Hamilton House

Perfect.

2012-02-17T12:19:00.001-08:00

I was reading an article about Michele Duggar. You can read it here. She talked about the importance of grieving after a miscarriage and talked about a song that she liked to listen to. I listened to the song and it is absolutely perfect.

I Will Carry You

by Selah

from the album "You Deliver Me"

Lyrics:

There were photographs I wanted to take

Things I wanted to show you

Sing sweet lullabies, wipe your teary eyes

Who could love you like this?

People say that I am brave but I'm not

Truth is I'm barely hanging on

But there's a greater story

Written long before me

Because He loves you like this

[Chorus]

I will carry you

While your heart beats here

Long beyond the empty cradle

Through the coming years

I will carry you

All my life

And I will praise the One Who's chosen me

To carry you

Such a short time

Such a long road

All this madness

But I know

That the silence

Has brought me to His voice

And He says ...

I've shown her photographs of time beginning

Walked her through the parted seas

Angel lullabies, no more teary eyes

Who could love her like this?

Happy Valentine's Day!

2012-02-14T08:51:00.000-08:00

Luke bought me a present and showed it to the girls. They were supposed to keep it a secret. So, I showed them what I got Luke. I also told them that Daddy and I had a surprise for them. I said, "We all have secrets, don't we?" Kimber said, "Ya, rings, earrings". It was so funny! Needless to say, we exchanged our gifts early. Luke surprised me with diamond earrings on our first anniversary. Last fall I noticed that one of my backs was missing. Luckily I didn't lose the earring. The backs and posts were stripped out. We got an estimate to fix them and it was going to be over $100. I decided I would wait until gold prices went down. When Luke gave me my new ones I told him I didn't need another pair of earrings because I already had some that just needed to be fixed. But, when I compared my new ones to my old ones I decided to keep them! I got Luke a Timex Watch, Almond Joys and Reeses Ice Cream. He was happy. Here is a picture of my earrings. I love them!

I had a busy day today preparing for Kinnison's class party. I am very glad I am done with those for the year! Here are some pictures of my adorable kiddos.

Today is Kaela's 5th Birthday with Jesus. Happy Birthday Sweetie! We love you and miss you!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Love,

Random.

2012-02-12T07:08:00.001-08:00

Kinnison had her last Upward game on Saturday. Charity and I were the coaches. It was a fun season, but I am glad it is over. Luke works on Saturdays, which left me in charge of getting all the kids ready and to the game. I do it every morning for school, but it is exhausting! By Saturday I am pretty worn out. Gammy and Pappy watched the kids while I coached. I couldn't have done it without them! We had a great team. Our kiddos were terrific!

Saturday night Kinnison and Luke had a Daddy Daughter Dance at school. Kinnison got a chocolate rose at school inviting her to attend. She ate it. LOL She is very much her mother's daughter. We snapped a few pictures at the park even though it was freezing! Her daddy (me) surprised her with a corsage. She was very excited. They had a lot of fun and she looked absolutely beautiful! She is growing up too fast!

Grandpa seems to be doing well. He has two doctor appointments this week. Hopefully he gets back to his old self before it is time to plant the garden. He likes to tell us how to do it! :)

Update.

2012-02-06T19:21:00.000-08:00

Grandpa is home! He is still on oxygen. He has to follow up with the cardiologist, lung doctor, blood doctor and possibly have a sleep study done. The poor guy doesn't sleep at all. Please continue to pray for him and my grandma. They mean the world to me.

Kanyon is officially a crawler! He goes a few feet and falls, but if he wants to go somewhere he can get there! He now has 2 teeth on bottom and four teeth on top. He is going to be 8 months old this month. Where does the time go?

Crazy.

2012-02-06T07:02:00.000-08:00

One week ago today Grandpa was admitted to the hospital for what was supposed to be a three day stay to adjust medications. Today he *might* get to come home. Friday they did the EP study to test his heart. Saturday they gave him a pacemaker. Once he is discharged they are going to have to try to figure out why his hemoglobin levels are so low. If he has to stay on the blood thinner (most likely because of Atriral Fibrillation) he will have to go to the Oncology Clinic for iron transfusions. We have a long road ahead. Please say some prayers for him.

Things have been crazy and I am exhausted, but I am so thankful that I am staying at home. I have been at the hospital every day. I love being able to help out and getting to spend precious time with my grandparents.

I want to say how proud I am of Kinnison! She was awarded Tiger of the Month. She got a certificate, free kids meal at Dennys, a shirt and her picture will be in the paper. She is such a sweet, smart, fun little girl. She is doing so well with reading and writing. We are very, very proud.

I had Kanyon's pictures taken two weeks ago. They turned out really well. He is so handsome!

Kimber is going to be four this month. How is that possible?

Prayers Please.

2012-01-31T16:41:00.000-08:00

Where do I begin?

Grandpa hasn't been feeling well for a long time, but Friday he started getting worse. He has been short of breath because of fluid on his lungs. He has been to the doctor many times. They have tried medications and inhalers, but nothing helped. The last resort was to put him in the hospital to see if they could change any medications. He had a terrible weekend, so he went to the hospital on Monday morning. Once they started testing him they figured out that he had a low heart rate, low hemoglobin level, internal bleeding, and many other things wrong with him. Lastnight his heart rate dropped way too low. They did two blood transfusions last night and gave him some medicine to help with the fluid. Today they gave him an iron transfusion. His breathing and color were much better today! Once they get his blood where it needs to be they are going to start working on the heart. He is going to need to go through some tests and will probably get a pacemaker at the end of this week. After his heart rate stabilizes they are talking about doing another test to find out where the internal bleeding is. He will be 84 in April. I know that IT is going to happen, but I am not ready. Not now. He has a bad heart, bad lungs, prostate cancer, skin cancers....the list goes on, but he is one of the strongest people I know! He is the heart and soul of our family! Please remember him (and us) in your prayers.

Luke's Uncle Rod passed away tonight. He was at Washington Regional in the CCU. He was on a ventilator and they took him off of it tonight. He was diagnosed with liver failure a few months ago. Everyone knew it was coming, but it has been really hard on them all. Please remember them in your prayers as well.

Finally, I found out today that I have another ovarian cyst. It is small and should resolve on its own. Pray that it does because I need to focus on my family.

Thank you!

Love,

Proud.

2012-01-28T14:15:00.001-08:00

I am so proud of Kimber. I talked her into donating her hair, but she would never commit to making an appointment. Yesterday she told me she wanted to do it and kept asking me when she was going to get her hair cut. She talked to her daddy on the phone about it and she said, "Mom, ask daddy I am getting a shortcut." It was cute. That translates into "tell daddy am getting my hair cut short." Anyway, she did great and she looks adorable! I am so proud of her!

7 Months?

2012-01-19T19:24:00.000-08:00

Kanyon is 7 months old today. Is that even possible? He got three more teeth this week. Tuesday night he was extremely fussy. I knew something was going on because he is always happy. We got about 3 hours of sleep. The next morning I thought he felt warm. I took his temp and it was 101. I made him a doctor appointment for 2:00. By the time we got to the doctor his temp was 103. He was very lethargic. He just felt awful. His left ear has a bad infection. This is the same ear that was infected last time. I hope it doesn't keep giving us trouble! He felt much better today. Hopefully he will continue to improve. There are so many scary viruses going around.

Kinnison lost her fourth tooth this week. That doesn't seem possible either. She and her sister were goofing off and someone how Kinnison head butted Kimber. The tooth was really loose before, but it started bleeding after the collision. It made her sick to her stomach. She didn't want to pull it though. Later that day we went to Wal Mart. Kimber gave Kinnison a piece of gum and the first chew pulled it right out! She has two more loose already! She is still doing well in school. I read a new book to her lastnight and she read it back to me and only missed a couple words. She is such a smart girl.

Kimber is advancing also. She can write all the letters in her name without help, but sometimes forgets what letter comes next. She is counting to 10 without missing any numbers now. She knows all of her shapes and colors. She has come such a long way this year. She is a very smart girl. She is a very ornery girl. She thinks it is fun to run around naked and talk dirty. (poo poo head) She is still the comedian in the family.

I read a really good article this week. I could totally relate to it. I really appreciated the honesty!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/glennon-melton/dont-carpe-diem_b_1206346.html

"There was a famous writer who, when asked if he loved writing, replied, "No. but I love having written." What I wanted to say to this sweet woman was, "Are you sure? Are you sure you don't mean you love having parented?"

I love having written. And I love having parented. My favorite part of each day is when the kids are put to sleep (to bed) and Craig and I sink into the couch to watch some quality TV, like Celebrity Wife Swap, and congratulate each other on a job well done. Or a job done, at least."

Isn't that the truth!? Some days I count down the minutes until bed time! (and naptime) At the end of the day I think, "I survived another day!" Then I dig deep for motivation to prepare for one more day. Do I enjoy everything that staying at home entails? Nope. Will I miss it one day? Yup. Parenting is hard. The stress, worry, guilt, and tough decisions never end, but it is totally worth it.

I am so incredibly blessed!

DIY Kitchen

2012-01-07T20:17:00.001-08:00

Ever since I became addicted to Pinterest I have wanted to build a kitchen for the kids out of some old piece of furniture. A few months ago I went to an auction with my Mom, Grandma, Grandpa, Aunt Donna and Uncle Jim. I wasn't paying attention and realized they were auctioning off an entertainment center. I threw my hand up, no else bid and I had no idea what I paid. I thought it was a couple dollars. I was wrong. It was ONE dollar.

This is what we started with:

This is the finished product:

The picture in the window was taken in the top field at the farm where Luke and I got married!

Luke and I had a lot of fun building this for the kids. We tried to use neutral colors so Kanyon could play with it also. Luke's Grandpa got the girls new play food and some pots and pans. Luke and I bought them some kitchen utensils. Meme and I made them aprons. They even got matching aprons for their dolls. We worked on it when they were in bed or at school. We hid it in the garage. On Christmas Eve we moved it into the living room. They didn't even notice it on Christmas morning! They have already enjoyed making us meals.

Here is a breakdown of the costs:

Entertainment Center	$ 1.00
Backing	$15.00
Paint	$12.00
Dog Dish	$ 4.00
Handles	$ 4.57
Hinges	$ 5.14
Hooks	$ 2.57
Burners/Knobs	$ 2.00
Dowel Rod	$ 0.40
Trim For Window	$ 3.12
Curtains	$ 2.44
Faucet	$ 3.00
Plexiglass	$ 3.00

TOTAL	$58.24

We already had scrap wood for the back, so we spent around $40 for the entire project!

Happy New Year!

2012-01-01T17:04:00.000-08:00

Looking Back at 2011

January

We found out our sweet baby was a BOY!

February

Kimber turned 3!

March

Both girls had pneumonia and were very sick.

April

Meme was hospitalized and had surgery. She also moved back in with Mom and Dad. We are so thankful she is doing better and living with them again. The kids love seeing her more often!

Kinnison lost her first tooth!

May

Kinnison played her first T-Ball Game.

Luke's brother Kyle was in a bad car accident.

Luke's family survived the terrible tornado in Joplin.

June

Kanyon James joined our family!

July

We celebrated Grandma and Grandpa's 60th Wedding Anniversary!

Gammy and Pappy took us to Oklahoma.

Luke turned 30!

August

We went to Gulf Shores.

We said goodbye to Lolly. We were heartbroken. Still are.

Kinnison started Kindergarten!

September

October

Kanyon got his first two teeth!

November

Kinnison turned 6!

December

Luke and I celebrated our 9th Anniversary.

He surprised me with this!

I really hope that today is not an indication of how 2012 is going to be. It was bad.

My big diet starts tomorrow. Must. Lose. Weight. I was doing really good with diet and exercise up until two weeks ago. I fell off the wagon. Bad. I think I gained about 2.5 lbs back. My goal is 15 lbs, but I would be ecstatic if I lost 10lbs before our vacation in July. Wish me luck!

We are wishing you and your family a Blessed and Happy New Year!

In a funk.

2011-12-30T10:31:00.001-08:00

This time of year always gets me in a funk. After Christmas reality hits me hard. The year is almost over. 2012 is rapidly approaching. Where did this year go? Where have they all gone? My babies are growing up so fast. Too fast. It is really getting me down. I don't want them to grow up!! My Grandparents and my Meme are aging every day. I hate it. I can't imagine my world without them in it.

I spend so much time worrying about how fast time is going by and what the future will hold, that I am missing out on the present.

The girls and I have been butting heads lately. I love them so much it hurts, but right now I don't like them very much. They have been down right defiant. I constantly have to repeat myself. They don't follow house rules. They bicker with each other daily. I am constantly griping, nagging, and threatening. It sucks. The other night Kimber said I was mean. It is true. I have been mean. I have been mean every day. I have tried everything I know to correct their behavior and have resorted to yelling. Mother of the year. Now, don't get me wrong...even on their worst day they are a bajillion times better than most kids I am around in public. They are easy going, sweet, compassionate, smart, loving, fun kids, but I am trying to teach them accountability, respect and obedience. My biggest struggle is to get them to pick up after themselves. They used to be good at it, but they have become lazy. Perhaps I do too much for them? If they open food, they leave the trash on the table. If they take off clothes, they leave them on the floor. I have to ask a thousand times for them to pick up their toys. I don't think I am asking too much.

2012 is going to be a big year for us. Luke and I are going to start living a healthier lifestyle. He is cutting back on fast food, portions and sweets. I have started working out on the elliptical. I already gave up my ice cream and Dr. Pepper. We eliminated pop at our house months ago. We are going to be eliminating candy bars, oreos ect. Will we splurge? You bet. But, the kids have picked up on our habits and eat way too much junk! I think the entire Hamilton House needs an attitude adjustment, starting with me and Luke! I have begged Luke to lead the kids by example. He doesn't pick up after himself either and I often have to ask him more than once to do something. There are so many days that I am caught up in what needs to get done, what has to get done that I don't enjoy a single minute of it. Staying at home is hard. My days are monotonous. I am constantly correcting kids and cleaning house. I feel like I sometimes take my kids for granted. They are miracles. I went through a lot to get them here and I need to cherish every moment I have with them! I stress about things that don't matter and don't get to enjoy my children! I am praying I can change that!

2012 New Year's Resolution

Lose 15lbs

Eat Healthier

Exercise More

Quit Cussing

More Patience

Focus On My Family (less time cleaning, on the phone/internet ect)

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-26T11:03:00.000-08:00

Saturday night we went to my Mom and Dad's House. We ate, opened presents and decorated sugar cookies and gingerbread houses. Sunday morning we opened presents here. They got lots of goodies. They are definitely spoiled! One of our favorite traditions is waffles on Christmas morning. After breakfast and clean up we went to the farm for Christmas lunch. The weather was beautiful. We even did our gift exchange outside in the front yard! It was a great Christmas and many wonderful memories were made!

