Randomness...

I can not believe that it is the end of August and I have only done one post!  Where did my month go???  The kids started school on Monday and I am left wondering where the end of our summer went.  This is going to be a really boring post for everyone, but me.  I didn't want to forget what happened during our last month of summer, so I just have random pieces of information thrown in here in no particular order.  (all journaling, no pictures)  

* I have been busy getting some scrapbooking done.  I finished my 2007 family album.  I uploaded it to Blurb and got my book in the mail a couple of weeks ago.  I absolutely LOVE it!  It turned out so good.  I couldn't be happier.  It made all of the hard work getting the pages done worth it.  It's nice to finally have some pictures off of my computer for us all to enjoy.  I can't wait to get another book done!

* This past weekend I finished "slurping" my blog  into a book.  (That's what Blurb calls it)  This turned into quite the project and took a lot more time than I thought it would.  But I'm glad it's done and I can't wait to get my book in the mail!  Part of why it took me so long is that I got sucked in to reading all of my posts again.  It was so fun to see all of the journaling I did and read stories of my family that I probably would have forgotten otherwise.  By the time I get around to scrapbooking pictures, I have forgotten all the little details behind them.  Blogging really does serve such a great purpose for me and I am going to try to stay updated on our family journaling as often as I can.  It might get tricky once this baby gets here, but that's an important time and I don't want to forget any of those details either!

* Casey went to Salt Lake for a weekend to celebrate his sister's wedding.  He was glad he went and was able to be a part of that.  I wish I could have been there too, but it just wasn't possible.  That same weekend my sister- in-law had her baby!  Little Beck Miller Curtis was born on August 15th at 4:06 p.m.  He weighed 7lbs. 14 oz. and was 22 in. long.   I have only been able to see pictures, but he is the cutest thing and I can't wait to hold him and give him loves!  It's hard to believe that my little brother is a daddy!  I am so excited for both of them.  They will be awesome parents.  Now our family pregnancy trio isn't a trio anymore.  It's my turn next and then my sister's!

*  The weekend Casey went out of town the kids and I finished up their back to school shopping.  It's always fun to see what they pick out and hear how excited they are for the upcoming school year.  I'm glad that they love school.  Hopefully they will always look forward to a new school year.

*  This summer Drew not only learned how to ride his bike without training wheels, but he also learned how to swim.  It has been a big summer for him!  I worked with him for about a week, but he was still being a little timid and clingy.  One weekend the two older kids wanted to go to the pool that has the diving board.  Drew wanted to go off the diving board too.  Casey told him he could if he wanted to, but he had to swim to the edge.  He said O.K. and did it!  He has been swimming ever since.  I guess you can say we believe in tough love in this family!  I think he's ready to be on the swim team with Kaylee and Jake next year.

*Casey spent two weekends in a row outside in the hot, humid Texas heat staining the fence.  It needed it so bad.  I can't believe the difference it made.  We both love it!  Kaylee was a trooper and did this project with her dad.  This is usually something the boys would do together, but Kaylee really wanted to be with her dad, so the two of them tackled the fence and sweated like crazy together.  It was definitely out of character for her, but they both enjoyed each other's company. 

*One of the kids favorite summer games was Speed.  They love cards and are really good at this game.  They discovered it towards the end of the summer.  We all enjoyed playing each other.  Jake has beat me several times!

* I took Drew out early one morning for his 4-year photo shoot.  I still haven't gotten around to editing them yet, but they turned out really cute .  He kept saying that he had fun being with just me and that he liked his new outfit. :)  Casey was nice enough to have donuts ready for him afterward too.  Grandmas - if you are looking to update Drew's pictures, let me know and I will send you some to choose from.

*  We have had a total of 8 Dr. appointments this month.

