Counting down already?

Here is our ticker count down...

According to the Chinesse...

Have you heard of the Chinesse calendar? A friend of mine at the Flipside heard I was pregnant and asked if I had checked this calendar out.... I told her I didn't believe in that silliness... she laughed and said that for her and her group of friends it was accurate for every kid they had. So curiosity got to me and I went on line to check it out. Sure enough for both Haley and Hunter it was right on. I, then, asked my friend Kelly if it worked for her, and it was right.... I have since asked a few more friends and it was right for them too! So I'm not saying I totally believe this silliness, but when you find a lot of people who claim it was right on, well....

So go to this link and tell me please, was it right on for you too?
Calendar Chinesse Pregnancy

So we told the kids...

We sat down with the kids this weekend and told them that we were going to have another baby. Immediately Haley came up with baby names for a girl of course... Rainbow, Flower, Angel, Sleeping Beauty, and Cinderella. I said, "Those are very creative names Haley, but what if we have a boy? God may give us a boy. Can you think of any boy names?" Then she looks up at me with her big brown eyes, sighs, then says, "We can name him H."

Hunter really doesn't know what is going on. He knows I am having a baby... but other than that, he doesn't care :) The only name Haley could get out of him was Chair.

We're Expanding

January 1, 2007 we found out that we are having baby number three. With both Haley and Hunter we pretty much told people right away, but with this one, we really wanted to wait until we heard the heart beat. January 18 we got to hear that heart beat! We are very excited. We are due the beginning of September. If this one comes like Haley and Hunter, 3 weeks early, then we are expecting an August baby. At this point, we are just happy it is healthy.

People have asked us that if we had three would we go with another H name. Our answer is this... :) a girl, we already had the name Hannah Grace; a boy... well, we haven't found an H name that we love yet and we don't want to just name him with an H name just because it fits the kids... I would rather name him a name we like then just settle for a random H name. So at this point, we have our girl name, but we are really stuck with the boy name. I think we have PLENTY of time to figure it out... we aren't worried :) but we are taking suggestions :) Both Haley and Hunter have the same initials too. HJV When we went to pick Hunter names, we always knew it was going to be James as the middle name, but it took us FOREVER to come up with Hunter and it WASN'T because it was an H name. We have thought that with this one, if we can't come up with an H name we love then why don't we switch the initials around to JHV and name him with a J.... we will see :)

We haven't told our kids yet. Hunter isn't going to know the difference but Haley will. I know she will be excited, but I am sure she won't understand the waiting period of it all. With Scott and Jenny's wedding back in March when they got engaged, all I heard was, "When is the wedding?" it was all she talked about... she had to act it out, all that and I DON'T want that with this :).

Here are two pictures of my family at Scott and Jenny's wedding. Soon we will be complete with a family of five :).

Two birthdays, Hanukkah, a Wedding ... and Happy New Year

We have had a list of activities this month. I haven't been very good at staying on top of my blog and updating it for those of you who look at it often. I have a TON of stories to fit EACH of these activities, but really, no time to write them down :). So... if you see me and wanna know more, just ask :) otherwise, here are some cute pictures of our eventful month:

Our Christmas tree :)

Hanukkah with Jenna and her family.

Happy 29th Birthday Mom!
A day trip to Santa Monica with friends - Carrie and Melissa.

Not a good one of the kids ..... Christmas!!!
Haley getting her nails done. Reminder to all moms out there of four year old girls... When you leave your four year old to have your hands dried, the nail painter lady will ask her if she wants flowers and all the other added expenses, your four year old most likely will say yes :) and then your 5 dollar paint job will end up being 15 dollars :)

My Brother, Scott, and Jenny get married ... December 29th
This is a dark picture, but it is the only one that I could get downloaded for the blog... sorry :)New Years Eve - we went to Jim's grandma's (Ruth) house for dinner.
New Years day, we went down to visit friends, Kelly and Sam in their new home!

one crazy month

Hey there friends and family who read this :)

Today, Jenny, Me and the kids all piled in my car and we went down to Scott's work (and Jim's - they work together) for a "wedding shower."