Here are some professional pictures we had taken last month.

Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!

Love,

One year ago...

2011-12-22T12:02:00.000-08:00

Kimber was admitted to the hospital for pneumonia.

It was physically and emotionally exhausting. It was one of the scariest things I have ever went through. I am glad I blogged about it then because most of the details are a blur now, but I will never forget how hard it was to see her in pain, to see her SO sick, to see them poke her and run tests on her, and to know we would miss out on some of our favorite Christmas Traditions! We are so thankful that she is healthy this year. We will pray for all the families that have loved ones, especially children, in the hospital, especially on Christmas.

Kanyon hit the six month mark this week, which doesn't seem possible. He had his six month checkup yesterday. He had to get four shots. He was such a big boy. He barely cried. He is trying to sit up, but falls forward. He has started watching The Backyardigans. Kinnison and Kimber both loved that show. I am he will love it too! He is such a happy boy. He loves to jabber and laugh all the time. He is trying to hold his bottle on his own. He loves to get two handfuls of my hair when I kiss him. If we take a nap together he plays with my hair until he falls asleep. If he is sleeping by himself he plays with a blanket until he falls asleep. His favorite is a frog blankie his Auntie Fran bought him. He loves to rub it on his face. He has brought so much happiness to our lives. We love him so much! I can't wait to see him on Christmas Day. Six months is such a fun age!

Kinnison is on Christmas Break! She and her sister are having a hard time following the rules and doing what they are asked, but I am still really excited to have her home with us. I miss her being here. She is a big help and always makes us laugh. We had a lot of fun when we were all home together. I'm ready for summer vacation!

Happy Anniversary!

2011-12-08T18:24:00.001-08:00

Yesterday Luke and I celebrated nine years together, which doesn't seem possible. Honestly, every year gets better. Luke and I don't always see eye to eye. He loves to give me a hard time and I have gotten really good at giving it right back to him. We fight hard, but we love even harder. We aren't the same people we were nine years ago. I love him differently. I love him more, which I didn't think was possible. We have evolved into something much different. We are a crazy, chaotic, loud, sleep deprived team. Our daily routine resembles a tag team wrestling match. We are outnumbered, but I thank God every day that I have my three beautiful kids. I have the most wonderful life and I can't imagine sharing it with anyone else.

To celebrate Luke and I left Tuesday and went to Mt. Magazine . We stayed at the lodge. It was absolutely beautiful. We hiked the trail to the highest point in Arkansas.

When we stopped to take a picture Luke surprised me with a beautiful three stone diamond ring that I had picked out a few weeks ago. Luke never surprises me. He doesn't do romance. He rarely buys me things. I was SHOCKED. I am cheap and after showing him the ring I told he better not buy it for me because there is no way we can afford it right now. He did buy it and I love it. The whole time we were there it snowed. It was fabulous. We went to dinner at the Skycrest Resteraunt. The food was wonderful. We had an amazing view, a cozy fire and we were the only people there! That night we went to swim and we were the only people there too! It was an amazing trip that I won't ever forget.

Our trip wouldn't have been possible without my mom. She watched our little herd so we could go. THANK YOU!

On a side note, Michelle Duggar miscarried her 20th child today. I know that a lot of people don't agree with their way of life, but I think they are a wonderful family. They have done a better job with nineteen than most people do with one. Some of those people say, "there is no way they can give those children enough attention". But, so many people these days have different priorities. They may spend 40+ hours a week at work while someone else raises their children. The Duggars also support themselves instead of living off the government. I am not condemning either of those things. Do what you have to do. I just wish people wouldn't be so quick to judge others. I have seen some really awful comments on Facebook. Christian or not, please have enough respect not to kick someone while they are down. This miscarriage was not "a sign from God to tell them to stop reproducing". I miscarried my 2nd and 3rd child. If I had taken that as a sign and given up Kimber and Kanyon wouldn't be here. When I had my miscarriages I had people say some really awful things to me and they were trying to help. I cannot imagine going through it and having to deal with all the horrible, mean things people are saying. No matter if it is your 1st child or your 20th, you are 4 weeks or 20 weeks, losing a child is devastating. Please say a prayer for the entire Duggar family.

Christmas Traditions.

2011-11-29T06:41:00.001-08:00

Sunday we made cinnamon ornaments to decorate the kids' Christmas Tree with. They are fun to make and smell wonderful! It is one of my favorite Christmas Traditions! Here is the recipe I posted last year.

We are starting a new tradition this year.

The Elf on the Shelf came to the Hamilton House lastnight. I am so excited to do this with the kids. Kinnison is skeptical, but I think after a few nights of "Buddy the Elf" moving around she will find it more believable.

I love this time of year!

Giving Thanks.

2011-11-24T20:06:00.000-08:00

I am thankful for God who has given me so much to be thankful for!

I am so very thankful for my kids. Being a stay at home mom is very hard and very stressful, but I am so thankful I have the opportunity to do it. I can't even fathom leaving them with someone else while I work. I am thankful for my husband. He is one of the hardest working people I have ever met. He is the reason I get to stay home! He is a great provider for our family and he is a terrific father to our children! I am thankful for each and every day I get to spend with my family. I am thankful for my friends. And, I am thankful for the men and women who serve our country!

Today is my dad's 53rd birthday! Happy Birthday Pappy Dog!

I am truly blessed!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Proud.

2011-11-23T09:56:00.000-08:00

We are so proud of all of our children! They are smart, sweet, well behaved kids! (most of the time)

We are especially proud of how fast Kinnison is learning sight words and how well she is reading now. I am posting a video of her reading words this morning. She did 50! I am going to have to make cards with the words from her favorite books because we don't have those. I bet she knows over 100!

Kimber is counting to 10 without skipping numbers now. She can say her letters and write most of them, but needs to work on recognition still. When I hold up a flashcard she rambles off about 5-10 different letter names. Kanyon is excelling in the jumperoo. He also likes to get two handfuls of Kinnison's hair and shove it in his mouth. :) He has really developed a lot of personality this week. He loves to smile and laugh. He is such a happy boy.10

Happy Birthday Kinnison!

2011-11-14T17:42:00.001-08:00

Kinnison turned six years old today...which doesn't seem possible. We had a swim party at the Boys and Girls club yesterday. It was a Luau themed party. I worked my tail off. Lastnight Kinnison told me it was the best birthday she has ever had, which made it worth all the hard work. Everyone had a lot of fun. Thank you to everyone who came to share her special day. We are so blessed to have so many wonderful friends and such a wonderful family.

Kinnison is reading anything and everything. She is very smart and very witty. She has a great sense of humor. She remembers EVERYTHING. She loves to sing and dance. She loves to help her brother and sister. She is a huge help to me. Kinnison's favorite color is pink. She loves Taylor Swift. She loves anything that has chocolate in it or on it. She has lost three teeth and has another one loose. She loves peace signs. She loves her dog, Tator. She is sweet, happy and compassionate. She has an amazing personality and a contagious laugh. She is just wonderful. She has brought so much joy, laughter and love into our lives. We are so blessed to be her parents! Happy Birthday sweet girl. We love you to the moon and back!

Make a video - it's fun, easy and free!
www.onetruemedia.com

Here is a link to last years montage.

http://cryshamilton.blogspot.com/2010/11/denial.html

Here is a slideshow with pictures from her party.

Six Years Ago...

2011-11-09T18:33:00.000-08:00

Kinnison should have been entering the world six years ago today, but she had different plans. She was due November 9th, but decided to come on November 14th. She wanted to make an entrance! She lost another tooth today! This was number three for her! This was her snaggle tooth. A couple years ago she was running around upstairs and fell and hit our footboard. It pushed the tooth up into the gums. It has been loose since then and turned a gray color, so we were very happy to see it go.

Update.

2011-11-04T06:55:00.000-07:00

I've run out of new blog titles.

Kinnison is doing great in school. She knew 13 sight words on her report card and knows even more now. This week she started bringing a book home in her study bag. She has already mastered it. She can read most of the old school Dick & Jane stories too. We are so proud of her. I know that God has special plans for her. She is so smart and has an exceptional memory. She is also very compassionate. I think she needs to be a doctor or a nurse. But, she decided this week she wants to be an artist. That was on my list when I was growing up, so I can't blame her. I am sure she will excel at whatever she chooses! I finished her birthday montage. I'll be posting it soon.

Kimber is....Kimber. LOL She is such a joy and so much work at the same time. She is very tender hearted and very passionate about everything. Tell her "no" and it will break her heart. She can be very high maintenance, but she is such a wonderfully sweet girl it is hard to get onto her. There is no doubt in my mind that God has something very special planned for her as well. She has so much love to give and laughter to share. I am so thankful I am getting to spend more time with her. Kinnison got me all to herself for 2 years before Kimber came along. Even though I worked and went to school, all of her time was individual time. When Kimber was born I had Kinnison, work and even more hours of school. So, Kimber got the short end of the stick. She still has to share her time with Kinnison and Kanyon, but there is a lot more time now that I am staying at home. I need to enjoy every minute I have with her because she will be starting school in 2 years! Hard to believe.

Kanyon is changing every day. Yesterday when we were shopping he would puff out his cheeks real big, blow spit bubbles and then giggle. It was adorable. His favorite activity is his Jumperoo. He is on formula now. I exclusively breastfed for 3 months. At 3 months I did formula during the day, pumped before bed and then breastfed him at night. The next morning he got the pumped bottle. We did that for about 2 weeks. Then he decided he didn't want to nurse anymore. Before he didn't care what he ate or where it came from! The next two weeks he went to primarily formula and 1-2 breastmilk bottles a day. At 4 months we switched to formula only. I'm very proud of both of us. My goal was 6 months or until he got teeth and he got his first two teeth last week! I am a little sad we are done, but it was very hard to do with two other children...especially when one is in school! He is rolling all over the place. He flips from tummy to back and somehow gets his feet where is head was?

Happy Fall Ya'll!

2011-11-02T09:21:00.000-07:00

It is absolutely beautiful here in Northwest Arkansas. This might be one of the prettiest falls we have had and I was worried we wouldn't have fall at all. We had extreme snow, extreme flooding, extreme heat and drought. We had a lot of trees die over the summer, but somehow our trees have changed to the most beautiful shades of reds, oranges and yellows. Saturday we took the train ride from Springdale to Van Buren. It was absolutely beautiful. And, we made some great memories. We took fall family pics this weekend. It was crazy and stressful, but we got some good shots. I am thankful for every photo I have with my family. I will cherish them always.

Monday was Halloween. I helped organize Kinnison's class party. It was a lot of fun. Kinnison and Kimber were witches this year. I made their costumes and I must say they were the cutest witches ever! Kanyon was a cow and he was adorable! We went to Charity's house to celebrate Meme's birthday. We had a wonderful dinner! (thanks Gammy!) After dinner the girls got to go trick-or-treating. When they were done trick-or-treating they handed out candy. I think they enjoy handing it out just as much as they like getting it.

Luke and I have both had a stomach bug. I couldn't sleep lastnight so I decided to work on Kinnison's DVD and write in their journals. I stumbled across some old videos. There are no words to describe the emotions I have about my kids growing up. It takes my breath away. I watched videos of Kinnison and Kimber when they were babies. It doesn't seem possible that they are going to be 6 and 4. They have brought so much joy into our lives. There is not a night I go to bed that I do thank God for my kids, my family. They mean everything to me. They are growing up right before my eyes. It is bittersweet. I am sad that they aren't little babies anymore, but I am so proud of the young ladies they have become. They are wonderful big sisters to Kanyon. I am trying to soak up every minute I have with him because I know in the blink of an eye he will be celebrating his 6th birthday. It makes me sad.

Love,

Kanyon Has Teeth!

2011-10-28T05:57:00.000-07:00

Kanyon was laughing on Wednesday and I noticed he had two teeth! He is eating rice cereal better. We tried sweet potatoes yesterday and he wasn't a fan! He loves to roll over. He laughs all the time. He thinks he can sit up and stand up on his own. Grandpa tells him he is cocky. I can't believe how fast he is growing up.

Sunday we took the kids on our annual trip to the Ranalli Farms Pumpkin Patch. We went later this year, so they didn't have as many pumpkins to pick from. The girls still had fun picking out pumpkins though and they had even more fun decorating them.

More Projects.

2011-10-14T12:23:00.000-07:00

Every time I accomplish a project I find something else I want to do. And, my projects usually end up trashing the house. I don't think I will ever get caught up!

This is my new fall wreath and my new red door! I love it!

And, this is the photo canvas I made. It was super easy. I spent less than $20 on the picture and canvas. The same size canvas is $60 at Walmart! I haven't decided if I am going to put scrapbook paper on the sides or not.

Update on the kiddos:

Kinnison is OBSESSED with school. All she does when she gets home is read, write and spell. It is her favorite thing. And, she is really good at it. She has gotten really good at cutting things out as well. She told me last week she wanted to be a teacher, but after watching the pep rally she decided she wanted to be a cheerleader. She is going to be 6 in ONE month. I am not sure how that is possible. :(

Kimber is talking more and more. She is still a little comedian. She loves to moon her daddy. HA! I am not sure where she learned to do that! She told me last week she wants to be a dancer when she grows up. I hope she doesn't combine those two things! She sings the alphabet song and can write most of the letters, but says, "what's this?" after she writes it. She is drawing people now. They look like the "monsters" Kinnison used to draw.

Kanyon started sleeping in his crib in the girls' room two nights ago. He is doing great. He was sleeping in his playpen in our room. I think the crib is more comfortable and their room stays warmer than ours. He has been working on a tooth for a couple months now, but it hasn't broke thru yet. He smiles and laughs all the time...especially when he poops his pants. He thinks it is hilarious. He gets that from his dad. He is such an easy going baby.

Dress Up Storage.

2011-10-01T20:24:00.000-07:00

So, we have been looking for a way to organize the girls' dress up clothes. We have had them in storage boxes under the bed and in the closet. Neither worked very well. We have been looking for an armoire for a while now. Luke asked around work and some lady he works with gave us this for free!

Before

After

We are thrilled with how it turned out. It is absolutely perfect!

So Far Behind.

2011-09-21T19:06:00.000-07:00

I haven't updated in a while. Things have been so hectic! And, I never got around to posting square dance pictures, so I am going to post them now! Kinnison looked adorable and her group did a great job. We had a campout at the farm on Labor Day Weekend. Grandma and Grandpa stayed in the house and Kinnison, Kimber, Kanyon, Luke, Charity, Ty, Emmy, Gammy, Pappy, and I all camped out in tents. Kanyon was terrific. He went to sleep early, slept through our armadillo hunt and only woke up twice to eat. It was cold, so I was worried he wouldn't sleep well, but he did great! The girls had a blast. They got to eat Funyuns and s'mores...doesn't get better than that!

