To find out or NOT TO

So tomorrow is the big day.....the big ultrasound day. I am now 20 weeks and Brent and I have been debating whether or not we are going to find out. Brent thinks it would be so fun to keep it a surprise because we already have boy and girl stuff. Me on the other hand, well I have lost all spontaneity and find it hard to not know. I just feel like I connect more and so does Brent if we know what we are having, but I've never not known so I can't compare. So I thought I'd post on here and get your opinion. What have you all done and what have you liked????? Should we find out or not? 

GOOD FOOD!

Okay so I have been trying to eat really healthy due to the fact that I've had some gall bladder issues with this pregnancy and I get sick when I eat certain things. But I do have to indulge myself every now and then. I crave pancakes all the time and wish I could eat them every day but I can't so on Saturday I used my cousin Carrian's recipe for banana pancakes and this AMAZING buttermilk syrup. Seriously so good!!!  I wish I could eat them again right now! I only ate a little to maybe reduce the chance of getting sick and I didn't do too bad. Everyone needs to visit Carrian's cooking blog....Oh sweet basil it's the greatest!!! There are so many days when food sounds nasty and nothing sounds good and all I have to do is go to her blog and I always find something good to feed my family! So thank you Carrian my family would starve if you weren't so kind and kept your recipes a secret. Brent always asks where did you come up with this good recipe and the answer is always you. 

SO it is now 2009 and I think I have caught up with my posts. January is already flying by and soon it will be Valentines Day. It's great that the time is going by as I am already counting down for this pregnancy to be at the end. I know that is terrible but I have been so sick and just plain out of energy that I feel like I have some disease. I am now almost 17 weeks....YEAH and can feel the baby move and so it makes it all worth it. Makes it all seem so much more real that there is a reason as to why I am sick and I will soon meet this little baby. It's amazing to me that this is my third baby and I am still so EXCITED and can't wait to meet this baby the same way I was with the first. I can't wait to see how we will all mesh together, what kind of personality this little one will add to our family. Of course I am scared to death as to how I will be able to handle 3 kids. I know it will all work out and on my crazy bad days I'll just re-read this post. 

Carter has been great during this pregnancy with really starting to understand what is going on. He will get very mad at Brook if she kicks my stomach or jumps on me and tell her to "be soft the baby is in there" He also asks me if I want certain foods to which most the time I say no. No thank you, and his reply.... "well, does the baby want a taste" so I politely say sure. The other day it was  a grape and when I said sure, he bit it in half and gave it to me "so the baby doesn't choke". Along with him understanding I think it has brought on a new challenge for him, he doesn't want to "grow up". We have this conversation lots:

me: "Carter what do you want to be when you grow up"

Carter: "I want to be little"

me: "don't you want to be a fireman or policeman, or play the guitar"

Carter: "no, I don't want to grow up"

So we end with you will be little for a long time. But of course he loves being bigger than Brook and is excited to take care of the baby because "he's big". I think he's having  a hard time deciding if he wants to be big or small. 

Carter has also really grasped the concept of the difference of boys and "gwrils" This was our conversation the other day:

Carter: "you are a gwril and you don't have a pee pee."

Me: "you are right, you are so smart."

Carter: "well, can you go buy one from Target"

Me: "no they don't sell pee pee's at target."

Carter:  "oh, We better go to Fred Meyer's, they sell them there."

Me: "we can't buy pee pees, Heavenly Father made me a girl and you a boy" 

Carter: "oh" still pondering on how I can get a pee pee. 

He seriously comes up with the funniest things and makes us laugh. 

Brooklyn is talking more and more and actually putting sentences together. She loves books and loves to be silly. She is obsessed with shoes and girly things and of course anything that Carter plays with too. She is really loving phones and pretend play. It's so fun to see what is going on in her little mind. She learns so much from Carter, good and bad. They are starting to play so good with eachother and at the same time when they don't want to be around each other it's tears and tackling. She's got the attitude down, and I wonder where she learned such a big attitude but maybe it comes with being a girl. 

We recently got family pics and I thought I'd post a few. I can't decide what ones I like to blow up for my house...So what do you think?

Michaela's Sealing!!!

