Remembering 2008

Remembering 2008

Everyone has been so negative about 2008. So I thought I would focus on the positive things that happened in our lives this year!

8 Great Things About 2008

8. Ricky turned 30

7. Heather was granted tenure with her teaching job

6. We built our dream back yard

5. We are in love!

4.Our Parents are still with us

3. God has blessed us with a baby

2.Chloe is healthy and kicking up a storm

1. We are both Healthy

We are wishing everyone a safe and happy new year!

And my our good fortune come your way in 2009!

Christmas 2008

This is our 2008 Christmas Picture

All of our Gingerbread Houses

My mom painted this for me! I love it!

Christmas was a huge hit this year! But I am so glad that it is over, yes I said it over! It is a lot of work. Ricky and I had to visit our families on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Not to mention all of the cooking and cleaning that had to be done.

Christmas night was hectic between all of us opening gifts, the nieces screaming, family trying to eat and all of this going on and hoping to catch a 8:15 movie it was crazy! We made it to the movie (it is our family tradition to see a movie on Christmas night) I don't recommend Benjamin Buttons, but once I sat down to enjoy the movie exhaustion sat in. I was so tired I could hardly keep my eyes open. We got home around midnight and I slept like a baby!

The next to days were very productive for us. On Friday Ricky and I took down all of our Christmas decor inside the house and thoroughly cleaned every square inch. I organized things and we rearranged furniture to make room for our pack n play, swing and rocking chair downstairs. We also cleaned the basement, pantry and den closet. By 10pm I was swamped!

Saturday was another day of cleaning, we finished up outside and inside and are done.....whew it was a lot of work but very rewarding.

After some much needed rest on Sunday, I geared up for another busy week. On Monday Dec. 29th I had to Doctors appointments. One for my epidural consult and the other was my 2 week check-up. The epi consult was a joke it took me longer to fill out the paper work than for the Dr to actually meet with me, oh well. My routine OB appointment went good. I had gained of course more weight, measured a little bigger that usually and the heart beat was good. I go back Jan. 12th!

We don't have plans for ringing in the new year, but are looking forward to 2009!

Christmas 2008

Well another Christmas has passed and I was sad to see it go! Ricky and I spent Christmas Eve visiting his family in Elizabethton. It was tons of fun! We gave the little kids their gingerbread houses which they loved and then we all exchanged gifts. It was a great time especially seeing family.



We left Elizabethton and headed back to my parents for the traditional baked potatoe bar. Ricky and I were already stuffed so we just split a tater and then started the gift exchange. Everyone gets to open one gift on Christmas Eve. It was fun and Emmy and Kaylee had a great time too!



Christmas day was busy as well. Ricky and I didn't get up until 10am which I am pretty sure will be our last one sleeping in for a while. We exchanged our gifts. I got a beautiful cushion cut aquamarine ring which is Chloe's birthstone and some preggo clothes. Ricky surprised me with the pack n play and lady bug mobile for the nursery. I was very excited. Ricky got several of his favorite DVDs and a Murse or man purse to carry the babies stuff. After we opened all of our gifts we made breakfast. Ricky cooked french toast and I made the bacon and eggs. We invited my parents over for breakfast. It was very yummy.



After breakfast we cleaned up and went over to visit his Dad. We exchanged gifts. Joan Ricky's stepmother had a quilt made for Chloe that has cute little puppy dogs on it. It was very sweet.

It is a family tradtion to go to the movies on Christmas night so we left Ricky's dad and headed to buy our movie tickets for the show later that night.


Once back at home we started cooking Christmas Dinner. We had the usual Ham, Turkey, dressing, yams, corn, and rolls. It was yummy. After dinner we had our big family Christmas. Everyone opened all of their gifts. Mom painted me a winter picture and we also got a fire safe, very pracitcal. Emmy and Kaylee really racked up with tons of ponies and dolls they were all smiles and laughs.



Christmas was wonderful this year, however I am really looking foward to next years with Chloe Nell by my side.

WOW! What a little cutie!

Ricky and I had decided that we would take a sneak peak and our little Chloe Nell. So at 29 weeks we booked an appointment to have an optional 4D ultra-sound. For those of you not familiar with this "new" technology is is better than the traditional 2D ultrasounds and offers a 3D view with real time movement thus making it 4D. I had heard that it all depends on the position of the baby and how much fluid is around the face that decides how well the view is. I would say you have a 50/50 chance of a good pictures but at the cost of $5 a min your betting they get a good view of your baby.