We took the kids to the zoo. We got to watch an elephant demonstration. It was really neat. Kanyon thought it was so funny he pooped through his clothes. HA

I have a new addiction called Pinterest. I am on it way more than I should be, but I have gotten some great ideas. I love creating things. I have been doing lots of projects lately and haven't taken any photos! I am going to try to keep up with the blog better and post before and after photos and tutorials on some of my projects.

I found some neat ideas for the first day of school and each school year. I kinda combined the two. This is what I came up with:

It is a picture on the first day of school with her holding a chalkboard sign with her name. Each year I will take the same type of photo and ask her about her favorite things. When she graduates I will put them all in a photo book for her. So neat!

I also found a little poem on Pinterest about the first day of kindergarten. A women wrote on her blog about her children going to school. Her youngest was starting kindergarten. At her school the First Grade Moms invited the Kindergarten Moms to a Boo Hoo Breakfast. They gave them tissues with this poem attached:

First Day of School

(Wendy Silva)

I wonder what you're doing right now
and if everyone is treating you kind.
I hope there is a special person,
a nice friend that you can find.

I wonder if the teacher knows just
how special you are to me.
And if the brightness of your heart
is something she can see.

I wonder if you are thinking about
me and if you need a hug.
I already miss the sound of your voice
and how you give my leg a tug.

I wonder if you could possibly understand
how hard it is for me to let you grow.
On this day know that my heart breaks,
for this is the first step in letting my baby go.

I thought it was such a neat idea and the poem describes my thoughts on Kinnison's first day perfectly. She is so sweet and so special. I can't believe how fast the time has gone by. And, it seems to be going even faster now that she is in school. :(

Can't Believe It.

2011-09-11T19:53:00.000-07:00

Kanyon is 12 weeks old today, which doesn't seem possible. He is such a good baby. He is happy all the time. He has brought so much joy to our lives!

I hit a personal milestone today! I have been breastfeeding for 12 weeks! I breastfed Kinnison for less than a week because she had reflux. I pumped for 6 weeks and then she ended up on Enfamil AR. I only breastfed Kimber for a couple days. She had colic and after switching formula five times she ended up on Prosobee formula. We switched her back to milk based formula at six months. Neither of the girls were good latchers. Kanyon was a pro from the start. We haven't had any issues. I have supplemented with formula when I needed a break or my milk production was low. He is eating more and more each day which makes it hard to keep up. I don't know how much longer we will continue, but am very proud of us for making it this long!

Things I Love...

2011-09-09T19:54:00.000-07:00

God. Luke. Kinnison. Kimber. Kanyon. Family. Friends. Pets. Fall. Nature. Arkansas. Browning. French Vanilla Capppuccino.Vacation. Michael Buble. Holidays. Staying Home. Crafting. Canning. Baking. Cleaning. Laughing. Camping. Mason Jars. Chocolate. Reading. Bath & Body Lotion. James Patterson. Country Music. Tulips. Photography. Crawley Farm. Ice Cream. Spa. Suburban. Dr. Pepper. Beach. Coupons. Bargains.

A Little Makeover.

2011-09-07T20:08:00.001-07:00

I have been working on the downstairs bathroom/laundry room for a few months now. I decided I wanted it to be beachy and painted it blue. We had a recycled cabinet above the toilet that I hated. The furniture was mismatched. So, I decided to try my hand at refinishing furniture. I redid the cabinet above the toilet and an old bookshelf that belonged to my mom. I moved all of my craft stuff into my bedroom. This was a huge help. We had too many things going on in there. It was a bathroom, laundry room, sewing room, craft room, ect.

I didn't take before pictures, but here are some of the finished room. I love it!

Here is a picture of the bathroom when you walk in.

Please ignore the diapers and fabric softener! We have a stockpile closet, but have run out of room!

This is the bookshelf I refinished.

I made a burlap curtain to hide the hot water heater!

I painted the shelf above the sink.

I painted the shlef above the toilet. I also made the seashell monogram!

Luke helped me with the furniture. He complained the whole time and swore he wouldn't ever help me strip, sand or paint furniture again. But, he helped me redo the computer desk in the kids' room. I am going to redo the dresser in their room as well. And, he is going to help me with it too! I'll post pictures of them soon!

Prayer Request.

2011-09-01T16:44:00.000-07:00

Lastnight while taking a bath I noticed a black spot. It was dark black mole that I never noticed before. Luke and I thought it might be a tick, but it wasn't. I called this morning and got an appointment with my dermatologist. I actually had two spots. One of them looked like a normal mole and she said that it didn't concern her, but the black spot did concern her. So, I had it removed today. They sent it off and I should have the results in 10-14 days. Please say a prayer that everything comes back normal.

Thanks!

Love,

Hectic.

2011-08-23T20:39:00.000-07:00

Things have been hectic around here. So, this will probably be a short update.

Kinnison is doing great in kindergarten. She loves going. She lost her 2nd tooth on Saturday. The tooth fairy brought her $5. She has two more loose teeth.

Kimber misses Kinnison when she is gone, but is loving the extra attention. The pediatrician only saw one tube this week. Hopefully she was correct! We are so ready for her tubes to be out. She got them last April!

Kanyon got immunizations Monday. He had 3 huge blowouts that day. At the end of the day he was naked because he pooped through 3 outfits. Luke was riding around Fayetteville in his undies because Kanyon pooped all over him. And, I had poop on my shorts. It was a wild day. Kanyon weighed 11lbs and 13oz . He gained weight last week even though he had a cold. He is 9 weeks old this week. I can't believe how fast the time is going by.

Saturday would have been Kelby's 4th birthday. I was very busy that day which helped. It hit me hard lastnight though. Fran and I watched The Help and one of the characters had 4 miscarriages. It was heartbreaking and brought back a lot of emotions.

I am so blessed to have Kinnison, Kimber and Kanyon in my life. They are miracles!

Happy Heavenly Birthday, Kelby!

Big Week.

2011-08-17T16:49:00.000-07:00

This post won't get the attention it deserves, but we have been going non-stop since vacation. I am exhausted! Vacationing with 3 kids isn't what I would call "relaxing". I had a terrible toothache the first few days we were gone, but it got better. All of our stuff got washed out with the tide. (umbrella, chairs, boogie boards, ect.) Luke got a cold on the last day at the beach. I got it when we got home. Kanyon has it now. Luke took the girls deep sea fishing and they puked the entire trip. SIX HOURS. There were some positives. We had some great weather and our condo was beautiful. The girls had a blast and Kanyon was terrific. We wanted them to have fun and they did. That is all that matters. I have a slide show with some of my favorite pictures. I couldn't upload them all.

I took Kanyon to the doctor today. He weighed 11lbs 9oz!

The day I was dreading finally arrived. My baby girl started Kindergarten on Monday. She has been wanting to go to kindergarten for years. She was so excited she literally jumped out of the bed at about 6:30 a.m. Luke, Kanyon, Kimber and I all walked her into her classroom. I took my camera, but forgot my SD card! I left it in my computer after uploading my vacation pictures! So, I only have a few pictures from my camera and they aren't great.

Thanks for the outfit Gammy!

She has been such a big girl. I am so glad that she is independent. I wouldn't be able to take her if she got upset when I dropped her off. Beth and Melissa both sent me a picture of her on her first day. I was very grateful. And, I am pretty proud of myself for not crying on her first day! That is huge for me.

Growing up you always hear people say, "They grow up too fast!" and "Where does the time go?:

I think I say one of those daily. I CANNOT believe that I have a kindergartner. I wish I could stop time because it is going by too quickly.

Devastated....

2011-08-12T14:19:00.001-07:00

Lolly survived the night. I didn't think it was possible. Mom said she had been in bad shape since Saturday. She couldn't walk and was vomiting and pooping blood. She would take deep breaths and pull her back legs in. She wouldn't eat or drink anything. I don't know if she was in pain or not, but I decided that I couldn't watch her suffer anymore. I prayed that I wouldn't have to make the decision to put her to sleep, but I did. It was a very difficult decision. I realized that I was holding back because it was easier for me. I had to do what was best for her. Luke works tomorrow and the vet's office is closed on Sunday. So, it was either do it today or wait until Monday. I didn't want her to suffer any longer. So, we decided it was time to let her go.

Luke bought Lolly when he and I were just friends. She was a very mischievous puppy. She got lots of spankings. She liked to poop on the floor, eat sweets off the counter, dig through the trash. She once ate Luke's wallet and some of the bathroom wall. She chewed a bottle of wood glue on the carpet and even got the lid off a can of paint in the garage. She was the smartest dog ever. She new every trick in the book. I even taught her some in Spanish. She even climbed a ladder and got on the roof with Luke. She didn't like to lay on hard surfaces so she would drag out towels and blankets to lay on. She pooped in the weirdest spots. She pooped on Luke's truck seat while he was driving, the back of the truck going down the interstate, in the water at the creek, background of my maternity photos, ect. She loved to hunt. She would hunt anything...mice, lizards, snakes, and squirrels. She was a great hunter. If I was having a bad day or sad she would come over and put her face right in my face. She would lay her ears back and nudge me with her nose. She would snuggle with me and lick me. She always new how to cheer me up. When Luke would travel or work nights he would tell her to protect me. She did. She would get in bed with me. If she heard a noise she would literally sit on top of my chest and bark and growl. She was just as kind and protective of Kinnison and Kimber. Even when she felt bad she would let them hit her and climb on her. She never once growled at them. She was smart, compassionate, protective, funny and loyal. She was my best friend. We never considered her a dog. She was part of the family. She was one of the kids.

In May of 2010 Lolly started losing her eye sight. I took her to one vet and wasn't happy with "she's old". So, I took her to another vet. I knew something was going on because she had developed cataracts over night. They did bloodwork and diagnosed her with diabetes. I was devastated. I knew that it would be a commitment and that her days were numbered. It was hard and it was expensive, but we got to love Lolly for another 15 months. Some of those days were good. Some of them were bad. But, even on her bad days she would wag her tail when we talked to her. She lived in the garage. She had her very own spot next to the woodstove during the winter and had a fan just for her during the summer. I wish we could have spent more time with her, but I know that she lived a good life.

I want to say THANK YOU to my mom, dad and sister for taking terrific care of her while we were gone. She went downhill as soon as we left and I know that she was well taken care of while we were gone.

We love you Lolly! We are going to miss you so much. Thank you for being such a wonderful part of our lives!

Here are some of my favorite pictures of Lolly.

So Hard To Say Goodbye...

2011-08-11T20:28:00.000-07:00

We made it home from vacation. Mom and dad warned me that Lolly wasn't doing well. I had no idea how bad it was. It is likely she won't make it through the night. We all said our goodbyes. It was so hard. She has been a wonderful part of our family. She was more than a pet. More than a dog. She was one of my best friends. Things haven't been great since she was diagnosed with diabetes last year. But, we did everything we could for her and that is comforting. I'll post an update tomorrow. Please pray that she is comfortable and pain free. I have prayed that we wouldn't have to euthanize her. I want her to go on her own, but I don't want her to suffer. She means so much to us. We love her very much. Thanks

Another Year.

2011-08-01T08:29:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it is time for school to start back already. I didn't even try to get a job this year. And, that is probably a good thing. Many of my NTL Classmates still don't have a job. When I got pregnant we decided it would be best if I stayed home. I might try to teach again when Kanyon goes to school, but right now I am focusing on the family. I took Kinnison to Cheer Camp today and then dropped her school supplies off at the primary. I saw some old friends. There are things I don't miss about working there, but I loved my job. I miss the kids more than anything. I do get a little sad at the beginning of the school year. It was my favorite time of year. I love fall. And, I am sad that I won't be there to watch over Kinnison. But, I have some good friends there that will watch over her for me. I CAN NOT believe that Kinnison starts Kindergarten in less than 2 weeks. Where has the time gone? I know that she will do great. She is a good girl. She is smart and independent. I know she will love it. And, they will be lucky to have her.

Even if I got a teaching job the new would wear off. Every teacher I know dreads the end of summer. Once school starts they count down t he days until they get a break...Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring Break and Summer Break are the big ones. Some even count down until professional development days when they won't have students!

I loved working at the school, but I love staying home even more. I am so lucky I will get to be home to watch my kiddos grow.

Happy Birthday Luke!

2011-07-27T11:52:00.001-07:00

I'm only 5 days late posting this...things have been very hectic around here!

Luke's birthday was on the 22nd. I wanted to do something special since he was turning 30! So, I threw him a surprise party. I planned it out months in advance. I even had mom and dad buy his gift and hide it at their house. We got him a Stihl Weedeater! I bought groceries and supplies a little at a time and hid them at their house as well. I thought he knew about the party and the gift, but he didn't. He was totally surprised!

THANK YOU to everyone who came to the party. Luke was very surprised and said it was the best birthday party he has ever had. I also want to say THANK YOU to my mom. She helped me shop with 3 kids, hauled stuff to my house when Kanyon wouldn't let me put him down, and cooked some amazing food. I couldn't have done it without her. Thanks to everyone for making his night special. We love you!

Luke-

I can't believe you are 30! It is crazy how fast the time goes by. I am so glad you had fun at your party. I wanted to do something special for you because you do so much for our family. Happy Birthday! We love you!

Knothead.

2011-07-18T18:07:00.000-07:00

I noticed this morning that Kanyon had a knot on his head. My mom and I took him to the pediatric clinic. Dr. Ball checked him over really well and said he doesn't think anything bad is going on. More than likely it is a spot where two bones in his skull meet and it is growing. There could be other knots show up in the future. This one could go away or it could be that way forever. He wasn't concerned, but wants us to keep an eye on it. He wants us to follow up at our 2 month appointment. He was 9lbs 7oz and otherwise perfect. I was so relieved he didn't think there was anything bad going on. Gammy decided to call Kanyon "knothead".

Gammy and Pappy took me, Charity and all the grandkids to Oklahoma for the weekend. We left on Friday and drove to Oklahoma City. We got to swim at the hotel, eat at Trappers and visit the Oklahoma City Bombing Memorial.

Saturday we drove to Woodward Oklahoma to visit the Hopper Family. Dad and Jamie Hopper have been friends since they went to college together. We have always called Jamie"Hopper". Hopper is a farmer. Hopper's wife, Terri, is a teacher. They have three beautiful daughters. The girls were so sweet to our kiddos. They played with them and entertained them the whole night. We used to go visit them and go prairie dog hunting. Mom and dad have went a few times over the past couple of years. I haven't gotten to go in about 10 years. I am ready to go back. It is a lot of fun!