These are just two cute Dear Santa's I thought I would add for the holiday season :)

Haley's four year old photos :)

Every year on their birthdays I take my kids to picture people to get their birthday photo. Well, this year didn't happen for Haley so I asked my very talented friend, Megan, if she could take Haley's picture so I have one. I love them! I have so many to choose from. I am posting three. While she took Haley's picture, she caught a few with Hunter!

A busy week for Hay!

This Sunday Haley is in our churches children's musical. She doesn't have a big part at all, just a sweet small part of singing with the other pre-k kids. Her picture from last years musical was the advertisement for this year. It was right after her hair cut where the lady didn't understand what a trim was and chopped it.
Nov 5 (I believe that is the date) our church had a 5 year birthday party at the Victoria Gardens center and the kids got to sing a song from their musical.

Wednesday was Haley's last dance class of 2006. Here are some pictures from her "performance."

She was AWESOME! She had great form and listened so well! I was so proud of her!

Creativity in a 2 year old

Look at the empty plate. Hunter was told he could not have a sweet treat without finishing his lunch. I take the laundry to my bedroom and come back to this empty plate. It appears empty. As if he had finished his food.

"Hunter all done." Hunter says proudly. I look under his plate to see all of his lunch.

He simply thought that if it was not on the plate, it was all gone, therefore he is all done.

Our last full day!

Here are some posed family photos on our last day! (Yesterday)

Brothers... Len (age 37), Chris (age 34) and Jimmy (age 28)


The girls... Chenoa, Stef and Jenna.... Note that I am not giving our ages...

Today we fly home!

At the bottom are two pictures of our flight to TN. Both kids slept and were AWESOME on the plane! We are praying for the same behavior on the flight home :).

Our Thanksgiving in TN

Hey y'all ! :)
We are having a blast with family out here in Tennessee! Chenoa made a fabulous dinner! The dessert (which I helped a little with) was to die for... Chenoa really knows what she is doing in the kitchen :).

Here are a few more pictures of what it is like out here. The picture of our family is right down the street from Chris and Chenoa's. Hunter kept asking uncle Chris to see cows, so Chris took us on a walk to see cows :)... after he saw the cows Hunter looks up at Chris and says, "Want horses"

Hunter has won the hearts of his Uncle and family out here :) he makes us all laugh.

I got to play with Maizie's hair :) She wasn't feeling very well :(

Preparing for Thanksgiving in TN

Adam (age 12) and his younger cousin, Hunter (age 2) go for a walk out back while us girls prepare dessert for Thanksgiving. Yes... that is right folks... I cooked :) Here are more pictures...

The last picture is of the back of Chris and Chenoa's house... I will try and get a picture of the front of the house for tomorrow's blog update!

A bit from our Trip...

Here are just a few pictures from today!

Hunter took a nap with Chris :)

Hunter loves his cousin Caleb :)

The girls have just hit it off :)

Jumping on the trampoline :)

boys vs girls...

I don't have any pictures for this one, but I think they are pretty good stories none the less :)

Having a boy after having a girl is so different. Here are two stories to prove...

Six plus months ago... I know, it is an older story, but funny, still :)
It was after night time baths and I was getting Hunter into his PJ's. Haley comesinto the room and this is the dialoge we have...
"Mommy, Hunter's peepee looks different then me."
"It does?"
"Yeah, I don't have boobies on my peepee."

Just a few days ago...
Hunter and Haley were having lunch like always at our kitchen bar. This is the conversation I hear going on....
Haley: "I am four, Hunter."
Hunter: "Hunter FIVE!!!" He says with gusto :)
Haley: "NO, Hunter you are two."
Hunter: "NO HUNTER FIVE"
Haley begins to cry... "NOOOOOOO Hunter you are TWO."
HUnter: "FIIIIIIIIVVVVVEEEEE" he says with a Huge smile on his face. This sends Haley into hystrics running to me. Like most kids her age, she tattle tails on her brother. Hunter, totally loved the whole interaction and was continuing with his lunch. He officially is my brother... the button pusher!

Cookie jars For Sale :)

I am trying to make a few extra dollars for this tight holiday season... so I am making Holiday cookie and Brownie mixes in a jar. They are going for $10. The choices are

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie
Chocolate PB Chip Cookie
Butterscotch Brownie Mix
Country Homemade Cookie Mix

Let me know :) They make great gifts for extended family, teachers, neighbors, Sunday school teachers, friends....