is having some skin cells removed today. He had a skin cancer removed a couple of weeks ago, and they were going back today to remove more of the cells underneath. The doctor told my dad today (before they did the procedure) that it was a "Stage 3." However, I am confused about this, because I thought the tests today were suppose to determine what stage the cancer was. According to the doctor today they are removing more cells as a precautionary measure.

From what I understand he will see a cancer doctor in a couple of weeks to see if the cancer has spread, and if it has they will start an aggressive treatment (However, right now, Papaw says he isn't going to take the treatment)

Please pray that they will not find anymore cancer and that the treatments will be unnecessary.

It's a Girl!!

Sucking Her Thumb

Profile

Feet

18 weeks 1 day

*****UPDATE*****
Silly me....I have twitter, so follow me on twitter and I will let you know this afternoon if it's a boy or girl...DUH...


I go to the doctor today! I am very excited and very nervous so say a prayer for my nerves if you would. We are going to find out if our baby is a boy baby or a girl baby. Everyone seems to think it will be a boy. I don't have any feelings either way, honestly. My appointment is at 2:15, but the way my clinic has been running lately it will be after 5:00 before we get out of there, so don't look for an answer until tomorrow. Sorry guys, we are poor at the moment and don't have internet access at home or even a computer for that matter.

Anyway, until tomorrow....wish us luck!!

Oh and PS...sorry I haven't posted any belly pics...I just don't have a pregnant belly yet...I have only gained 3 lbs so far (is that normal)...I can't wait to get a big pregnant belly, and as soon as I do, I will definitely post a picture.

Wordless Wednesday ~ My Beautiful Niece

Wacky Wednesday

OAKLAND, Calif. - Oakland police say a man impersonating a police officer tried to pull over a real undercover officer and was arrested.

Police say 21-year-old Antonio Fernandez Martinez of Oakland was arrested Wednesday in the Fruitvale district after trying to pull over an unmarked police vehicle. Martinez was driving a Ford Crown Victoria outfitted with flashing lights, a microphone and speakers.
Martinez, a convicted car thief, will have his felony probation revoked and could face a prison term. The officer, Jim Beere, says Martinez probably thought he would be an easy mark to rob.

Credit to MSNBC

Poppy Seed Chicken

3 Cups Boiled Chopped Chicken Breast
(1) 8 oz. Sour Cream
(1) Can Cream of Chicken Soup
(2) Tablespoon Poppyseeds (divided)
Salt to taste
¼ Cup Melted Butter
40 or so Crushed Ritz Crackers

Mix in 13X9 Pan - Chicken, Sour Cream, Cream of Chicken and Poppy Seeds, and Salt

Top with Crushed Ritz and Butter and remaining Poppy Seeds (mixed)

Cook on 350 degrees for about 20-30 minutes

Recipe Compliments of my sister Holly Hall!!

Praying for Stellan

Please pray for Stellan, I am sure most of you know by now that Stellan has taken a bad turn. I can't imagine what this family is going through right now. Please pray for Stellan and the entire family.

To get updates please visit www.mycharmingkids.net or to follow MckMama on Twitter click here.

Wacky Wednesday

I am pregnant...did you doubt I would find a wacky story about food....Enjoy!!

MINNEAPOLIS - A 151-pound cupcake near Minneapolis has been certified as the world's largest. The 1-foot tall, 2-foot wide cupcake on display Saturday at the Minneapolis Mall of America had 15 pounds of fudge filling and 60 pounds of yellow icing. Guinness World Records adjudicator Danny Girton Jr. called it a "fun and creative achievement." The cupcake was made by cakes.com, which is run by cake-decoration supplier and marketer DecoPac.

Company spokeswoman Jamie Miller said the giant cupcake will go to a pig farm. The company decided against giving away pieces to mall patrons because most would not have had frosting.
Instead, cakes.com gave away 4,000 smaller cupcakes.

Credit to: MSNBC

Blog Hop & Tasty Tuesday

This weeks blog hop is right up my alley. I normally post a recipe every Tuesday (or nearly every Tuesday) and it's called "Tasty Tuesday" So here is one of my old favorites from Tasty Tuesday's past. If you would like to see any of my recipes that I have posted in the past just click on "Recipes" under my lables at the bottom right side of my blog or just click on the Tasty Tuesday Button to the right.

Easy Peasy Fried Dessert

You will need:

1 Can of Biscuits (not flaky)
1 Can of Pie Filling (Your Choice, I like Apple or Peach)
Confectioners Sugar or Cinnamon
Oil for Fry Daddy (Deep Fryer)

While heating the oil in the Deep Fryer: Flatten out the biscuit (not too flat or it will tear)
Spoon a teaspoon of pie filling into the biscuit center
Fold biscuit over (makes a little pocket with pie filling in the center)
Press edges of biscuit together with a Fork to “close” the pocket
Drop into deep fryer
When it floats you will need to flip it over to brown the top side
When you take these out of the Fryer Sprinkle with Confectioners Sugar or Cinnamon!

Tip: I like to Sprinkle the Apple filling ones with Cinammon and the Peach filling ones with the confectioners sugar

Serve Warm!

Random Thoughts 2

I am 16 weeks and 5 days pregnant today. I am getting excited and nervous about my appointment next week on Thursday. I am excited to know if we are having a boy or a girl, and nervous because I am always nervous about my doctor's appointments. I have been "trying" so hard to feel the baby move this week. I have tried eating and then laying flat on my back to see if I can feel any flutters. I have tried lying on my stomach; and I have tried lying on my left side. I haven't felt anything yet!! I just keep praying I start feeling something soon, I think that would help my nerves ALOT!! I am open to suggestions...how soon did you feel you baby move, and what did you do to make it easier to feel or make the baby move??