We made a lot of pit stops (mostly Emmy). But, the kids were all great considering the amount of time we spent driving. We had a great weekend!

Some Crafties...

2011-07-08T11:50:00.001-07:00

I have been buried in burlap lately. I love burlap. However, I despise working with burlap. It is very, very messy.

It all started when I saw a super cute banner made of burlap at one of our local flea markets. I wanted to make on for my Grandparent's Anniversary Party. It turned out really cute!

(Photo Courtesy of Snaplight Photography)

Then, I decided I wanted to make a burlap wreath. I couldn't make the one like I found online, but loved how mine turned out. My wreath was too wide for the wreath hanger, so I used one of the sticky hooks.

Please ignore my door. It needs painted badly. My Christmas Wreath scratched it.

My mom saw my wreath and told me she wanted one for the party and one for her house. You can see the one I made for the party hanging on the door in the picture with the banner.

Here is my mom's.

I'll make the bow after we hang it up. Now, I have to make one for my sister. :)

I also decorated mason jars to hold our flowers.

(Photo courtesy of Snaplight Photography)

Luke and I made a new wall decoration. We have had it for a while, but I am just now getting around to posting a picture. It is probably one of my favorite things in the house! I just need to add some photos of Kanyon!

And, today I made this!

A dry erase to do list! I am so excited!

Update.

2011-07-06T10:45:00.000-07:00

We have adjusted well to being a family of five! Having three kids hasn't slowed us down. We went to the drive in movies, watched fire works, went shopping ect. Kanyon is such a good natured baby. He is content most of the time. The girls have been a huge help. They love him so much. A lot of times Luke and I take the *Divide and Conquer* approach! Luke takes the girls and I take care of Kanyon. Luke has been taking them fishing and to the aquatic park. He lets them play in the garage while he works on mowers and takes them with him when he needs to go pick one up. I hate that I am missing out on fun stuff with the girls, but it is easier this way since I am breastfeeding Kanyon. And, it won't be long until Kanyon and I will be able to join them! (no one wants to see me in a swimsuit right now anyway!)

I haven't posted any pictures! Here is a little slide show of some of my favorites!

Saturday night we celebrated my Grandma and Grandpa's 60th Wedding Anniversary. We had a huge party at the farm. My mom worked really hard to give my grandparents everything they wanted. She did a fantastic job. The party was amazing and everyone had a wonderful time!

Blessed.

2011-06-24T18:56:00.000-07:00

Kanyon has been such a good boy. He literally eat, sleeps and poops. Yesterday we went on our first outing as a family of five. We were gone from 10:30-4:00. He slept most of the time. I nursed him and changed him in the car twice. We had his first checkup. He weighed 7lbs 7.5oz. She said he was perfect. His cord and circumcision are healing nicely. The pediatrician confirmed that he was "larger than normal". LOL He peed all over her, me and the floor. Kinnison and Kimber were also fantastic. They were well behaved and were very patient while we ran around all over the place. They have been wonderful big sisters. They help us a lot. And, they love Kanyon so much. He is lucky to have such wonderful big sisters!

Luke goes back to work tomorrow. I cried when he went back to work after I had Kimber. Kinnison was two and potty training and Kimber had colic. I dreaded being alone. I have no worries about being alone with them tomorrow. Kanyon is such a good boy and I know I will have a lot of help! I am so incredibly blessed!

Birth Story

2011-06-21T16:27:00.001-07:00

Luke and I arrived at Mercy Medical Center at 8 a.m. on Sunday, June 19th. We were greeted by some wonderful nurses. I knew one of them! It was so nice to see a familiar face! They got me hooked up to the machines and realized that I was having contractions every 3 minutes. I had felt a few contractions before we left the house, but didn't feel any of the ones showing up on the monitor. We started Pitocin a little after 9. They weren't real aggressive with the Pitocin because were waiting for the anesthesiologist to give me an epidural. The first time they checked me I was dilated 2 cm. The week before I was 1 and 1/2 cm. I started feeling some of the contractions. The anesthesiologist finally made it. The epidural hurt worse than the ones I had in the past and I felt a more numbing on my right side than my left. But, it eased the contractions, so I was happy! They increased my Pitocin dosage and the contractions started coming fast and hard. They checked me again and I was only dilated to a 4. I was feeling a lot of pain, so the anesthesiologist increased the epidural and told me to push the button every 15 minutes. I did that for an hour. The contractions were about a minute apart and very intense. I could feel everything in my stomach, but couldn't feel my bottom or legs. The nurse checked me and said I was between a 5 and 6. The next hour was excruciating. I breathed through every contraction. We called the anesthesiologist again and he told me to continue to push the button every 15 minutes. My mom went and got the nurse because I was in so much pain. She decided to check me again. We were shocked when she said I was a 10! We were ready to push! Once they got my legs in the stirrups I said, "If we have this baby in the next 10 minutes he will be born at the same time Kimber was." He was born 3 minutes before! I pushed for about 7 minutes! I pushed thru two contractions. Kanyon James was born at 4:45 p.m. He was definitely my quickest delivery! I pushed for 34 minutes with Kinnison and 48 minutes with Kimber. I was so relieved when he came out screaming! We are so thankful that we had no complications! I had no tearing. Apparently all the epidural went to my right leg. I could move my left leg shortly after they removed the catheter, but couldn't move my right leg until sometime in the middle of the night. Luke had to walk me to the bathroom and help me stand up. It was still tingling the next day! We had to wait until Kanyon was 24 hours old before they would do the bloodwork and release us. Kinnison's T-Ball Party was at 7. We knew it would be a rush. Thank goodness my mom went to our house and got everything we needed. She brought it to the hospital so the kiddos could get ready there. We waited all day for the doctor to perform Kanyon's circumcision. She came in and told us there was a problem. Apparently Kanyon was larger than most newborn boys. They normally used a 1.2 or 1.3 tool to circumsize them, but she needed a 1.5 to do Kanyon. They had to have a larger tool brought over from the pediatric clinic! She said he was "well endowed". Luke had a hay day with this. We all had lots of laughs. This will be a great story for Kanyon to tell when he is older.

I am so thankful for Dr. Pickhardt and the staff at Mercy. We had a wonderful experience. They took terrific care of us while we were there.

I am SO thankful for my parents who watched the girls, took care of the dogs and brought us dinner. They brought us more food today! We are so lucky!

I am so grateful to have my wonderful husband who encouraged me and took care of me. He spent his Father's Day watching his son enter the world. Pretty amazing! He has been a huge help to me and Kanyon. The girls have been dying for some attention, so he took them fishing tonight. I am so lucky to have such a wonderful daddy for my children. And, I am so thankful that I don't have to worry about going back to work. I get to stay home with my children because Luke works hard to make it happen. He is such a blessing to us.

Last but not least I am so unbelievably thankful to God. I have three beautiful, sweet, smart, precious little miracles. I don't know why he chose me to be their mama, but he did. For that I will forever be grateful. I am truly blessed!

Kanyon James Hamilton

2011-06-20T13:28:00.000-07:00

June 19, 2011 at 4:45 p.m.

7lbs 11.5 oz

19 3/4"

Tomorrow!

2011-06-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it is finally here! We get to meet Kanyon tomorrow! I can't wait!

Miserable is an understatement. I have decided that God makes pregnant women miserable at the end so they will actually be excited about the idea of labor. This isn't my first rodeo. It will be my third. I know what to expect and it isn't pleasant. But, I am so stinkin miserable right now I can't wait until tomorrow! And, of course the end result is totally worth it. Every night I have crazy dreams. I usually start a new dream each time I get up to go to the bathroom...which is approximately every hour. If I am lucky, every two hours. My dreams are normally strange or cause anxiety. I normally wake up and can't turn my brain off. I lay in bed thinking of things...which only makes my night more miserable. But, two nights ago I dreamed about Kanyon. I was holding him. I could smell him and kiss him and it was fabulous. It was just what I needed.

Please say a prayer that our labor and delivery goes quickly and without complications. Kinnison was a week late, had meconium in her water and the cord around her neck twice. She wasn't breathing and Luke didn't get to cut the cord. Kimber had to be suctioned and turned and twisted because she was so large. She was difficult to get out and had to be on oxygen. A normal delivery without any scary stuff would be nice!

I'll post an update tomorrow!

Love,

Loyal Companion

2011-06-16T11:36:00.000-07:00

Tator has been a member of our family since December of 2009. We wanted a small inside dog that the girls could grow up with. And, we wanted a dog that would protect them. I also wanted a dog that didn't shed. When he was a puppy he bit the girls a few times. (I probably would have too) We were afraid we would have to get rid of him. I am so thankful we didn't. He has turned out to be one of the best dogs we have ever owned! (We also tried getting rid of Lolly as a puppy. And, she has been one of the best dogs we have ever owned!)

Tator is a loyal companion to everyone in the family, but he is especially protective of the girls. A couple weeks ago we took the girls to the creek to fish. Luke carried the girls through the creek to get to a little gravel island. Tator didn't like it one bit. He had never been swimming so he stood on the bank and barked and whined.

He finally found a path that got him closer. He ran along the bank and then just bailed into the water.

He was so happy that he was with them again.

Tator swam back to the bank and ran as fast as he could to meet the girls when they got out of the water.

This week he has been sick. He is on his first antibiotic. We think he ate something and it upset his tummy. He was vomiting and had diarrhea. Tuesday we couldn't find him. We looked for him for an hour. Luke finally found him hiding in a hole under a lawn mower. We were all very scared that he disappeared like Mag. We had Jackie out doing some work and were afraid he might have gotten under one of the trees when it fell. It was very scary. I think Luke and I were more upset than the girls were.

He has turned out to be the perfect pet for our family. He is obedient, smart, sweet, and protective. I love that he is potty trained and doesn't run off.

I also love that he sleeps like this every night.

Seriously. I am up every hour to go to the bathroom. At night he sleeps in the chair though. Everytime I get up to go to the bathroom and see him sleeping like this I laugh out loud.

We love our Tator!

We Set A Date!

2011-06-09T17:38:00.001-07:00

We will be meeting Kanyon James on June 19th. I was really hoping Dr. Pickhardt would be able to induce me on June 16th or 17th, but he couldn't. He is on call Sunday the 19th. I am not excited about waiting longer, the number 19 or having a baby on Father's Day. I am also going to miss Kinnison's end of year T-Ball Party. Luke worked really hard to raise money so they could have a party at the aquatic park! I am sad I am going to miss it. But, I am excited we finally have a date. And, I am extremely anxious to meet my little man. I have had a pity party all day because things didn't go the way I planned. I'm just being selfish. I am so blessed to have this little baby boy inside me. This will be my last pregnancy(that is the plan anyway). I am thankful I got to experience this miracle one more time. And, the most important thing is that Kanyon is healthy. I don't mind being miserable as long as he is healthy! Please remember us in your prayers on the 19th (OR that he decides to come early on his own) :) I'll be posting pictures soon!

Family of Four Fun Day!

2011-06-08T10:50:00.001-07:00

We wanted to take the girls to do something special before Kanyon's arrival. It was our last big outing as a family of four. We started Monday night with a trip to the Aquatic Park. Tuesday morning we had donuts for breakfast and then went to Academy Outdoors. Each girl got a new camping chair and got to pick out a new fishing lure. They were so excited! Next, we went to Build A Bear. The girls both picked out dogs instead of bears. They had so much fun creating their new friends and picking out their clothes. I did this with Kinnison when Kimber was born and we had a lot of fun. She slept with her bear everynight and even slept with it in the hospital. I was hoping they would both enjoy it and they have! They have taken their dogs with them everywhere! After Build A Bear we went to Fast Lanes. We bowled first. We had a lot of fun. They both did great! Kimber won her age division and I won mine. :) After bowling Luke took each girl for a ride on the go karts. Kinnison was big enough to drive one by herself and decided she wanted to after riding with Luke. After Fast Lanes we went to Bariolas for pizza and spaghetti. We ended the day with a slice of cookie and a couple dinky doozies from Great American Cookie Company. It was a great day. We laughed a lot and made some great memories. We were all completely exhausted! We slept in 'til 8 this morning!

I go to the doctor for my 38 week check tomorrow. We should find out when Kanyon will be arriving. I can't wait!

Stick A Fork In Me...

2011-05-31T17:56:00.000-07:00

I am done!

Aside from terrible heartburn and a little sciatica, this pregnancy has been great. I am exhausted most of the time, but I think staying at home with a 3 and 5 year old might have something to do with that! I am so thankful that this pregnancy has been easy and that it has gone by so quickly. But, I am getting big and it is getting hot! I am ready to be done. And, I am so anxious to meet Kanyon!

I am 37 weeks this week. I had an ultrasound and doctor appointment today. My belly measured 39 weeks, but the ultrasound showed Kanyon to be right on target. They estimated that he weighs 6 lbs 10 oz. Dr. Pickhardt thinks he will be atleast 8 lbs! We are still planning on being induced. I am hoping Dr. Pickhardt can do it on June 17th. If not, Kanyon will be here on June 19th. My official due date is June 23rd. Dr. Pickhardt is going to be competing in an out of state triathlon that day! I am thankful we are going to have him a little early. It helps me prepare and hopefully it will prevent us from having a delivery like Kimber's! Maybe Kanyon will decide to come early on his own!

Crazy Week!

2011-05-25T19:08:00.000-07:00

It has been a crazy and exhausting week! Sunday afternoon my phone rang. It was a number I didn't recognize. I almost didn't answer because I figured it was someone calling Luke. I decided I should go ahead and answer it. Luke's mom was on the line. She was frantically screaming that she need to talk to Luke. I didn't ask questions. I just said, "Ok" and ran as quickly as I could down the stairs and into the garage. She was screaming and crying into the phone. I was afraid that Kyle had taken a turn for the worse or that something had happened to Luke's grandpa. He was driving to Joplin that day to visit Kyle. I will never forget the terror in her voice. I knew something very bad had happened. By the time I got to the garage I was crying and I told Luke, "It's your mom, something is wrong." She told him that she, Jim, Jimmy and Heather were out to eat on Range Line Road in Joplin and there was a tornado. She was talking to him during the tornado. He asked if everyone was OK and told her he was coming to get them. As he hung up she said, "Oh God, there is another one!" Luke grabbed a few things, kissed us goodbye and drove two hours through severe storms to get to them. I talked to him most of the way. Once he got there he couldn't believe his eyes. He said it looked like a bomb went off. He saw injured people, deceased people and total devastation everywhere he went. Cell phones weren't working there, so I had to call him over and over before I could finally get through. He knew that his mom and Heather went to the hospital to see if Kyle was OK. Jim and Jimmy were supposed to be near Wal Mart. He had to park the suburban and run almost a mile to get there. Once he got there he couldn't find them. He couldn't reach them, so I called and called and finally got through to his Grandpa. His Grandpa paid some teenager $25 to give them a ride to the hospital because Robin's car was totaled. After speaking with Jim I tried to relay the information to Luke, but I couldn't get through. So, I had my dad send him a text message and it went through! We had some nasty storms here, so the girls and I went to my mom and dad's house. Luke finally made it to the hospital! Heather had started having contractions. They gave her a shot to stop them and let her go. Jim, Jimmy and Heather rode home with Luke. Robin stayed at the hospital with Kyle. On their way home they went through one storm after another. He dropped them off at their houses. They live in Sulphur Springs...which was under a tornado warning most of the night.