* Kaylee went in for her yearly eye exam and came out with contacts!  She had been talking about them for awhile.  I wasn't so sure.  She's only 8!  Casey and I talked to our brother-in-law who is an Optomologist and he highly recommended her getting them, since she wanted to give it a try.  He said since both Casey and I wear them she would be just fine.  I still wasn't sure.  We talked about it a lot and I finally agreed to take her in and give it a try ... at least see what her Optomologist here in Texas had to say.  He was completely supportive too.  She has been more than amazing with them.  She only needed my help for 3 days and since then she has been on her own.  She washes her hands before touching them, closes her sink drain, doesn't over use them and is just loving everything about it!  Sometimes I can't get over how responsible this little 8-year old is.  It reminded me of her turning 4 and getting her ears pierced.  She was so nervous and a little shocked after, but never complained about them hurting or having to clean them morning and night.  In fact, she wouldn't let me touch them from day one.  She wanted to clean them all on her own and didn't need reminding either.  That was at 4-years old!  She amazes me.

*  Kaylee also started gymnastics.  She goes one night a week for an hour and 15 minutes.  She loves it and is constantly practicing what she's learned.  This can be annoying when she's upstairs, so practice time is downstairs only! 

*  This past weekend we enjoyed a family trip to the beach.  We had to get one more fun thing in before school started and our weekends get taken up with last minute baby prep.  We all enjoyed the lazy day and the breeze from the water. 

*  Sunday before school started we kept with our tradition of Father's Blessings.  This was a little different because Drew was a part of it.  He received his first Father's Blessing.  You could tell he felt so special.  I can't believe how much he is growing up.  He starts preschool next week!  Now more than ever I am so grateful to be expecting an addition to our family!  I'm not ready to be home by myself yet during the days.

*  I got released from Young Women's this past Sunday.  This was bitter sweet for me.  I knew it was coming and I have been ready.  Casey is the Elders' Quorum President.  Between the two of us we really didn't have any free evenings and Sundays were crazy.  With the baby coming, something needed to change.  I was soooooo sad on Sunday during Young Women's.  I couldn't hold back the tears and I really tried to keep them contained.  I know that the youth of today are here with a purpose.  They are so strong and have such a special spirit about them.  They are great examples to me.  I will miss being around them with their contagious laugher and smiley faces.  I don't think I'm ready for Relief Society!

* I am so ready for Fall.  I'm ready to pull out the sweaters and have hot soups and chili's cooking on my stove.  What am I talking about...I'm just ready to cook again.  We haven't cooked much this summer, it's too dang hot.  I'm ready for everything that Fall brings.  I hope we get a good one this year!

*I have 7 weeks left of this pregnancy!  I'm ready to be done, but I'm not really ready.  Actually, I'm far from being ready!  I had a good 2-3 weeks where I was feeling great.  Now I'm back to being miserable.  My heart burn makes me feel nauseous, I'm extremely tired again, I've been getting a ton of contractions and they hurt, I feel like my bladder is going to pop all the time, it hurts when the baby moves...blah, blah, blah.  I could go on forever.  I'm just in that yucky last bit of pregnancy.  And then to top it off, I am getting ready to start the baby's room.  Yes, you heard right...I am eating my words and doing a baby's room after all.  She will still be with us in the beginning, so I don't really need to do one, but I feel like something is missing if I don't.  Casey feels the same way and is all ready to go with a new project.  I almost think he is more ready than I am!  Drew has already moved himself into Jake's room all on his own, so that has made it easier.  He's been sleeping with him every night since the beginning of August.  There really is no reason for me not to switch the rooms up.  I just need to find the motivation and extra energy.

*  I have 22 pages to scrapbook by August 31st!  The place I am using to print single 12x12 pages is having a sale until the end of the month.  I have a bunch of other 12x12 pages done already, I have just been waiting to get these pages done and get them printed all together.  Do you think I can do it???  That is 4 pages a day Tuesday - Saturday and 2 on Sunday, leaving me Monday to get them uploaded.  I'm going to try my hardest! 

That's what we have been up to.  Don't be surprised if I disappear again.  I have so much to do and there is just never enough time!