So Christmas weekend on Saturday my niece Michaela was sealed to my brother! It was seriously one of the best days EVER! I tear up just thinking about it. We waited so long for that day to come and looking back it went all too quickly for as long as we waited. It was the greatest experience to be in the temple and see all of Terry's kids all in white and there for the sealing. I of course was bawling (we'll just blame it on me being pregnant) but seeing their whole family together just testifies that families can be together FOREVER! It definitely is up to us! It was a perfect thing to do before the new year. It made me really ponder and re-evaluate how my life is. It is so easy to become stagnant in this life, but this was a great boost for me to start the new year with goals of focusing on the most important things working together as a family to make it on our way on the eternal road. To make sure we are having family home evening even if it is just 10 minutes, making sure we read our scriptures every night and pray as a family. Kids understand so much more than we give them credit for. And it's great, once they get in the habit they keep us on track with reminding us what we need to do. 

I thank Terry's family for being such a great example to us! And for Michaela we are all so glad that you are now a Thueson forever and ever! We love you so much and are so proud of you! I can't believe our little Micky is going to be 15 Feb. 2nd!!! The time goes by so fast! Over the weekend we went through tons of pics of when Michaela was little and it seems like just yesterday she was that little girl and I was the teenager and now she is that beautiful teenager with a lot of spunk and personality that we all can't get enough of! 

CHRISTMAS

                                                    Sharing with her brother, how sweet!!!

We all must have been good this year because Santa was sure nice! Especially to 2 little kiddos! Carter was so excited and had a hard time falling asleep! He kept thinking he could hear Santa. We decided that now with all of our "stuff" that it would be more relaxing to just stay home with our own little family and start our own traditions. We had some friends over for a few hours on Christmas Eve and enjoyed their company. They went home around 8 so the plan was that we would get the kids in bed on TIME. Not happening! We had to talk about the real meaning of Christmas and I was totally shocked at how well Carter got it! We then watched a little movie on Christ and watched some of the Forgotton Carols which Carter loves! They were in bed and asleep by 9:30 so not too bad and it gave us an early start so Santa wasn't up to late!!! In the middle of the night Brent caught Carter running down the stairs half asleep. He made it to the middle landing and Brent brought him back to our bed. Then pretty soon we heard the sound of tiny footsteps running headed for the stairs. Brook was on her way down too. Brent hurried and got her and brought her back to bed too. So we all cuddled and slept with each other. And of course I was the first one awake at 8:00 and couldn't go back to sleep!!! The one morning the kids decide to really sleep in....I'm awake and can't go back to sleep, too darn excited I guess :) Brook finally awoke at 9:00 and we played and talked with her for a bit while she tried waking up "Ca Ca"! She was finally successful and Carter woke up to ask us if Santa had really come last night. When we told him we thought so and thought we all better go check you could see his eyes light up. Santa left a candy/snow trail from the top of the stairs to their presents. Brooklyn was way more into the candy than her own presents. She couldn't believe candy was all over the stairs and as she kept walking she could get more. Carter couldn't believe how nice Santa was and told us "I really love Santa"! I didn't take as many pictures as I thought. And pretty much after Christmas I never touched the camera again. Makes me so mad but somehow when I don't feel the greatest and I'm surrounded by family I just space the whole camera. 

Christmas day we drove to Twin and spent time with all the family. We were going to try and brave the roads and get up to Canada but with a bad feeling and looking at the road report that had been closed off and on we decided to stay...and although we missed seeing family, we know that we made the best decision. A guy who Brent works with lives in Calgary and traveled down the same time we would have been traveling said the roads were TERRIBLE and said it took him 3 times as long. So we will hopefully get up there in the spring, before I get too big and can't travel for too long. We love you all and hope you had a wonderful Christmas! 

Thanksgiving/birthdays

Well it has been a while since I last posted and it seems like everything has gotten way to BUSY! So I will back up to Thanksgiving.......

We went to Twin for the great Turkey Day and got to enjoy some great delicious food!!! Thanks to my mom and Dad for making the day so yummy and fun! We enjoyed getting to see all the family that was there and had a nice time with everyone. The day after Thanksgiving my poor sister Meagon woke up with the flu....not fun for her, I'm so sorry Meagon. Then that night Brooklyn got the flu too. I have never seen a little girl that turns into an angel when she is sick. She was caressing my face and talking ever so sweetly right after she would puke. She would give me tons of kisses pulling my face so close to hers. I kept wanting to pull away as I didn't want to get it too...but I couldn't possibly turn down sweet hugs and kissing from such a cute sick girl. She kept throwing up stomach bial and it was so hard on her little body, my heart just ached for her. The only thing she wanted to do was to give kisses to Brent and I and even Carter. Brent and I couldn't believe how sweet she was while she was so sick. By the next day she was feeling lots better just no appetite. With all the craziness we decided to even make it more crazy and on Saturday we celebrated Carter's birthday with all his cousins. We took all the kids to "Hop 2 It" in Twin. It used to be Sage Gym when I lived there. It has now changed into a big place full of big blow up slides and jumping things. It's  a great way to let the kids have fun and to get them worn out.  