Jim told us that they heard the sirens and tried going into WalMart, but they wouldn't let them in. They tried going to Pizza Hut, but they wouldn't let them in either. They decided to go to CiCi's Pizza across the street. They rode the storm out there. When they walked outside they could see that WalMart was badly damaged and Pizza Hut was leveled. Praise God they weren't in there! It is a miracle that they walked out of that building without a scratch! I am so thankful that they were all safe and that Luke made it there and back safely. We have had a lot of severe weather this week. I am thankful that all of my family and friends have remained safe. I am also thankful for the volunteers, firefighters, search and rescue members, policemen, ect. that risk their lives to help people during these times. My cousin Stephanie's husband is on the Washington County Search and Rescue. He packed his things the night of the tornado and drove to Joplin to help. He also helped with the tornado in the River Valley. I am very thankful for people like him! Please remember all of the tornado victims in your prayers.

Update on Kyle:

Kyle was moved Monday to another hospital in Joplin. Thank God he was at Freeman Hospital and not St. John's! St. John's was badly damaged during the tornado. They took him off of the breathing machine today and said he was doing OK without it. His family is trying to get him transferred to Arkansas, but will have to come up with the money to have him transferred. They are going to have a benefit yard sale for him. Hopefully it will be enough to bring him back to Arkansas! I have had a lot of people ask about him and pray for him. We appreciate it!

HOT DEAL!

2011-05-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

Someone Luke works with sent him this awesome deal. We couldn't pass it up!

WalMart has this teeter totter online for $37.88!

ToysRUs has this teeter totter online for $279.99!

Amazon has this teeter totter online for $338.95!

(the model number matches)

I don't know if this is a great deal or a typo, but I bought 2 of them!

I used free site to store shipping and paid $82.77 after tax.

I am hoping I can hold out and give it to the girls for Christmas. They will love it!

No Sew Doll Diaper

2011-05-20T08:16:00.000-07:00

My Meme made the girls some doll clothes and they LOVE to dress up their baby dolls. They have some baby doll diapers, but the sticky strips don't last long. Kimber even tried to use some of Kanyon's diapers. So, I decided that I wanted to make them some cloth doll diapers. I had a hard time finding a no sew diaper tutorial online. I finally found one lastnight, but made a few modifications. It is super simple and only takes a few minutes.

Supplies:

Felt Sheet- .20 cents at Wal Mart/ .25 cents at Hobby Lobby

Velcro- I used the sticky backed circles. $2.97 at WalMart for 20 sets.

Fabric Pencil- I used a sharpie

Baby Doll

Small bowl or plate

Scissors

Fold your felt sheet in half.

Lay your baby on the felt and cut the top (open ends) to fit the baby.

Use a bowl or plate to trace leg holes.

Cut leg holes. Trim the top strip.Try the diaper on the baby.Apply the velcro to the top strip and the bottom strip.

Trim the top strip

You are done!

Update on Kyle.

2011-05-18T16:12:00.000-07:00

(Kyle is in the blue plaid shirt)

Kyle has a lot of bruising and bleeding on his lungs. He has an infection and is running a 103 temp. Luke went to visit him tonight and said that he was shaking his head and even smiling a little. When Luke and his Grandpa said they were leaving Kyle shook his head no. He has feeling in his hands, but still doesn't have any feeling in his legs. Please continue to pray for Kyle, Luke and their family.

So Blessed!

2011-05-16T11:51:00.001-07:00

My fabulous friends Fran and Beth threw me the most wonderful baby shower yesterday. They went above and beyond to make my shower special. It was perfect! It was one of the funnest showers ever. THANK YOU! I also want to say THANK YOU to all of my wonderful family and friends who came to the shower and brought us gifts. We were overwhelmed by all of the stuff we got. I am so glad that each and every one of you were able to make it! We are so blessed to have you all in our lives.

We are 5 weeks (hopefully 4) away from meeting Kanyon. I can't wait to see his sweet little face!

THANK YOU!

Love,

Update.

2011-05-15T07:55:00.000-07:00

Kyle's internal bleeding has stopped. He is going into surgery at 11 to try to fix the broken bones in his neck. The doctors said it could take 4-6 hours. Please say a prayer that the surgery is a success!

Prayer Request.

2011-05-14T13:08:00.000-07:00

Luke's brother Kyle was in a bad car accident this morning. He left his house at around 4 a.m. and was found sometime after 7 a.m. He was air lifted to Joplin. We don't have a lot of details. We know that his neck/back is broken and he doesn't have feeling below his chest. They are talking about doing surgery. Please say a prayer for Kyle and his family.

What NOT To Say To A Pregnant Woman...

2011-05-10T18:23:00.000-07:00

"When are you going to have that baby?" - When the baby decides to come out.

"Oh, are you pregnant?"- I often tell people "NO" just to get a reaction.

"Are you having twins?"

"You must be due any day now!"

"You look like you are going to pop!"

"This makes how many?"- As many as I want.

"Are you competing with the Duggars?"- I can see how 3 is close to 19....

"I am so glad you are having a boy this time, they are so much fun." - And, girls are SO boring?

"I bet you are glad you are having a boy so you can quit trying."- FINALLY! I thought we were going to have to have a few dozen girls to get that boy!

"Boys are so much easier than girls."

"You are going to love having a boy!" - Yes! I am going to love my boy just as much as my girls.

"You have some dark circles under your eyes, are you sleeping?" - Have you ever been pregnant?

These are just a few of the comments I have received during my three pregnancies. I am sure I am forgetting some.Some of the comments aren't too bad if you know the person saying them. I have had complete strangers say some of these things! I have also had strangers touch my belly.

I have some thoughts on the "Boys are so much easier than girls" comment. I have a lot of experience with kids. I worked at the high school and worked at the elementary school. I have taken many, many classes. Boys are not easier than girls. Boys aren't cheaper than girls. Boys don't get dirtier than girls. Girls aren't more dramatic. I have seen little girls AND little boys that behave very badly. And, I have seen some girls AND boys that were a delight to be around. I have seen some kids from great families that were total brats. And, I have seen some amazing kids rise above their terrible home life. Kids are kids. They are determined by personality and parenting. Terrible twos are terrible twos and teenagers are teenagers. I know that if I worry about one kid more than another it is going to be because of their personality, not their gender. I pray every single day for the wisdom, courage, and patience to teach my children to be hard working, responsible, honest adults. I am going to do the best I can with all of my children. The rest is up to God. End Rant.

So, if you find yourself in the presence of a preggo here are a few things you SHOULD say instead of the comments above:

"You are all belly, you look great!"

"Congrats!"

"You look adorable!"

"What a blessing!"

I am 34 weeks this week!

(as Kimber would say)

"Peace out hosey"

Happy Mother's Day!

2011-05-09T07:11:00.001-07:00

We had a busy weekend. We worked at the farm on Saturday and Saturday night we had a surprise retirement party for Meme. She was very surprised and very appreciative. She has worked hard her whole life. She deserved a celebration! Sunday we went back to the farm to work some more. I have great memories of working at the farm when I was little and am so happy that my children are making memories there too. How blessed are we that they get to spend so much time with their grandparents and great grandparents!?

I am so thankful for my Mom. She helps us unconditionally. She is one of the hardest working people I know. She always puts herself last, so Charity and I got her a gift certificate for a mani/pedi. I hope she enjoys it!

I am so blessed to be Kinnison and Kimber's Mom. They are sweet, funny, kind, compassionate, helpful, loving, smart little girls. I honestly can't remember what life was like before them, but I think it must have sucked. Every day is not rainbows and unicorns around here, but every day I thank God for making me their momma. They have filled my life with so much joy. Luke didn't get me anything for Mother's Day. I lie. He got me a camo chair that said "Bone Collector" in neon orange on the back. I told him to return it. It was seriously the most uncomfortable chair ever. I am too cheap (so is he) to keep something I don't like just to be nice. And, what on earth made him think that was a good gift idea? Anyway, he got me nothing for Mother's Day. I wanted some wildflowers...and didn't even get those. Yesterday I wanted to have a pity party for myself. Then I remembered how hard Luke works so I can stay at home. And, staying at home with my kids is the greatest gift this momma could ask for! I am thankful for everything he does for me on a daily basis, but next year I better get something good!

We only have 6 weeks (or less) until we get to meet Kanyon. We are doing an ultrasound on June 2nd to see how big Kanyon is and to determine how early we need to induce. I cannot wait to meet him!

We didn't do anything spectacular for Mother's Day, but we spent the weekend together as a family and enjoyed some beautiful weather! I couldn't ask for anything more!

First T-Ball Game!

2011-05-06T09:38:00.000-07:00

Kinnison had her first T-Ball game on Tuesday. It started raining after the first inning and we had to cut it short. Luke is her coach. He has worked really hard at it and you can tell by the way the girls played. I am very proud of Kinnison, Luke and the whole team. They played great! We have another game tonight. Hopefully the weather will cooperate!

Kimber thinks she is on the team, so I ordered her a shirt to match her big sis.

Here is a 33 week belly picture.

Thursday the girls had a Mother's Day Breakfast at MDO. They made me some wonderful gifts and we got to eat donuts for breakfast! They are so special!

Happy Easter!

2011-04-26T07:58:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we celebrated Easter with Luke's family. I took family pictures for Luke's mom. I am very pleased with how they turned out.

Robin got the girls too much as always. She gets tons of candy and eggs for them to find. They had a blast and the weather was wonderful!

Friday we went to Gammy's house to color eggs. We colored almost 6 dozen! Uncle Jim has some crazy egg laying chickens and he supplied all of our eggs! It was entertaining and very messy. I think we broke half a dozen in the process of dying them and I am not sure how many actually made it to the egg hunt in one piece.

The Easter Bunny brought lots of goodies to our house. Sunday we went to the farm. It rained the whole time, but let up long enough for the kids to hunt eggs. The Easter Bunny came to visit. The kids always enjoy seeing the Easter Bunny at the farm! The Easter Bunny brought all of the kids Fun Dip and Bubbles. The bubbles were a huge hit!

It started raining on Thursday and didn’t stop until lastnight. As of this morning Fayetteville had 10.90” of rain. Some places had around 14”. There is a lot of damage. We have a chance of more rain tonight and tomorrow. Our power has went off and on, our roof is leaking and we had some damage to the driveway and pond dam. None of that stuff is important though. My family means the world to me and we are all safe. I pray that it stays that we stay that way!

Big Boy!

2011-04-20T13:03:00.000-07:00

Kayon has been measuring big for a while now. I was 30 weeks and 5 days yesterday and he measured 33 weeks! Dr. Pickhardt is going to do an ultrasound at around 36/37 weeks to see how big he is. We are still planning on inducing a week early. (Kimber never measured over a week early and she was 9lbs 7oz induced 2 days early!) Dr. Pickhardt said everything sounded perfect though! I have gained around 16 pounds so far. As of tomorrow I will be 31 weeks pregnant and have 63 days to go. Less than 60 if we induce early! The first trimester really drug for me, but the rest of the pregnancy has flown by. I am thankful for that. I am ready to meet him. (aka- done being pregnant)

Luke's mom gave us money, so we ordered the playpen! We set it up downstairs. I love it! My friends Fran and Beth are throwing me a shower on May 15th. I am so excited! I have a few things to finish packing for the hospital and we will be ready to go!

Here is the playpen we ordered.

Catching Up.

2011-04-13T07:13:00.001-07:00

Things have been so hectic this week. Fran and I had a wonderful SPAcation. The day we returned my parents and sister took my Meme to the emergency room. She was admitted that night. The doctors believed her low sodium level was the problem. But, she quickly took a turn for the worse. She was experiencing excruciating pain in her abdomen and on one side. We were afraid it might be her appendix. She suffered all day and they finally did a CT scan. They thought that she had a perforated appendix. They scheduled her for surgery the next day. Once they got in there they found that her appendix was fine, but she had a perforated ulcer on her intestine. They fixed it and removed her appendix. She finally got to come home on Sunday after a week in the hospital. She was very ready! We spent Sunday painting her bedroom at Mom and Dad's house. This week we have been moving her stuff in and sorting through it all. She didn't eat or get out of bed for almost two weeks. She is very weak and has lost weight. She still has a long recovery ahead. Please pray that she starts gaining some strength and feeling better soon.

In other news, Kinnison lost her first tooth on Sunday! The tooth fairy brought her $10! Guess what she did with it? That sweet, wonderful girl put it in our vacation savings jar. She makes me proud! I have to register her for kindergarten tomorrow. This is something I have been dreading all year. I wish I could just keep her home with me. It does not seem possible that she is old enough to go to school. I know that she will love it though and she will do great. One of my favorite qualities about Kinnison is how much she enjoys helping others.

Kimber had her speech screening this week. She passed all of the motor skill tests, hearing tests and language tests. Her speech score was low, but not low enough to qualify for speech. She has made huge progress in the past year (since getting tubes). The speech pathologist was not concerned. If she keeps improving like she has over the past year she will be on level in no time! One of my favorite qualities about Kimber is how appreciative she is. She says thank you to me for everything I do for her and everything I buy her. Such a sweet girl!

We went to the farm and took some photos yesterday. I love how they turned out!

Meet Kanyon.

2011-03-29T12:13:00.000-07:00

We had Kanyon's 3D/4D ultrasound today. It was amazing. We had so much fun watching him. He was pretty bashful and kept his hands in front of his face most of the time. The girls talked to him and he started opening his mouth and even smiled for us twice! He is measuring two weeks big, so he is really cramped in there. But, our tech was great and got us a lot of awesome photos. We have a lot, so I put them in a slideshow.

He is perfect and so handsome! We are so blessed!

Why We Walk.

2011-03-19T18:36:00.000-07:00

I don't personally know anyone who has battled breast cancer. I thank God for that. But, everyday women battle this terrible disease. My cousin Valerie has a friend who is currently battling breast cancer. She was diagnosed during her pregnancy. She went through chemo while she was pregnant. I can't imagine what she has had to go through. She is an inspiration to us all. You can read her story here. After attending my first Race for the Cure event I was hooked. You see survivors. You see families honoring their loved ones who fought the battle and lost. It is very emotional.

