Yeah I know I haven't updated in a million years...

So yeah... it's beeeeeen super light on posting for like EVER... lemme catch up here...

Since last Winter/Spring, we've gone from a mild spring with planting and new trees, to the HELL that was the summer of 2011. It was over 100 days of full on 100 degrees plus (40 Celsius) here. Horrible. It was just bad.

D and I went to Hawai'i while the girls got to spend time with their grandparents. It was a nice vacation, and while we did miss the girls it was nice to go on a vacation with no children... well almost...

We found out in late May/early June that we are expecting baby #3. And in September it was confirmed that baby is a boy! So that's been pretty exciting!

Lil S is in 1st grade now, and absolutely loves it, is enjoying her class and new friends she has made. She is reading at a 2nd/3rd grade level, and overall just has been really doing well in school.

Baby M, now gonna be called Lil M, is just a full on toddler. She has just been talking up a storm, this happened later in age with M than with S, but I've been told many times that 2nd kiddos usually wait to talk. She has a definite opinion on EVERYTHING and isn't afraid to share it. She's very sweet when she wants to be though saying loudly, "I LOVE YOU!!!" Too cute for words!

Baby Boy is due end of January, and we still don't have a name, that's the only issue at this point, just have a few that we kind of agree on, but nothing that we're totally in love with... but once we see him I'm sure we will pick one and that will be it!

Oh I also took Chem 2 and A&P2 in Fall of 2011, and got a 4.0, so that was wonderful! Hard work and studying really do pay off, but it's only because I have a wonderful husband!! :)

For now that's it, we're all just waiting for baby to arrive, and then I'm sure we'll have more posts...

Now to update the girl's letters blog... need to get on that!

Hope everyone is having a great 2012! Happy New Year!

Springy Spring

Here it is about a month and a half later. So we spent most of February on and off sick with allergies, the kids were sick as well. It was so not fun. We're doing better as spring has sprung. Planted and really got the front and backyard looking good over spring break, and went down to the beach in Corpus Christi for a few days. It was good to get away. It's almost April and before too long SUMMER. This will be the first summer we've been in TX in 9 years. That's craziness! I'm not too excited, because I hate humidity, and compared to Australia and Colorado, I know it will be humid on top of the heat. Thank goodness for pools and A/C.

M is having a lot of fun with separation anxiety and S is still in love with going to school. Hopefully M gets over her issue and S never gets over hers... That's about all for now from here.

Ahhhchoooo!

Whoa.. it's been a crazy past few months... some sad craziness in mid-December, and then the holidays which were fun! The new Year has been good, but quite cold. I can't remember Texas ever being as cold as it has THIS year.

Above is a picture of the girls this morning. They didn't want to stay out too long, and there wasn't too much to actually play with.

Been trying to keep up with the blogs, but it's been tough. :) Will try to do a bit better now that I'm not in school this semester. We'll see if/when I go back.

Not too much else. Just trying to keep warm, and looking forward to spring, just no mountain cedar or other allergens I hope!

Something to keep the "magic" of Christmas alive...

Here is such a cute thing I did for Lil S. I hope she'll be amazed and love it!

Quick Update

It's calmed down here about 1 degree... I'm getting A's in all my classes, so that's good news, and we're still unpacking, but it's coming along.

S is loving school and doing very well. This week is Red Ribbon week, and we've been talking about what that means.

M loves being in a MOPS group. She loves playing with other kids her age, and I love the little break it gives me with grown-ups.

Dennis is good, just busy at work. And he's still doing the whole mountain biking thing, it's good for him, so gotta make time so he can go and do it...

Sorry it's a short update, but that's all I have time for tonite!

Such a busy busy time!

Sorry for the lapse in posting.. it's been a busy few months.

We've moved trans-pacific, and finally have a moment to catch our collective breaths.

Lil S just started kindergarten, and it's SO incredibly quiet around here, well almost.

M is missing her sister, but she's adjusted well!

I'm in school in the evenings. Taking 14 hours of classes and balancing my family and dropping off and picking up S from school is exhausting, but it's definitely keeping me busy.

We're just waiting on our things from Oz to arrive and oh the joys of MORE unpacking will resume... Hopefully I'll post again soon, but otherwise my classes end Dec 11, and you'll see more posts more frequently then :)

Hopefully everyone is doing well out there in blog land :)

Ugh... update (going private, log in if you want to read!)

I decided to keep my blog only accessible to readers via logging in... Since we're about to move back to the US, an be in a major city again, and since we have a family etc.. I'd rather not be as accessible as I was online. If you know someone that would like to see the blog or something, please have them email me at ska1ser79(at)gmail(dot)com.

Hope everyone (Stateside) is having a wonderful summer, and everyone down under is enjoying the cool brisk winter! :)

Moving on...

Here is my photo blog. I'm slowly working with the camera and learning new things, and I think I'm slowly (and I emphasize slowly) becoming a bit better. My goal is to be able to take a better photo than I did the previous day. Not sure I'm there yet...