After hop-2-it we went home and had birthday cake and presents. Carter enjoyed having all his friends (cousins) with him to celebrate his birthday. Thanks to everyone for the great gifts! They have been keeping him busy! I owe you all lots! 

So that pretty much sums up the Thanksgiving weekend. And I want all of you to know that I am thankful for you all!!! I seem to always get so sappy around this time of year (and it doesn't help that I am pregnant...yes you heard right) as I look at my life and realize how much I have and am so thankful for everything. We went to the Forgotten Carols before Thanksgiving and it always puts things in perspective for the Holiday Season! So I am finally letting you all know that I am pregnant with baby #3 and have been extremely sick for the past 11 weeks. And that is how far along I am. Seems like I have been sick from DAY 1. This is going to be a long pregnancy, but oh so fun! :) So more to come! Love to all! 

I can see clearly now... :)

Hey Everyone- It's Brent.

Ok, so I am taking over the blog... How is everyone?

  

First I need to give a shout out to a few people:

• First to my cousin Jeff Coppieters on his recent engagement to Kim Romeril.  We are excited for you guys!
  
• Second Congrats to the Raymond Comets on their recent Tier 1 Alberta Provincial Championship win.  
  
• Third Congrats to Brett Ralph and the Calgary Stampeders 2008 Canadian Grey Cup Champs.

We are in Twin Falls right now celebrating Thanksgiving. We had a great meal with Amber's family- Thanks!!!

Now for those of you who might be wondering what my subject means... I just had Lasik eye surgery.... It is AWESOME.  I would encourage any of who who have "defective" eyes to check it out. It really is pretty affordable, and it is so easy.  I went to Clearly Lasik in Boise.  No more contacts or glasses for me.

Things have been really exciting for us. Work is going great for me, and we are getting ready to celebrate Mine, Amber and Carter's Birthdays this next week.. Dec 3rd, and 4th.  Holy smokes I am going to be 29, Amber 25, and Carter 3. Yikes. Where has the time gone?  

Thanks for visiting our blog.  We always enjoy reading your comments and hearing from you. Amber really does a fantastic job with this blog.  Thanks babes!! :)  

Some of you may not know, but our Hard Drive died this summer, and we lost hundreds of pictures from the past 3 years.  We were willing to pay whatever it cost to get them back. (one estimate was $3 K)  How do you put a price on 3 years??? 

After testing and trying to replace the missing data, we were out of luck.  The only pictures we have from that time were the ones that Amber had posted on our blog.  Please don't let this happen to you.  We lost Brooklyn's baby pictures etc..

Sorry- this has seemed to be a hodgepodge of ideas and thoughts. Just wanting to get my 2 cents in. :)

Take Care-

brent

Sharp shooter

Ok well I have no pics and I hate posting with no pics but oh well. We all have been sick with colds. Carter and Brook keep passing it back and forth and now Brent and I have it. There is nothing worse then a head cold. I keep debating whether or not to take the kids in or just let them keep fighting it off back and forth. 

Among being sick I have started working on a major task. Although Carter is fully potty trained Brent or I still wipe his bum and push his peter down so it doesn't shoot all over. Well this poses a great problem when we leave him because whoever is watching him has to take over the tasks and it is uncomfortable for Carter so he just won't go. So I thought I better try and let him take over the bathroom duties.....yesterday was day 1.....it didn't go very well. Carter saw just how powerful he can be. I had to completely wash down my walls and even the ceiling upstairs and the bathroom floors. NOT FUN. Now you all may be thinking this is too much info. But I tell you this because I need some tips. Putting targets in the toilet do not work...it really is just so much more fun to pee on the walls and see it shoot far!!! He is not tall enough to stand and reach the top of the toilet and so he needs a stool but then he's way too high. So we have him sit but that only works when I help him! During potty training I thought oh I love boys because if he has to go he can pretty much go anywhere.....but in this case i really wish his shooter was easier to manage. So I know many of you have boys and you all went through it so what was your trick to get the pee in the potty (or for the most part) without you helping them. How nice it would be if he could just go in there by himself and do it on his own....I am so looking forward to that day! 