I may not know anyone with breast cancer, but I still raise money and walk for my family. I walk for my mom. I walk for my sister. I walk for my aunts and cousins. I walk for my friends. I walk for myself. Most importantly, I walk for my girls. Any of us could be diagnosed at any time. And, I pray that if that ever happens they will have already found a cure. Click here for instructions on how to donate to Kinnison & Kimber.

Here are some breast cancer statistics:

In 2010, it was estimated that among U.S. women there would be [31]:

207,090 new cases of invasive breast cancer (includes new cases of primary breast cancer among survivors, but not recurrence of original breast cancer among survivors)
54,010 new cases of in situ breast cancer (includes ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS), of those, about 85 percent were DCIS)
39,840 breast cancer deaths

Breast cancer in men is rare, but it does happen. In 2010, it was estimated that among U.S. men there would be [31]:

1,970 new cases of breast cancer
390 breast cancer deaths

Attitude.

2011-03-15T15:25:00.001-07:00

I used to be a very optimistic person. I saw the best in everyone. I was rarely in a bad mood. I was happy all the time. I would say I was something like Dory in one of my favorite Finding Nemo scenes:

Somehow that has changed. Instead of Dory, I have been Debbie. Debbie Downer. I can think of a few key events that have led me to this new attitude. Things have not always went my way. People haven't always treated me fairly or kindly. We have had our share of rough times and disappointments. But, everyone has those. Sometimes the smallest most insignificant things send me into a downward spiral. Sometimes I feel like my expectations are unreasonable.

Luke and I have always said, "If we didn't have bad luck we wouldn't have any luck at all." But, that isn't true. Not even close. My husband is my best friend. He works his butt off so I can stay at home with my babies. I am living the life I always dreamed of. (even when I am drowning in vomit) I have two beautiful girls and a beautiful boy due in 14 weeks! I have an amazing family and some amazing friends.

So, starting now I am going to be working on a new attitude. This includes a new language and a new tone. I have been quick to judge others. I have been quick to throw stones, often saying things I regret. I have been focused on the things going wrong in my life instead of all the things going right. I have two healthy, beautiful, smart, generous, sweet girls. And, I want to be a positive, patient, kind, generous, Christian role model for them. My family is my life. I am so incredibly blessed!

It doesn't get any better than this!

Progress!

2011-03-13T19:09:00.000-07:00

Luke's Grandpa, Mom and Uncle came over today to work on the shop/apartment. They made huge progress! We have lived here almost five years now and the outside of the apartment still needed a lot of work. His family came over early this morning and worked all day. Luke is still working now. A HUGE "Thank You" to Jim, Robin and Todd for helping us out. We really appreciate it! It looks so much better already! And, Luke got a closet to store all of his hunting, fishing, and camping stuff! We still need to paint the closet and wall and seal the garage floor. But, we are so much closer!

I haven't been posting (or taking) many belly pics. So,I decided I better take one this week. I am 25 weeks!

Trying To Think Positive!

2011-03-09T08:26:00.000-08:00

Kinnison puked all over the bathroom. Then she puked all over her bedroom. This included their lesson box, computer desk and the new chair with a canvas seat. I had a full fledged nervous breakdown. She is the one almost done with medicine. She is the one without a temp. She is the one feeling well. Why is she puking now?? And why on earth has she quit hitting the trash can and toilet?

I can't handle vomit anymore. I have cleaned so much of it up in the last 5 years. When one of them throws up I honestly want to scream...and sometimes I do. (mom of the year) I start to shake and recently have begun to cry. I am blaming that on the pregnancy hormones. Remember the sensitivity to smell when you are pregnant? It makes my eyes water and I start heaving. Kinnison threw up all over herself in the car this week. She had a large puke bucket in her lap. I saw it all over her face. I knew she was going to puke. I made her get her puke bucket. (butter bowl, cottage cheese bowl, gallon mayo or pickle jar or nearest empty container) She had it IN HER LAP and still proceeded to puke all over herself and the car. She had to ride around most of the day naked. We finally found a Wal-Mart and I bought her some new clothes. I can't tell you the number of times I have had to do this! Kinnison had reflux when she was a baby. She puked all day every day. I constantly washed clothes. I had to take a change of clothes with us every where we went. If she has drainage she pukes. If she gets nervous she pukes. Riding in the car makes her puke. She pukes for no reason. She has puked on the way to almost every single photoshoot. She puked on the way to her dance recital. She puked on the way to the way to the Clothesline Fair Parade. She puked on the way to the hospital the day Kimber was born. She puked on the way to the hospital when Kimber was admitted for pneumonia. She puked on the last day of MDO. Seriously. SHE PUKES ALL THE TIME.

I am not sure how much more of this I can take. I have been locked in this house with sick kids for over a week. Did I mention that my washer is broke...again? This time the rubber around the door ripped and it leaks water and bubbles all over the floor. I have had load after load of pukey blankets and clothes. I am losing my mind!

I am trying to be positive. I am trying to be thankful. I am trying to be patient and understanding (and failing miserably) I try to remember that I'm blessed to have a washing machine...even if it isn't working properly. I'm blessed that we have good doctors and modern medicine. I'm blessed to be able to be home with my kids. I am thankful we haven't had to take one or both of them to the hospital. It could be way worse.

But, this mama needs a break. Badly. I am exhausted. Hand mopping the bathroom floor is not easy on a girl who is 6 months pregnant!

Praying the puking is over!

Prayer Request.

2011-03-08T16:23:00.001-08:00

Please say a prayer for Kinnison and Kimber. They have both been very sick. They picked up a virus or bacteria somewhere. It was a terrible illness that caused coughing, sore throat, high fever and vomiting. It was very similar to the flu.

Kinnison started running a temp last Monday. It was 101.5. By Tuesday she was running a temp over 102. I took her to the doctor. She was negative for strep & flu, but had fluid behind her ears and a very swollen throat. So, they gave her antibiotics. Tuesday afternoon her temp went to 103.2 and she was very lethargic. I took her back to the doctor. They drew blood and gave her a new antibiotic and an antibiotic shot. Her bloodwork showed a bacterial infection. Wednesday she was a little better, but Thursday her temp was back to 102. So, I took her back to the doctor. They did another flu swab and checked her out again. Again, the flu swab was negative. By Thursday afternoon her temp was back to 103. I was very concerned, so I made her an appointment at the Pediatric Clinic Urget Care Clinic. They were so busy they couldn't get us in until 9pm! She was immediately diagnosed with pneumonia. He said he could only hear it with deep breaths and it could have been easily missed earlier that day. I was not happy she had pneumonia, but was very happy to have a diagnosis. I knew something else was wrong, but we couldn't find anything. I felt like a crazy lady! She got another antibiotic and has been improving ever since.

Kimber started out with a 101 temp on Friday night. She has had pneumonia three times before and I was very concerned that she would get pneumonia from this as well. We had stopped the first antibiotic Kinnison was given, so I started giving it to Kimber Friday night. She has had the same symptoms except a lower fever. She has coughed, vomited and complained of a sore throat. She ran a 100 temp during the day and then 101 temp at night. We finished her last dose of antibiotic today. I noticed at lunch today that she was becoming lethargic and at nap I noticed she was breathing rapidly. When she got up from nap she was very cranky and couldn't stop coughing. I knew something else was going on. Thankfully Dr. Lee's office worked her in. Luke took her and they immediately did x-rays and confirmed that she has pneumonia...AGAIN. This is her fourth time to have pneumonia! When she is well she will be undergoing a battery of tests to see if there is an underlying cause. Dr. Lee feels like it is most likely allergies or asthma. I can handle allergies, but I do not want her to have asthma. Asthma is so scary! She doesn't have any asthma symptoms, but it is very hard to diagnose in children under the age of five. They are going to do bloodwork to check her immune system. I am hoping she doesn't have an immune deficiency. She has had croup twice, pneumonia four times and has also had tubes. One of her doctors pointed out that all of her illnesses except the pneumonia were normal childhood illnesses. Luckily she has only been hospitalized once. We are going to start allergy medicine tomorrow. We are hoping that will help. I don't know what caused the first three rounds of pneumonia, but I really feel like this was caused by whatever Kinnison had. Kinnison has never had pneumonia and she developed it in a matter of days with this nasty bug!

I HATE when my babies are sick. I get so stressed. It literally makes me physically ill. I can't eat or sleep. I feel so helpless. I would do anything to make them feel better! Please say a prayer that they recover quickly, that Kimber doesn't have to be hospitalized this time, and pray that we figure out what is causing Kimber to have recurrent pneumonia. Also, please say a prayer baby Kanyon. I have not been taking care of myself like I should. I haven't been sleeping at all. I have been waiting on kids, cleaning up vomit, washing bedding and playing pharmacist. Hopefully they both get well soon so we can get back to our routine! I am ready for SPRING!

Love,

Starting My Stockpile.

2011-03-02T07:48:00.000-08:00

I have been following the Krazy Coupon Lady for a while. I read on her website that there would be a $3.00 off Gain Fabric Softener coupon in the paper a few weeks ago. I got a paper, but the coupon wasn't there. For some reason there wasn't a RedPlum insert that week. So, I bought some of the coupons on eBay. This is the fabric softener I normally use. I buy a bottle about every 2 weeks. So, I decided to buy 40 coupons. I won the first auction for $11.95 including shipping and the second auction for $9.99 including shipping. So, my coupons cost .59 cents and .50 cents each.

A 60 load bottle of Gain costs $4.18 at Wal-Mart.

So, after the coupon I spend $1.18. When you factor in the cost of the coupon I am spending $1.68-$1.77, which is still less than half price.

An 80 count box of dryer sheets costs $3.26 at Wal-Mart.

So, after the coupon I spend .26 cents for a box. When you factor in the cost of the coupon I am spending $.76-.85 cents per box.

This is a great deal! I have purchased mostly liquid since I use it daily. But, I have bought about 6 boxes of the dryer sheets. You can only use 4 of the coupons at once. So, I just pick up 4 bottles each time I am there. I only have 8 coupons left to use. When I am done I will have about a 2 year supply of fabric softener!

This would have been an awesome deal if I could have gotten the coupons cheaper. But, this is a HOT coupon, so they were going fast on eBay. And, I would have spent even more if I bought 40 Sunday newspapers.

I am hoping to find some more bargains like this and stock up while they are cheap!

Cheap Wipes At Amazon!

2011-03-01T10:24:00.000-08:00

You have to be an Amazon Mom member to get this deal. The membership is free and it is easy to sign up!

Scenario:

* Go to Amazon Coupons and click on the pampers wipe coupon.

* Then search for wipes. Or, you can click on this link.

* Amazon Mom members can save an extra 10% on wipes through March 6th. Coupon code MOMWIPES

* Then sign up for subscribe and save to save 30%.

Reminder- As soon as your subscribe and save order ships you can cancel the subscription by logging into your account and clicking on "manage subscriptions".

I got a 4 pack of Pampers Sensitive Thick Care wipes for $12.87!

Amazon Sale Price $21.46 (Regularly $35.56)

30% Subscribe and Save- $6.44

10% MOMWIPES Promotion- $2.15

Free 2-Day shipping!

Total $12.87

I didn't get to use the .50 cent Pampers coupon because it wasn't available when I ordered! But, I still got a great deal! These wipes are normally .5 cents each and I got them for less than .2 cents each!

Also, I got a coupon out of a magazine today. It is good for 20% off of an Amazon Mom Diaper order. You can stack this with the Subscribe and Save Discount and Amazon Coupons (if available)

Just enter the following code at checkout:

YJR4-DCTRG4-M4AKQM.

Expires 3/31/2011

It's That Time Of The Year!

2011-02-27T07:11:00.000-08:00

The girls and I are registered for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure! We are planning on attending even though I will be 7 months pregnant and pushing a double stroller! I asked them if they wanted to participate this year and they both said yes! They make me so proud!

We would love your support. If you would like to donate please donate to Kinnison and Kimber.

To donate to Kinnison and Kimber click on the following link:

http://ozark.info-komen.org/site/TR/RacefortheCure/FYV_OzarkAffiliate?fr_id=2150&pg=pfind

Enter Kinnison Hamilton or Kimber Hamilton. We are on the NWA Playgroup Team.

Thank You!

Must Be Doing Something Right.

2011-02-25T07:59:00.001-08:00

Every day I question my ability to parent Kinnison and Kimber. I pray for the wisdom, ability and patience to teach them what they need to know to grow to be responsible adults. More than anything I pray for their safety. Sometimes I get very frustrated. And, 99.99% of the time I am not frustrated with them. I am frustrated with myself. Every decision I make and every thing I do directly affects them. It scares me to death. And, I know I have a lot of room to grow. I doubt myself often.

Then they do something amazing. Something thoughtful. Something kind. They amaze me.

Kinnison will help her sister or Kimber will say, "I love you sis." They hug each other, play with each other and take care of each other. They are kind, smart, compassionate, and sweet. Multiple times a day Kinnison & Kimber say, "Mommy...I love you!"

I know that I make mistakes every day. But, I have two of the most amazing children. I am so lucky that God chose me to be their momma.

They are beautiful inside and out. I must be doing something right!

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things...

2011-02-21T08:33:00.000-08:00

I wanted to share some of my favorite household items. Some of these products are new and some are not. Either way, these are the products that I love and use on a daily basis.

Tide Stain Release

Mr. Clean Hawaiian Aloha Multi Surface Cleaner

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser

Pledge Multi-Surface

Happy Birthday Kimber!

2011-02-20T13:19:00.000-08:00

Three years ago God blessed us with a little miracle. Kimber was a difficult baby. She had colic for the first three months of her life. After that she was still very high maintenance. We had no idea what God had in store for us then. But, she has brought so much joy into our lives. Every day she makes us love her even more than we did the day before. She is so sweet, compassionate and funny! She constantly makes us laugh. And, I am pretty sure she gives the best hugs ever! I don't know how the past three years have gone by so quickly. But, I dearly wish the time would slow down.

She wanted to have a "Princess Frog cake at Chuck E Cheese". So, that is what she got! We had an early morning party and it was great. There was nobody there. We left right when it started getting busy.

Here is the video montage I made for her.

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

You can view previous montages by clicking the following links:

http://cryshamilton.blogspot.com/2010/02/happy-birthday-kimber.html

http://cryshamilton.blogspot.com/2009/02/happy-birthday-kimber.html

Mini Cupcake Donuts.