We arrived about 15 minutes early and didn't really have to wait. It is the same procedure of the normal ultrasounds, sit on the table, get warm gel on your belly and watch on the flat screen overhead. It was so amazing to see little Chloe Nell, I real bonding experience if you ask me. I watch Ricky a couple of times and of course he was pacing from me on the table to the TV screen so he could get a closer look at her. I noticed him several times counting. I later asked him what he was counting and with a short "duh" reply he said Fingers, I saw 10. Great!



We went home and compared our new video and pictures to our previous ones from 20 weeks and it is truly awesome how in just 9 weeks a baby changes. Chloe Nell already had cute little lips and puffy plump cheeks. I really can't tell who she looks like right now, but I am sure she will be a little ham. Ricky and I both weighed over 8 pounds.



Now all we have to do is sit back and wait. After the holidays I will be 32 weeks when school starts back after the break. Then only 8 weeks to go. I can't believe it is basically only 2 more
months away.

Christmas Break!

I am so glad that Christmas break is finally here! It seems as though December has flown by. I am glad to have spent all day today on the couch snoozing and watching chick flicks. Yesterday was our last day of school before break. My class surprised me with a my first baby shower. It was amazing. My students and parents put a lot of thought into the shower. I had a cute little cake with pink baby booties on it and tons of awesome gifts. I really hope that Chloe loves pink because almost all of her clothes are pink.



Last night I had my annual school Christmas Party. I must say it was a huge success filled with belly aching laughs and yummy food. We played several fun games like Chinese Christmas gift exchange, a scavenger hunt in the house for 12 special ornaments, and guess that carol.



Today is our 5 year anniversary. Ricky had tournament basketball games all day so we will celebrate when he gets home. This morning I had red and white roses delivered and Ricky went ahead and had me open my gift from him. Since the 5 year gift is to be of wood he got me a Willow Tree Figure called "Together". It was so sweet and special. Tonight I will give him his gift which is two tickets to see the Lady Vols play Standford tomorrow night, and I also fixed him his favorite dinner Chicken parmigiana and for dessert a mini-wedding cake. He should love it all.



I just can't believe 5 years is already here....where does time go??? It has been an amazing


The next week is going to be busy. On Monday we get to go for our 4D ultrasound. I can't wait to see Chloe. The last 4D ultrasound I had was at 20 weeks and was kinda hard to make her out. I will be 29 weeks on Monday so we should get some great shots. We will be spending Christmas Eve at Ricky's family house in Elizabethton and then Christmas with mine. I have finished all my shopping just need to finish wrapping it all up and placing it under the tree.

Ricky's 30th Birthday Bash!

Ricky turned 30 this year and much to his surprise I gave him a huge party. For weeks I had been planning the bash. I invited all of his family and friends and set tight. Ricky is the type of person that loves to know everything so keeping this one under wraps was hard.

I was gone for most of the week leading up to his birthday so I had to do a lot of planning on the phone. I arrived back to Erwin late Friday night and was looking foward to Saturday "party day." Ricky still had no idea. He thought I was hosting a candle lit dinner for him with a few of his friends and family....boy was he in a shock when he got home. The house was all decorated, I had ordered him a special cake, and everyone was waiting. Ricky came home and everyone yelled "surprise" he loved it!!!! It was a huge success! I showed him is cake..it was one he had picked out this summer.

The biggest surprise was once everyone was just sitting down to eat the door bell rang....Ricky and I went to answer it and SURPRISE...it was his mom, Linda. She had flown in just for his party. We were both shocked. It was the icing on the cake. I am sure Ricky will never forget his special day and turning 30!

Is 2009 Almost Here?

December has been way to busy. When I start to think about it so was November. Thanksgiving was a huge hit this year. We had around 20 family members attend at our house this year. Mom and I spent two days cooking and the entire month of November planning for it. I was glad it was over!!!! Right before Thanksgiving I had to take my glucose test. This test is the screening one and only last one hour. I ended up failing it and freaking out but after much discussion with my pregnant friends I calmed down. I went back the Thursday before Thanksgiving for my 2nd test. This time it lasts 3 hours. I found out the next day that I had passed with flying colors...yeah I could relax and enjoy the holidays. I must give a huge thank you to Sarah for explaining it all to me...THANK YOU! Much excitement and stress free day didn't last long. The next day my mom and I were in a slight auto accident and I ended up spending Saturday and Sunday at the hospital for observation.


The hospital stay went well, but it really opened my eyes to how blessed Ricky and I our. The baby and I were fine....but I am still really freaked out when it comes to traffic.



December has been jammed packed. We decorated our house the day after Thanksgiving. We love Christmas and spent the first day on the inside and the second day on the outside.

We hope that everyone enjoys Christmas as much as we do.

Merry Christmas!