Quickly we'll be moving and I know I'm going to have to shelve photography on the backburner for a while. Going back to school and balancing 2 kids, as well as getting settled into a new house is going to take a LOT of work. I'm excited but nervous as well!

It's just really hit me that we're moving back, and while I'm super excited I think I know I'll be really sad to leave my friends here. It's been like a family here made of all the friends we've made. We've had to celebrate holidays and birthdays together, but it's been a lot of fun. Three years have gone by so quickly! Before I know it the time when the girls are young will be gone and we'll be going to see them graduate from high school and college! I feel some days like I'm still 18, but know that I'm not!

Ugh.. nostalgia.. it's bad right now I guess thinking about the past when I should be preparing for the future.

I'm excited though, can't wait!

SO much going on... where's the time gone!

SO much going on lately!

I am an aunt of a sweet baby girl! She's home now and being thoroughly spoiled rotten! I can't wait to go and help with that process!

We move from Oz in a little over 2 months! It's exciting, but also such a long and involved process. I can't wait for about 4 months from now when we'll have all our stuff and be pretty much settled into our new house! I will miss all the friends I've made here in the last few years, so it will be a little bittersweet.

Lil S will be starting kindergarten this fall and M will be taken to MOPS and library storytimes, and she will have lots of little baby friends I am sure, and I'll be finishing up my pre-requisites for nursing school.

Right now we're just looking at potential houses, and just counting down the days til moving day!

Here's a few photos :

(Photo taken by ME of Baby M and Lil S - Easter)





(Photo taken by Jennifer Garnett of me - April 2010)



and Just so he's not left out.. Here's Daddy with his girls

I'm an aunt!

A Very happy day!
I became an aunt! My baby niece is so adorable!!!

Tragedy down under

Lil S's pet fish Dory has passed away. She (even though it was a "he") was brought home in May of 2008, and passed away today on Feb 10, 2010. She had a good long betta life, and now is in fish heaven. Lil S will miss her always.

We have buried her.


We all said prayers for her.



RIP Dory. You will be missed.

Photography and Mama news

I've started yet another project, but it's a good one!

I'm trying to work on taking better photos!

Here's the link!!!

I'm hoping that I get better and better, and can take superb pictures of my family. I love having a DSLR, but I know that I have to really learn the "proper" way to take photos. :)

All's well out here in our neck of the woods. The lil one just turned 6 months, and I can't figure out where half a year went! It seems so fast that they grow up.

On Monday the older one starts preschool here in Oz, and she will be in school every day! EVERY.DAY.!!! (WOOOOHOOOOO!!) I think she really needs it, as I think she needs an outlet that's not about her sister or being mad at D and me because we have to take care of little sister. I think she'll adjust, just needs time. Lil S is really excited and totally LOVES her teacher whoms she runs up to and hugs each time she sees her!

Can't wait to see the pictures I get for her first day of school!

Hope everyone out there is having a good year so far!

Weather Haiku

(a view of the Todd River here in Central Australia flowing for the first time in 2010 - Picture taken by D)



There has been a flurry of insane weather activity across the globe.. with colder than average temps across North America.. and lotsa rain here in Central Australia... So I got inspired and asked my friends (they are the initials below) on FaceBook to give me a glimpse into their weather via a haiku.

Enjoy!

And if you'd like to submit one, add one in the comments (I do moderate comments, so be nice) :)


My Haiku :

Rainy days are cool
Too many hot days are foul
Drops that cleanse the soul

PC
Beer you are so good
I drink you when it's raining
and all other times.

MB
Fog lowers her veil
the calm before the cold gale
Time for one more ale

JTG
I love rainy days
Few and far between they are
Enjoying the treat

AM
A winter snow falls
Not really but in my heart.
Glad be the penguins.

JG
Sun where have you gone?
Clouds rolled in and snubbed you out.
Now its cold and dark.

When plans go awry

What a heck of a week!!

We celebrated Christmas on the 24th this year since D was working on the 25th. But like the old adage goes... when you plan, God laughs... well D and Lil S got very sick with a stomach virus. They have since recovered, very tired, but overall much better than on Christmas day.

The baby and I remain unscathed (so far). She had a good first Christmas despite all the running around I had to do to help D and Lil S recover.

She played and got a lot of one on one time since the other 2 were passed out sleeping.

Lil S was very happy about Christmas, and she said the prayers at dinner (which are so simple and sweet)... All in all it was a good Christmas, but just not exactly what we planned for...

Hope everyone out there had a good Christmas (or holidays!)

Update right before Christmas

We got back to Oz! Safe and sound!

Didn't love Qantas... lots of issues, but eh.. I guess traveling right before the holidays will always put people in bad moods!

We're slowly readjusting to the heat here.. Last week it was up to 102 before noon!