2011-02-19T17:01:00.000-08:00

It is tradition for me to make cupcakes when the girls celebrate a birthday. This year we are having Kimber's party early in the morning. We decided to serve Krispy Kreme donuts instead of cake! I made Kinnison a hoot owl cake and wanted to do something special for Kimber. Then, I read on the Farm Chicks Blog about a mini donut pan. She made mini cupcake donuts. I had to get one! I ordered mine on eBay. (made by Wilton)

Serena from Farm Chicks recommended a cupcake recipe from Country Living. At first I wasn't sure about the recipe, but the batter and cupcakes turned out to be delicious! It was difficult to get the batter into the pan because the holes are tiny. I placed the batter into a ziploc bag and snipped the corner. It worked perfectly!

*Sorry for the poor photo quality. My good camera is at Nikon. This photo is terrible because I took it lefthanded*

Serena also shared a glaze recipe on her blog. I did a lot of modifications to it. It was too thin so I added more powdered sugar. I also added a little vanilla for flavor. It ended up tasting great.

Cupcake Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

6-7 tablespoons cream

1 drop food coloring

Whisk together until smooth. If necessary, add more cream to reach desired consistency. Then it was just dip and sprinkle, dip and sprinkle:

I let the girls decorate them and they had a blast doing it.

Happy Valentines Day!

2011-02-14T07:17:00.000-08:00

We got the girls a stuffed animal, balloon and some candy. They were so excited! The best part is I got the stuffed animals half off last year after Valentines Day. They have been in my closet for a year! Bargains make me happy.

Today would have been Kaela's 4th birthday. That doesn't seem possible. We lost her in July of 2006. It gets easier with each year that passes. I don't think about her any less, but I cry less often. I decided that instead of being depressed and eating a cake alone we would celebrate Kaela being an angel in heaven. Luke bought us a delicious ice cream cake. I think Kinnison and I have eaten most of it. She definitely inherited my sweet tooth.

I am so lucky to have Luke in my life. He is an amazing husband and father. He works hard and constantly makes us laugh. I am so lucky that after being together for 9 years I can honestly say Luke is still my best friend. I love you Luke!

I have two amazing daughters, a baby boy on the way and the best husband in the world. I have an amazing family and wonderful friends. I am so blessed to have so much love in my life!

Happy Valentines Day and Happy Birthday to Kaela!

Loving This Life!

2011-02-05T08:10:00.000-08:00

A year ago all I wanted was to teach at Prairie Grove Primary. I worked so hard for it. I wished for it. I prayed for it. I felt angry, hurt, sad, disappointed, ashamed, and rejected when I didn't get hired. I don't regret the time I worked at Prairie Grove. I met some amazing people there. I helped some amazing kids. And, so many of those kids helped me. I definitely don't regret finishing school. I am proud of how hard Luke and I worked. We had many obstacles to overcome. And, we did it! I know that our children will be proud of us for our accomplishments.

For the last eight years Luke and I have barely seen each other. We literally passed each other in the hall. We both worked full time and went to school. Luke has worked second and third shift. For the past two years I have been going to school full time. Five years ago we had Kinnison. Three years ago we had Kimber. Our life has been chaotic. Our priority has always been our children, but we have had to juggle work, school and kids. Often we didn't get to spend enough time with our girls because of other obligations. We rarely got to spend time together as a family and Luke and I hardly ever spent time alone. Even though we didn't get to spend a lot of time together as a family, our time was always quality time. We cherished every minute.

Last year Luke took a new shift at work. He works Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and every other Wednesday. This allowed him to spend so much more time at home with the girls. I was ecstatic. I was jealous. I always wanted to be a stay at home, but never thought in my wildest dreams it would be possible. It wouldn't be possible with out Luke. He works so hard for us. Now we get to spend so much time together. We are together as a family Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and every other Wednesday. And, I am home with the girls the rest of the time. I want to focus on making that quality time. Just because we have more time together doesn't mean we should cherish it any less. Every minute we spend together is a blessing.

I didn't understand it then, but I understand it now.

"Sometimes I thank God, for unanswered prayers

Remember when you’re talkin’ to the man upstairs

That just because he doesn’t answer doesn’t mean he don’t care

Some of God’s greatest gifts, are unanswered prayers."

I thank God every day for not answering all those prayers about finding a job. He opened my eyes. My kids are growing up so fast. Too fast. Staying at home is hard. I am not going to lie. Sometimes when Luke gets home I think about getting in my suburban, driving to the airport and flying somewhere tropical. (especially when we are snowed in) My new resolution (late) is to LET GO. I am a control freak! Who cares if the kids make a mess!? Who cares if things don't go as planned!? Who cares if I have to wash my new white bath mats every other day!? Who cares if my floor is dirty!? Who cares if my house isn't spotless!? My kids don't. My husband doesn't. And, that is ALL that matters. They are my life. My focus needs to be on them. With that being said I do want to provide a clean nurturing environment for my family. I want to teach them to appreciate their things, clean up after themselves, work hard and to be responsible adults. I don't know if cleaning is one of the Five Love Languages or not...but it should be. I clean for them. I cook for them. I take care of them. That is how I show them my love. But, I think I am passing on my neurotic OCD tendencies to my kids and that is the LAST THING I WANT!

There are days I get mad. I get stressed. I am overwhelmed. There are days I want to put in ear plugs and just tune them out. They ask approximately 9,184 questions a day. They scream just for fun. They fight over nothing. I constantly feel like I am on repeat. Then it hit me...one day they will grow up. They will stay in their room. They will be busy with their life and their friends. Then they will move out. They will grow up. They will have families of their own and, I will desperately want these days back.

"Five years later there's a plumber workin' on the water heater

Dog's barkin', phone's ringin'

One kid's cryin', one kid's screamin'

She keeps apologizin'

He says they don't bother me

I've got 2 babies of my own

One's 36, one's 23

Huh, it's hard to believe

But you're gonna miss this

You're gonna want this back

You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast

These are some good times

So take a good look around

You may not know it now

But you're gonna miss this."

Thank goodness there is a country song for everything. :)

There are so many more good moments than bad moments. The sound of them laughing and playing is the soundtrack of my life. One day those sounds will fade and I will be left with a quiet house. And, I will be heartbroken when that happens.That is why I blog. That is why I keep a journal for each of them. I want to preserve as much of this as I can. Everyday I take snapshots of them in my mind hoping to capture the moment to remember for the rest of my life. I would love to slow down time. The days are passing too quickly. I love when they play with each other. I love when they hug, kiss or tell each other, "I love you". I even like it when they gang up on me. They are forming a bond that will last a lifetime.

Even on the bad days I wouldn't change a thing. I am so blessed to be Kinnison, Kimber and Kanyon's mom. I don't know what I did to deserve them. They are my world. This is our new life together and I LOVE IT!

Amazon

2011-02-05T06:20:00.001-08:00

My friend, Fran, introduced me to Amazonmom.com. I am IN LOVE! When you become an Amazon Mom member you receive a 15% discount. When you sign up for "subscribe and save" you receive another 15% discount! Once your order has shipped you can cancel your subscribe and save enrollment. You also qualify for free shipping. If you place an order for $25 or more you will qualify for Amazon Prime and your free shipping will be extended! Also, watch Amazon's Coupon Book and you can stack the discounts with their coupons. You can also stack those with other codes! Fran got me a $10 coupon code out of a baby magazine. I will show you how I used each of them!

180 Count Size 2 Diapers

WalMart Retail $39.54

Amazon Price $39.54

30% Discount - $11.86

Amazon Coupon- $1.50

Shipping FREE

Total Cost $26.18

60 Count Size 5 Easy Ups

Target Sale Price $19.99

Amazon Retail $21.99

30% Discount- $6.60

Amazon Coupon- $1.50

Shipping FREE

Total Cost 13.89

144 Count Size 4 Diapers

WalMart Retail $39.00

Amazon Retail $32.75

30% Discount- $9.83

$10 Code- $10.00

Shipping- FREE

Total Cost- $12.92

I went to Target yesterday and got some good deals and some OK deals. Either way, I needed the items that I purchased and I got them for a discount price! Target allows you to stack Target Coupons with Manufacturer Coupons.

Here are some of the deals I got there:

Target Retail $8.99

MFR Coupon- $2.00

Target Coupon- $1.50

Final Price $5.49

Target Retail $2.39

MFR Coupon- $.50

Target Coupon- $1.00

Final Price $0.89

Target Retail $1.97

MFR Coupon- $1.00

Target Coupon- $1.00

Final Price FREE

Target Retail $4.69

MFR Coupon- $1.00

Target Coupon- $1.00

Final Price $2.69

This deal was a package deal. Each coupon had different requirements, but it was easy to find diapers/wipes that fit the requirements.

Target Retail Diapers $8.99

Target Retail Wipes $5.99

MFR Coupon- $2.00

Target Coupon- $2.50

Final Price for Both $10.48

We Made A Decision!

2011-01-30T07:21:00.000-08:00

We made one final attempt last night to find a name we liked better than the one we already chose. We were unsuccessful. I am so excited that we finally agreed on a name!

Our baby boy will be named:

Kanyon James Hamilton

This is the bedding we picked:

And, this is the travel system we are getting:

I get to order them on Monday! YAY!

The Winner Is...

2011-01-26T11:45:00.000-08:00

BOY!

I think I am still in shock. We are very excited! But, it will be quite a change from having two girls! Everything looked really good. We have to wait for the radiologist to read everything, but Dr. Pickhardt said all of the numbers looked great! I was relieved to hear that! We have one name picked out, but it could change. So, I will have to announce the name later! We didn't get a great profile picture. He wasn't very active. We are going to have a 4D ultrasound at 28 weeks. Hopefully we will get some better pictures then!

Girl or Boy?

2011-01-22T11:40:00.000-08:00

Luke and I find out what we are having on Wednesday. I thought it might be fun to do a poll to see what you are all predicting!

Here are some facts to help you guess:

* I was more nauseated and exhausted with this one than I was with Kinnison and Kimber

-Luke blames this on me being older.

-Could be because I have two little ones or caused by different prenatals?

(They put weird fish crap in them these days)

-OR...it could be a boy.

* Chinese Lunar Calendar says boy.

-Chinese Lunar Calendar said Kinnison was a boy...obviously wrong.

-Chinese Lunar Calendar said Kimber was a girl...obviously correct.

* I haven't been eating as much chocolate and sweets.

* I have lived off of potato chips (which I never bought before this pregnancy)

* Mother's instinct says it is a boy.

-Mother's instinct told me Kinnison was a boy. Again, obviously wrong.

* I took an online gender prediction quiz.

-67% chance it is a boy

-33% chance it is a boy

* The girls don't have a prediction.

-Kinnison wanted a girl, but has changed her mind.

-Kimber is still adamant that she wants a sister and only a sister.

I don't care if I buy pink or blue...I just want to start buying! I am a planner and organizer. I am borderline OCD. I NEED to know what this baby is so I can start preparing! It is going to be here soon. I cannot believe that I am 18 weeks already! I started feeling movement this week. I don't feel movement often because the baby is still small. That will be changing soon! It is an amazing feeling! I can't wait for Luke and the girls to feel it!

Ok, now you need to vote!

On a side note-

After years of me nagging, Luke finally decided to go on a diet. He is down 13 pounds since January 1st! (he even cheated a few days) He is eating so much better! He has went to Dr. Lee twice for a checkup and had high cholesterol both times. Since heart problems run in his family I was very concerned. He is losing weight and making healthier choices. I am so proud!

Prayers Please

2011-01-21T05:55:00.001-08:00

My mom is going to have gallbladder surgery on Monday. Please pray for the surgery to be a success and for her to have a quick recovery. Thank you!

Bathroom Makeover

2011-01-20T08:51:00.000-08:00

When we first built our shouse (thanks for the word Cassie) I picked out Eddie Bauer Cabin Red paint to paint the upstairs bathroom. It was a great color. The only problem with the color is that everything that coordinated with it was white, brown and red striped. I bought two different sets of striped bathroom decor. We have lived here going on five years. As you can imagine, this color scheme grew old. So, I decided to give the bathroom a makeover. We have a little more painting to do. Our ceilings are 10ft high. I am pregnant and Luke has a broken hand. We will have to wait until he gets his cast off to finish around the trim.

The lighting isn't great and I am too lazy to play with my camera today...so these pictures will have to do.

(Please ignore the bath toys)

Shower Curtain- Bed Bath and Beyond- On sale for $7.99 and I used a 20% off coupon.

Bath Mats- Kohls- On sale for $10.99 and $14.99 and I used a 20% off coupon.

Towels- Kohls- 2/$7.00 and I used a 20% off coupon.

Hand Towels- Kohls- 2/$5.00 and I used a 20% off coupon.

Paint- Free- Already had it leftover from another room.

Picture Frame- Free- Given to me by my sister.

Total Cost- Under $40

And, just for fun I will post my baby bump. I am 18 weeks this week. Please ignore the long johns...we were getting ready to play in the snow.

Happy New Year!

2010-12-31T11:44:00.000-08:00

Looking back...

February

Kimber turned two!

March

Kimber started MDO!

We got a foot of snow on the first day of spring!

April

Kimber had tubes put in her ears.

May

Luke and I both graduated from college!

I didn't get a certified teaching job.

I was disappointed, but it led me to where I am. I am staying home with my girls.

I am thankful for that! He always has a plan!

Lolly was diagnosed with diabetes and lost her eye sight.

Kinnison donated her hair!

Grandma, Grandpa and Meme were sick often and underwent surgery.

They are doing better now! Thank the Lord!

July

We vacationed!

November

Kinnison turned five!

And, got her ears pierced!

We're pregnant!

December

Luke and I celebrated eight years together!

We saw Michael Buble in concert!

Kimber had to be hospitalized for pneumonia.

2010 has been a year full of ups and downs. I am truly blessed to have such wonderful friends and family to share those difficult and joyous times with. I am excited to see what 2011 has in store for the Hamilton Family! I will be staying home with the girls. Baby #3 will be here in June. And, Kinnison will start Kindergarten in the fall. It will be a year full of change.

Here is my resolution from last year:

"My New Year's Resolution is to be more patient with my children, stop cussing, eat better and to make a difference in someones life. I think I can achieve all of those except eating better! ;) Happy New Year!"

I have succeeded at being more patient, but have room for more progress. I have not stopped cussing. I have not been eating better. I have made a difference in someone's life. My New Year's Resolution is to continue to work on my patience, stop cussing, eat better, exercise more, and spend quality time with my children. I don't want to just be with them. I want every second we are together to count.

We are wishing you and your family a Blessed and Happy New Year!

In closing, I am going to share the same quote and same recipe I share each year.

"Be always at war with your vices,

at peace with your neighbors,

and let each New Year find you a better man."

