I really cannot believe...

that it has been so long since my last post! Geesh! Sorry about that! I have been keeping up on everyone of the Journal Goddesses....but just lurking lately, so sorry about that. It sounds like we are all getting ready for the Holidays! I am really not wanting Christmas to be here quickly....because that means it is almost time for me to go back to work! But seriously, this year....I will be off work for 20 weeks! Isn't that crazy! That includes the vacation time I took and the maternity leave. That is just crazy! Nice, but crazy!

So, let's see....what have we been up to? Let me just go through each person in my family....

Hubby is fine. He took Wednesday off last week and Thursday and Friday were holidays for them....and then he didn't work on Saturday either. So, we have had a bit too much of each other. LOL He is on my nerves and I am on his. So, he went back to work this morning...thank goodness. Hehehe. He is just doing so good at his job. I am so proud of him. Even though he was "off" last week...he worked a lot at my parents house. Because they "tag" doors, he gets calls all the time. In the 3 hours it took us to get to my parents, he had 3 customers call him and made 3 sales! Isn't that crazy? So.....anyways....that is Hubby! He did have a little bit of a rough Thanksgiving. We had a wonderful time at Sister's house with my family.....and then on the way back to my parent's house, he decided to call his Dad and wish him a Happy Thanksgiving. Well, come to find out, his dad was at his Aunt's house in Cincinnati and his grandparents were up from Kentucky (they live in Somerset). He talked to his dad and then hung up and got upset and decided to call back and see when his grandparents were leaving so we could hopefully go see them before they headed home. Well, come to find out, they had been there since Tuesday (we could've stopped and seen them on our way to KY) and they were leaving Friday morning and couldn't stay a few more hours so that we could get up there to see them before they left. It upset Hubby a lot...he was in tears because he just doesn't understand his family. It really hurts his feelings. So, I felt badly for him....but couldn't really do anything to fix it! So.....that is Hubby!

I-Man....he has become quite the social butterfly in our neighborhood. He is to the age where he wants to go outside and play with his friends. There is a boy across the street who is a little bit older (I think he is in 4th or 5th grade) and he and his step-dad play football a lot. So, I-Man plays with them....and then there is another little boy down the street that they play with too. Now, he has also been playing with the little boy next door who is 4 or 5. So, he has lots of buddies and is discovering a little bit of independence in playing with them without Mom or Dad right there. Well, the other night, he was playing with one of the boys outside and I kept looking out and checking on them...well, I looked out once and they weren't in my sight. So, I put Baby down and ran outside....yelling for him.....I couldn't find him. So, I went across the street and knocked on their door...and sure enough! He was there! He had told the step-dad that I knew where he was. So, we had to talk about that. I know them and trust them, so I was fine with him going inside their house....but he has to tell me first! So....he is a social butterfly! It is really cool to see him grow up into such a neat little person. He has invited all of our neighbors to church and his program. My little evangelist. Oh, funny story....he really wants to take communion at church.....but we really want him to understand what it is that he is doing before he takes it. So, yesterday, he and I were in the van together and he says: "Mommy, I need to teach you a lesson right now. I know what communion is and I am going to take it." I about cracked up. So, we talked about it and he is starting to understand it more....but he isn't quite there yet. Bless his little heart!!!

FABulous.....well, she is our test. We have determined that she has ALL of my stubborness & strong will....and ALL of Hubby's too...in one little body. She is a pill! She can be so cute and sweet one minute, and then a real terror the next. Her thing right now is that she is hitting everyone....me, Hubby, I-Man.....and as soon as she does it to me, I look at her and she says "Sorry Mommy"....but then does it again! It is hard not to laugh because it is quite funny.....but man she is a pill! I just don't know what we are going to do with her!!! Like I said, some days are good and she is sweet and fine...but then other days, I just want to trade her in for my sweet girl!

Baby....is fine, spoiled, but fine. She wants to be held all the time. If you put her down, she cries. Being with Mom and Sister this past weekend didn't help that any! Silly thing, when we were at my parent's house....all 4 nights she slept from like 10:30 or 11:00 until 6:30 or 7:00. It was HEAVENLY. Now that we are home....she hasn't slept like that! She still only wakes up once a night...but I could get used to the other! She is getting so big so fast! They just grow up so fast. She is really smiling now and loves it when you talk to her. She still spits up more than either of our other kids did.....which is annoying....but you get used to it. One of her eyes has cleared up completely....but the other is still blocked. And she is pretty snotty. It isn't every day....so we haven't taken her to the doctor. We have to take her next week for her 2 month check-up anyways.....so we will probably just wait until then. But she is doing good!

So, that is all of us except for me. I am doing fine! I am finally feeling "normal" without taking motrin every day. I forget everything...so I missed my 6 week check-up last week..so I go to the doctor tomorrow. I went to the gym for the first time this morning. I really have to get serious about losing this baby weight. I am going to join Weight Watchers again..... actually going to the meetings instead of just doing it on-line. I might wait to do that until I go back to work....just because it is so hard to lose weight during the holidays. I am thinking of starting the gym now.....and the diet part later. We'll see, though. It was nice to work out today.....I wanted to just crawl back in bed because none of the kids slept good last night...we were up and down all night.....but I made myself go to the gym instead!

Ummm....I did go shopping on Friday! My dad and I got up really early and were at Wal-mart by 4:50! Since the store didn't close, they had all the early bird specials wrapped in black shrink wrap....so you had to find where you wanted to stand and wait for 5:00 when they unwrapped everything. So, my target was a 20 inch LCD TV....I got it! It was very fun being there so early in all the chaos! Everyone was very friendly....no rude shoppers....and it was just fun! I got some great deals and got quite a few gifts marked off my list. Then we went back to their house...and I went back to sleep for a few hours. Then we ALL went shopping....we took 4 cars for 9 people.....everyone had to have their own car in case they wanted to do their own thing. We had fun. Hubby helped pick out the gifts for his sisters.... and he let me buy a few things for myself....OH! The mall we went to was an out-door mall and they had free horse-drawn sleigh rides with Santa....and so FABulous was scared and wanted nothing to do with Santa or the horse...but Mom and Dad got her to go on and we got a GREAT picture of my parents with the 3 kids. It was awesome! And it was FREE! Isn't that wild?!?! I did buy an extra print for $5.00. What a great idea! So, anyways....Friday shopping was FUN, but tiring. I was so tired by the end of the day....I was dragging!

Well....like I said, we had a great time in KY with my family. We played games and ate a bunch of food and had fun visiting and we went to the movies and saw Santa Claus 3.....we just had a really good visit! We left Saturday morning to come home....and stopped at the Forest Fair Mall on the way.....we went shopping at Steve and Barry's there (really cheap stuff) and then they had a play place for the kids....like Chucky Cheese....so we let the kids play there for a while before we came on home. It was a very nice trip!

So, since my last post, we got a new garage door! That is so exciting! We had our family portraits done....now I remember why we don't do those very often. FABulous had a MAJOR melt-down. I am anxious to see the proofs....hopefully soon! I am sure the pictures will cost us an arm and a leg.....but they will be worth it! I love the couple that does them....they did our engagement, wedding and family photos (when we just had I-Man!). So, looking forward to that!

Umm....the big present for I-Man and FAB this year is going to be that Fisher Price digital camera! I am so excited about that! I had to get them on Ebay because everywhere else is sold out! I got a blue one and a pink one for a little more than I would've paid in the store....so not too bad. Hopefully they like them!

Well, I don't want to keep you anymore! I hope you all are doing fine and that you had a nice Thanksgiving. I will try to do better at commenting instead of just being a lurker! Love to all!!!