Well only a few more days til Christmas (and we're celebrating on Christmas Eve - D works Christmas Day) and I better help wrap the presents!

Lil S and Baby M are doing well! S cannnnnnot wait until Santa arrives! All she wants this year is a Corinne Princess doll! She's telling us to tell him every day that she's been super good!

Baby is just getting so round and cute every day!

I've unlocked this blog, but the kids blogs will stay locked, so if you want to see their pages (and I know you) just email me and let me know

ska1ser79(at)gmail(dot)com

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Hectic

So this next month (3 weeks) will be nutso/hectic (traveling/visiting family)... not that posting here didn't already get light with a newborn being in the house... once we get back down under I think it may pick up a bit because it will be 106, and I don't see us being at the park during the afternoon anymore...

But Lil S will start 5 days a week preschool (so that means more driving around)...

I can't believe how quickly a year goes by when there is a little baby in the house... just trying to make it day to day...

Hopefully I'll post again before the new year!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone (if I don't get online again before that)

:)

Wonderfully wonderful

SO more great news!!! Look over at THIS blog :)

I'm so excited! I can't wait to move back (have I mentioned that one or a million times)!

I'm also nervous...we have to look at school districts now... I can't believe the girl who is my first baby is about to be 5... Time feels so crazy and it's going by so quickly.

Lots of big decisions coming up, from where to move to, to what car to purchase, to my school stuff... Gotta do some research and see what's best for all of us. I'm excited, but also relieved that we have about 6 months to make that transition... albeit via long distance!

Here's to great changes!

Can't wait to see the hubby! He'll be here in less than 2 weeks.

P.S. Did I mention that the baby LOVES to watch football (Longhorns or Cowboys only, thanks)! She sits with her Appupa and coos at the players!

Catch up- catch all!

I guess with all the moving we've done, and will do in the future it made some sense to put this blog to private just to the few of you that occasionally visit...

So the good news is that we're moving back to Texas! So excited.. we left back at the very beginning of 2002 and return mid-2010... so that's about 8 LONG years we've been gone!

I'm so ready! Other than that baby M is doing beautifully, growing big and strong! Lil S is gearing up for Halloween, not sure exactly what/who she wants to be... but I'm sure she will let me know hopefully the day before, and we'll scramble to figure out an outfit!

Hopefully off to the movies soon, lots of great ones out there!

Tell me what y'all have been up to!!!

Update... a month later almost!

(a picture of my gorgeous girls)


Quick note

We're all doing well!

Baby M is now up to 7 lbs 7.5 ounces, so getting bigger and cuter!!!

I have put up a blog of monthly letters for her.. so far she only has 1 letter there...

Here is the link.

I can't believe how the time moves when you have a small baby in the house again.

Lil S is about to start 4 year old pre-school on the 31st, she's so excited and we even met a couple of the kids that will be in school with her!

Will try to keep updating, but so much time is eaten up with trying to keep up with the everyday stuff :) Isn't that the case with most of us? ;)

Birthstory

So on the 25th of July, I woke up at about 5am... I thought, oh great... why can I not get a full night of sleep here... well.. it turns out that contractions decided to start right then...

so from 5 am til about 10am they go from 12-10 minutes apart down to 3-2 minutes apart...

at 9 am I called and told the doctor what was going on, they said to come in at 10 am if the contractions held at 2-3 min apart..

needless to say, at 10 am Dad and Mom drove me up to the hospital while my Lil S stayed and hung out her with Aunt RMR and Uncle Seb.

I asked for epidural as soon as I was checked in, received it within that hour.

Dr. Jones was awesome, the numbing agent - not so much!

Then the OB, Dr. Gomez who was checking on baby, told me that with every contraction baby's heartrate was dropping. She thought it was a cord issue. They had given me pictocin, and the next 2 times it was administered they saw that each time baby's heart rate dropped. Dr. Gomez then told me that it would be up to me, but she thought it was a good idea to consider a c-section because if the baby was having issues at this earlier stage of labor, that it might be really traumatic for baby otherwise.

I opted for the c-section, because of her heartrate issues. I didn't want to chance anything with her health.

So they prepped me, and then we were wheeled into the OR... Mom came in with scrubs on, and sat close to me. She seemed very worried, and I just talked to her and told her to breathe. Then as I was talking to her, I hear a scream, and I look up to see this wrinkly lil screaming blood covered baby girl. She was born at 4:50pm.

They take her away (Mom goes over to the baby warmer to see her) and clean her up and get her Apgar scores (9 and 9). She's got a little hat on and bundled up when the nursery nurse brings her over to my head, and I'm able to give her, her very first kiss. I tell her I love her very much. It's when I kiss her that I feel that her cheeks feel like a fluffy little cloud, then I instantly know what her name will be... one that D and I had agreed we both liked, and one that we know that just fits her....



Meghana. (pronounced like Meghan with an Ahh on the end)

Welcome to the world baby girl. We love you so much!


Sisters