~Benjamin Franklin

Recipe For A Happy New Year

"Into each day put equal parts of faith, patience, courage, work, hope, fidelity, liberality, kindness, rest, prayer, meditation, and one well-selected resolution. Put in about one teaspoonful of good spirits, a dash of fun, a pinch of folly, a sprinkling of play, and a heaping cupful of good humor." ~ Anonymous

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-28T14:28:00.001-08:00

I know I am behind on posting, but things have been crazy around here. I thought something was going on last week when both of my girls were acting up. They were driving me crazy! Friday the 17th Kinnison started complaining of a sore throat. That night she threw up all over her room and some more in the bathroom. She is normally really good at hitting the toilet or a trash can, but for some reason decided to puke all over her floor. We didn't get much sleep. I woke up early and called the pediatric clinic. Kimber had a low grade fever and a cough, so I made them both an appointment. The whole way there Kinnison threw up. The doctor couldn't find anything wrong with Kimber, but diagnosed Kinnison with strep throat. We went to Wal-Mart to get Kinnison's medicine. It took the pharmacy forever. While we were walking around she puked all over the floor and half the stuff in our cart. We finally made it home and I got the girls settled in to take a nap. Kinnison proceeded to throw up all over herself, her bean bag, a pillow and a couple blankets. Oh, I forgot to mention that Friday night my washing machine broke. So, everything that was puked on had to be taken to my mom's house to be washed. Saturday night Kimber's fever spiked to 103. We were worried she had gotten strep from Kinnison. We paged the doctor on call at the pediatric clinic. He finally agreed to call us in an antibiotic. Luke drove to Fayetteville at 10p.m. to pick it up. Sunday Kimber didn't do much better. We had Luke's Mom and Grandpa over for Christmas lunch and Kimber really started going down hill. We had the Tyree Christmas Sunday night. Kinnison and I went and Luke and Kimber stayed home. Kimber's fever stayed at around 103 and wouldn't go down, so I made her an appointment with Dr. Lee on Monday. Dr. Lee did a chest x-ray and diagnosed her with pneumonia. He prescribed Abuterol, Omnicef and Zithromax. Monday and Tuesday she didn't improve. Tuesday night she started breathing really fast and was up all night coughing. We didn't get more than 3 hours of sleep. I woke up Wednesday and made her another appointment. I had a prenatal appointment in Lowell, so I made her appointment in the afternoon. She fell asleep on the way to my appointment. I thought she was just trying to recover from our rough night, but soon realized that she couldn't stay awake. She was very lethargic. She slept through my whole appointment. On the way back to Prairie Grove she cried and complained of her belly hurting. Gammy met us at the doctor. As soon as she saw Kimber she knew we would be heading to the hospital. Dr. Lee told us we could come in daily for antibiotic shots or we could take her to the hospital. While we were trying to decide he made up our minds for us. He decided it would be best if we went to the hospital right then. Gammy and I agreed, and made our way to the hospital. Charity made it there about the time we were checking in and Luke arrived not too long after that. The next few days were very scary. Kimber's oxygen level dropped, so they put her on oxygen. She received two bags of antibiotics a day and did breathing treatments ever four hours. She was pretty much lifeless Wednesday and Thursday. I drove home Thursday night to shower and get clean clothes and Luke called to tell me Kimber ate a few bites of food and walked around. This was the first time she sat up, talked, ate, and walked since Tuesday night. She had to be fever free and without oxygen for more than 24 hours. She went without oxygen for a few hours Thursday afternoon, but she had to be put back on it Thursday night. Her fever also went back up to 102.8. She finally made some real progress on Friday. She went the whole day and night without oxygen or a fever! Dr. Blankers came to visit us on Saturday and told us we could take her home for Christmas! Seeing Kimber in a hospital bed was scary. I think I had a breakdown once a day. I hated that she was sick. I hated that we were spending Christmas in the hospital. I hated that we were missing out on our family traditions. And, I hated that we were away from Kinnison for so long and on Christmas. But, I am thankful she got well and that is all that is really important.

We had so many family and friends call, text and email us while we were in the hospital. I can't thank you enough for the encouraging words and prayers. I also want to say "Thank You" to everyone who brought Kimber gifts in the hospital. You made her smile and helped her occupy her time. I also owe a HUGE "THANK YOU" to my mom and dad. My mom washed my clothes (and pukey blankets) while our washer was broke, washed our clothes while we were in the hospital, they kept Kinnison and Tator for 3 nights, brought us snacks, gave Lolly her shots, bought us dinner and much, much more. I also want to thank the doctors and nurses who took care of our baby. I am so thankful for Dr. Lee and Dr. Blankers. And, last but not least, I want to thank God. I know that he heard our prayers and we are so thankful that we got to go home and spend part of Christmas with Kinnison and our family. Kimber was still very tired and cranky. We had to make her open up gifts. It didn't feel like Christmas at all. But, she was better and we were all together and that is all that really matters.

Since we have been home we have continued antibiotics and breathing treatments. She went back to the doctor yesterday for a checkup. She has remained fever free. YAY! He still heard some stuff on her lungs, but said she sounded much better! Praise the Lord!

Since then Luke and I have had a stomach bug, I got medicine for a sinus infection and Luke broke his thumb! Luke and his friend Jason were hunting. They flipped the four wheeler. Luckily Luke was able to push the four wheeler away from his body in the air and it only landed on his hand. We are so lucky he walked away with only a broken thumb! Because it broke his thumb completely in two, Dr. Lee referred him to a surgeon. He saw the surgeon today and he is confident that Luke will only need a cast for 4 weeks and then he will get a splint.

I am hopeful this week will go better! I think I am finally starting to catch up on some sleep. Tuesday-Saturday I only had about 14 hours! This has been a tough year for us. We are praying 2011 will be a better year!

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!

Love You!

Getting Excited!

2010-12-17T16:33:00.000-08:00

I cannot wait for the girls to open their presents. Each year I carefully plan and select gifts for each of them. I bargain shop all year long. I was done Christmas shopping in October. I had most of them wrapped before December even came. I am so thankful that I am an early shopper and plan ahead. We are on a tight budget now that I am staying home and we wouldn't be able to give them as much if I had to buy them now. I have picked up a few extra things in the last few weeks just because I thought they would like them and I just wrapped the last two gifts tonight!

Kinnison can't believe that Luke and I don't get presents. She is too young to understand. Actually, I don't think you understand until you have children of your own. I loved getting gifts...even after Luke and I were married. But, things are different now. I don't care if I receive one single present! There is no greater gift in the world then your children. And, one of my greatest joys is watching them open presents on Christmas. I love their excitement, watching their faces and seeing them enjoy their new things. I love that they get to open gifts, but I also want them to understand the true meaning of Christmas and how blessed we are. I am so blessed that my children get to experience Christmas, because many children do not. This Christmas we will be saying a prayer for those families that are less fortunate than we are. We will be praying for families that have loved ones that are ill. We will be praying for the men and women who serve our country and their families.

We are so incredibly blessed.

Cinnamon Ornaments

2010-12-14T08:10:00.000-08:00

My mom used to make these ornaments with my sister and I when we were little. I made them for the girls two years ago, but they were too young to help. I decided to give it another try this year. We even got Luke to help us out. The girls loved picking out the cookie cutters and helping to cut out the shapes. I loved spending time with my family, making memories and beginning a new family tradition.

Last year the girls had a tiny little Christmas tree in their room. I went shopping the day after Christmas and got a 6.5ft tree for a steal! It was under $10! (originally $35) They loved decorating their very own tree. And, when these ornaments are done cooking they will get to hang them on the tree in their room. They smell so good!

Here is the recipe I used (from McCormick's Website)

Makes 12 to 15 ornaments.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 2 1/2 hours or 1 to 2 days drying time

3/4 cup applesauce

1 bottle (4.12 ounces) McCormick® Cinnamon, Ground

Supplies needed:

Cookie cutters

Drinking straw

Colorful ribbon

1. Preheat oven to 200°F. Mix applesauce and cinnamon in small bowl until a smooth ball of dough is formed. (You may need use your hands to incorporate all of the cinnamon.) Using about 1/4 of the dough at a time, roll dough to 1/4-inch to 1/3-inch thickness between two sheets of plastic wrap. Peel off top sheet of plastic wrap. Cut dough into desired shapes with 2- to 3-inch cookie cutters. Make a hole at top of ornament with drinking straw or skewer. Place ornaments on baking sheet.

2. Bake 2 1/2 hours. Cool ornaments on wire rack. (Or, to dry ornaments at room temperature, carefully place them on wire rack. Let stand 1 to 2 days or until thoroughly dry, turning occasionally.)

3. Insert ribbon through holes and tie to hang. Decorate with opaque paint markers, found in arts and crafts stores, if desired.

Test Kitchen Tip: If a different size bottle of cinnamon is used, measure 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons cinnamon.

(google cinnamon applesauce ornaments and you will get a million recipes)

Anniversary Getaway!

2010-12-11T18:25:00.000-08:00

Michael Buble was in Little Rock on our anniversary. I told Luke it was a sign. I begged him to take me. Honestly, I couldn't justify spending that kind of money right now...especially since I just saw him in June. But, being the bargain shoppers we are, we found tickets for sale for half price on Craigslist. My mom and dad kept the girls for the night and Luke and I headed to Little Rock. We ate at Outback and did a little shopping. Then, we went to the concert. We got an awesome parking spot and had great seats. Naturally 7 opened for Michael again and they were fantastic. Michael was just as good as he was in June, maybe even better. He is hilarious. My favorite quote, "My filter is broken". I have been there! The concert wasn't over until around 10:30 and we still had to drive home. Luckily Luke had it in him to drive the whole way because I dozed the entire time. We made it home at 1:30. It was a great trip and I am so glad that I got to see that concert with Luke this time.

This is my boyfriend.

We normally take the kids to Silver Dollar City on our anniversary and rarely buy each other gifts. So, it was nice to have a night to ourselves. We are still planning a trip to Silver Dollar City though.

EIGHT Years...REALLY?

2010-12-06T17:19:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow Luke and I will celebrate our eight year anniversary. It is hard to believe that Luke and I have been married eight years. Where does the time go? I have been saying that a lot lately. It seems like the older you get, the faster time flies.

I thought it might be nice to write about how we met and fell in love. The details become more vague as the years pass by.

Luke and I met in 2000. Josh got me a job at JC Penney. Luke worked in the men's department and I worked in jewelry. I thought he was cute, but thought he was arrogant and obnoxious. He thought I was gorgeous. I kid. Eventually we started talking at work and hanging out after work. We quickly became the best of friends. Luke and I started hanging out every night. I moved in with Fran and Cindy and was ecstatic when I found out our house was a block away from Luke. After that we spent even more time together. I started cooking him dinner and doing his laundry. He built me furniture and took me to dinner. But, during this time it never really crossed our minds that we should be together. We were friends. Best friends. During this time Luke and I were always dating other people. But, I noticed that we were spending more time with each other than we were with the people we were dating. He got a job at JB Hunt and worked every holiday. I would go eat with my family and then take him leftovers at work.

New Years Eve 2001 Luke and I made a spontaneous road trip to Memphis. We had so much fun. We went to a club and danced. Usher's song You Got It Bad came on and we slow danced. It was at that very moment that I knew I loved Luke. Those of you who attended our wedding reception should remember us dancing to that song during half time of the Razorback game. I didn't love that song. It was cheesy. But, I loved the memories associated with that song. So, we had to dance to it at our wedding. Anyway, we drove home that night because we had to work the next day. Things were never the same. I wish I could say Luke swept me off my feet. He didn't. I had to tell him how I felt. How did I tell him? AOL chat of course! LOL I was too terrified to tell him in person. I was so afraid that he wouldn't feel the same way and we would ruin our friendship. I was wrong. During spring break 2002 we went to South Padre with some friends. I got mad at Luke on that trip. We saw Vanilla Ice in concert. We made up. We walked the beach. And, for the first time we told each other "I love you". After that things moved fast. Luke bought two houses in Cave Springs. I moved in with him in June. We were engaged in October and married in December.

We have been through so much in the past eight years. I was bit by a rabid cat, my dad had a heart attack, we had a house fire, I had four surgeries, we lost two babies, and we lost three of Luke's grandparents. We have had lots of ups and downs. But, I know that I couldn't have survived any of those things without Luke by my side. We have had so many wonderful times. More than I can list. We have two beautiful daughters and a baby on the way. I am so blessed.

I was right about Luke. He is arrogant and obnoxious. But, he is also amazing. He is a supportive and loving husband. He would do anything for anyone, especially our family. He is the most amazing father in the world. He loves spending time with our girls. He is so involved in their lives. He is constantly teaching them things.He is kind, generous, strong, hard working and honest. He works so hard to provide for us. I am getting to stay home with my girls because of him! He is constantly thinking of ways to make money. He started mowing yards and supporting himself at a very young age, which taught him to be very resourceful. I know that Luke's personality can sometimes be overwhelming. He loves to joke around with people and is constantly giving people a hard time. The more crap he gives you, the more he thinks of you. Trust me! I get it from him every day. Sometimes it drives me crazy! But, I remind myself that is how Luke shows his love. Lord knows he is terrible with words. I could write a book of all the insulting things he has said to me. But, 99.9% of the time he doesn't mean it the way it comes out. It is unfortunate that people don't know him like I do. I know all of his stories, his past, and all of the things that made him who he is today. He is truly an amazing man. I blessed to call him mine.

Happy Anniversary Luke! I am so blessed t have you in my life. I love you!

For The Record...

2010-11-27T12:23:00.000-08:00

Luke and I DO NOT CARE if we have a boy or a girl. We just want a healthy baby. I know that everyone says that, but honestly we don't care. I have had precancerous cells, cryotherapy, ovarian cysts, laparoscopy, two miscarriages and two D&C's. During Kimber's pregnancy I became anemic and developed a heart murmur. During this pregnancy I had a subchorionic hematoma. This is my fifth pregnancy. My babies are by every definition miracles. God chose to grant us another little miracle and I am not going to be choosy! I am sure boys are delightful...especially when they are your own. But, I have two precious princesses and would be perfectly happy to add one more to our little family! I understand there is a myth out there that your life is not complete unless you have a boy. It is a myth! My daughters are beautiful, caring, sweet, outgoing, competitive little tomboys and I wouldn't trade them for the world! Luke had his heart set on having a boy and a girl. (before we had Kinnison) I will never forget the first night we had her home. She was curled up in a tiny little ball laying on his chest and he said, "I don't care if we ever have a boy. We can have a dozen little girls." And, he meant it.

Sorry for the rant! I am only 10 weeks and I have been asked these nonsense questions a million times. For the record, Luke and will not procreate until we produce a boy. We chose to have another child because we want a large family, not because we want a boy. This will be our last biological child. (unless God has other plans) We still want to adopt. And, if we adopt we will not choose a gender. We will leave that up to God as well.

This doesn't apply to most of you. But, it feels good to say it! Thanks!

Love You!