Weekend FULL OF SURPRISES

OK so I have the best husband....no really I DO! For the last couple of months Brent has been planning a "surprise" for me. I had no idea and when he first told me that he was planning a surprise I laughed telling him that he has yet to keep a surprise from me. He just can't keep it from me. He is always so excited and spills the beans. So I should have kept my mouth shut because he didn't breath a word. He didn't even give a hint. NOTHING...and it drove me CRAZY! I was very nervous because he led me to believe we were leaving the kids with someone and so that really was the hard part. I NEEDED TO KNOW! But he kept telling me to TRUST him....so I had no choice but to do just that. Through talking to my friend Collette I found out that Russell (her hubby) had a surprise for her too..... so together we tried to get clues, only to confuse me more. 

Well, long story short... Friday afternoon a knock came on our door and a nice car was awaiting for me to hop in with Collette in there. I was struck speechless as I didn't quite understand what was going on. All of the sudden I was taken away and Brent wasn't coming as I thought he was (he even packed his bag to throw me off). So at first I thought we were maybe just taking a joy ride but then we opened an envelope with a flight itinerary. 

WE WERE OFF TO VEGAS! I then thought for sure that my sister-in-law Sonia would somewhere fit into our weekend....How could I go to Vegas and not see her!!! But still got no answers, was only told that there would be someone there with a sign to pick us up. Well it was Sonia but not only was it Sonia it was my other two sister-in-laws. I wanted to pee my pants, I was so excited and shocked! So we stayed the night at Sonia's and then Saturday spent the day shopping and was told that we would be going to dinner and we all wanted to dress up! Then it was revealed that we were going to be staying the night in the Belagio....nice! 24th floor with a perfect view of the water show. We all got ready and were running out the door to meet Sonia's friend for dinner, which we just ate and I didn't feel like eating again. So I was kind of slow. Which only made us all have to run, run, run, so we didn't loose our reservations. As we are running around the corner in the casino we hit the MAMMA MIA  entrance and it all clicked. We really were going to MAMMA MIA! For those of you who don't know, I LOVE MAMMA MIA! It was absolutely the greatest. Anyone who hasn't seen the play is missing out! I got a couple of pictures before the security guy came and tackled me.... (just kidding but he really did come and point his finger at me). We then went out to eat at a great yummy place and went back to our room. Stayed up late talking and then passed out. Collette and I pushed our time to the max to get to the airport and were again running like crazy to get to check in. All that running and knocking people out of our way to find out that our plane was delayed we had lots of time. 

When I got home the house was spotless, smelled divine, and there were roses on the table for me. Just when I thought it the weekend was at an end it got better! Brent had Merry maids come in and totally deep clean the house...hello, did I say I love this brilliant man! 

Anyway, it was  a great weekend that will be remembered forever! Thanks to the love of my life for being so sweet! I want to just eat him up right now! I love you babe!

Thanks Collette for being my partner in crime for the weekend...(too bad the guys don't know what we have up our sleeves this time...they forget who they are dealing with!) 

And THANK YOU THANK YOU to my sister-in-laws for making such a perfect weekend. It was so good to see you gals and makes me miss you guys that much more and wish we didn't live so far away. I think this needs to become a tradition that we do each year. A getaway from our kids and hubbies and some much needed girl talk, shopping, and FUN! 

Halloween in Twin

We decided to celebrate Halloween in Twin. It was lots of fun we all got together and went to my brother Terry's trunk or treat, which was perfect for the kids! Especially because it was rainy and cold. Carter and Brook both had fun and enjoyed getting candy. Carter by the end of the long row of cars he told me that it was all over and he was ready to go to grandma's. He then told everyone to go home that it is "OVER!" Carter had a great time with his cousins. He was super excited to them all and wouldn't leave them alone. 

The rest of the weekend was nice and relaxing. We were able to help my parents rake up all their leaves....we also jumped in them and threw them. Seeing my kids jump and get burried in the leaves brought me back to my childhood, which went by all to quickly. I never could have imagined how quickly time would fly by. 

Our Halloween weekend was lots of fun and we enjoyed seeing everyone. We missed everyone else of course and hope to see some of you through the holidays. 

Loves to all. 

Pumpkin patch

Well a few weeks ago we got together with some friends and went to the pumpkin patch. We all had lots of fun and the weather was so nice! Of course my mind was a little scrambled before we left so I forgot my camera and made Collette and Russell official photographers of my family. Thanks guys! The pumpkin patch had a great petting zoo with camels and zebras and little ponies that the kids could ride. Carter was so scared at first and I made him get on that pony and enjoy it. I was so proud of him within a couple of seconds he couldn't stop smiling. There are some things that you just have to force your kids to do and later they will thank you for it.