The new venture Bill was working on fell through, so please keep praying for direction for us in the area of his job. This is an area of HUGE stress to us right now.

My friend Nichole, that I wrote about here, has a blog of her own now!! I am very excited about that!

I am really missing my cat these days. I don't know if I have ever talked about him on the blog before. He died a couple of years ago, but he was like our baby since we didn't have any kiddos. His name was kitt-katt and he was the sweetest kitty in the world. He wasn't your typical "prissy cat" he loved to be held and to cuddle. He wasn't happy unless he was near us. If Bill and I would sit by each other on the couch, he would wedge his way in between us. He was so sweet. He was almost 3 years old when he died. He had a heart condition that the vet told us wasn't serious, but proved to be fatal. We woke up one Sunday morning (Feb. 28, 2007) and he had died in the night. I have missed him in the past, but lately it seems to be worse, I think it's the pregnancy hormones, and the fact that I took his pictures out the other day and was looking at them. Anyway, I thought I would post a few pictures here and introduce you all to my baby kitt-katt!! I miss him a lot!!

He loved to sit in the window and watch the lizards play outside.

This was his favorite place when we started a fire in the fire place. Whenever Bill brought fire wood in the house (before the fire was ever started) he would go lay down right in this same spot every time and wait for Bill to get the fire going.

8 Can Soup

2 lbs cooked burger or stew meat (seasoned and drained)
1 Can Vegetable Beef Soup
1 Can Tomato Soup
1 Can Chili with Beans
1 Can Chili without Beans
1 Can Rotel Tomatoes

1 Can Stewed Tomatoes
1 Can Veg-All
1 Can Corn

Mix together in large pot and heat (about 20 minutes)
Serve with Corn Bread (I like Jiffy Sweet Corn Bread as the soup is a little “Chili” Spicy.) This is WONDERFUL Football Season or Deer Camp Food. It reheats wonderfully!!

15 Week Check-Up

I had my 15 week check up yesterday. I was actually 14 weeks and 6 days I am always a day early on my check up, because my "roll over" days are on Wednesdays, and Wendesday's are Dr. Meck's surgery days.

It was a great check-up, they listened to the baby's heart on the doppler (this time they found it, so no sono pics). The heart rate was 162 BPM, and we even HEARD the baby kicking and moving. I didn't realize you could do that.

Monday night, I started having anxiety attacks again, I was very nervous about the appointment. I get nervous before all of my appointments, but for some reason I was more nervous about this appointment than any other one so far. I am not sure why. She did give me a prescription for the horrible heartburn I have been having and I will be very happy to get that filled today. She offered a medication for the anxiety, but I refused, as long as the anxiety attacks aren't hurting the baby, I can handle them. Anyway, everything was great and I left the office feeling 100% better.

We will go back on July 30th to find out if we are having a boy or girl. My mother-in-law thinks we are having a boy (I think she is just wishful thinking). My mother and grandmother think I am having a girl. I WANT a girl, mainly because I just don't know what to do with boys (but will be happy with whatever God gives me). I don't actually have any "feelings" myself on what I feel like it will be. Bill would like a girl too (but will be a happy as well with what ever God gives us), but he is convinced it will be a boy because he has dreamed about having a boy several times.

....So what do you think?? Boy or Girl??

MckLinky Blog Hop

*** I had to remove the blog hop list, not sure what happened but the format was off, and it was causing my blog to load VERY slowly...Sorry ***

My Name is Heather, and I started my blog to document my journey to motherhood! I suffered a miscarriage with our first child in October of 2008, and we concieved our 2nd child in March of this year. This blog shares my relationship with Jesus, as well as my random thoughts on life and pretty much anything else I decide to talk about... afer all it is MY BLOG right?? *wink*

This is my current favorite picture. It was taken at 10 weeks and 6 days. It is the latest picture of our baby due December 30, 2009.

Not Me! Monday

Not Me! Monday was brought to you by Mckmama, so hop on over to her blog and see what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

So off we go....

I did not wear blue jeans to church Sunday morning because I have out grown the comfort of my old dress pants, and have yet to find a pair of maternity dress pants that fit me.

I did not consider turning on the sprinkler in my front yard after dark Saturday night in hopes of keeping neighborhood kids from setting my yard on fire with their fireworks (everything has been so dry lately).

I did not cook boiled cabbage this weekend for the first time ever, it was not really good, and my husband did not love it.

I also did not cook a yummy peach cobbler for dessert Saturday night.

Bill did not put up a queen sized bed (free gift from my sister when they up sized to a King) in the place of our old full sized bed this weekend, only for me to ask my sweet hubby to please take it down today and put our old bed back up. I definitely appreciated the gift, however, the new bed was extremely firm and our old bed is extremely squishy and the newness of the firm bed didn't agree with my back (or hips or shoulders or neck). Not Me!! I would never do such a thing!!

Wacky Wednesday

This weeks Wacky Wednesday, isn't so much funny as it is completely disturbing. This story bothers me, not because this man went to prison for breaking the law; I understand that. He needed to serve jail time for stealing money from innocent people. However, what bothers me considerably is the fact he received 150 years in prison for sealing MONEY, when others have stolen the innocence of a child by molestation, rape, or abuse and only receive 25 years or less. This just shows where our society's morals are. We value money more than human life and that is sad.

My Pastor used this quote in his sermon this past Sunday, and it is so true!!

"Men, are great not by the virtue of their wealth, but by the wealth of their virtues."

Madoff Sentenced to 150 Years in Prison

NEW YORK — Convicted Wall Street swindler Bernard Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in prison Monday for a fraud so extensive that the judge said he needed to send a message to potential imitators and to victims who demanded harsh punishment.

See Full Story at Fox News