The Stockings Are Hung...

...and the tree is lit...

Alex was excited to hang the first ornament on the tree!

I let Alex and Emily hang most of the ornaments this year...but we had so many...they ended up leaving me with the rest!  Although, I didn't even hang them all up either!  We are sad that we don't have a real tree again this year...but it was just the easier and more convenient thing to do...especially since we only have a  couple more days to go before Elizabeth arrives!

I think they did a great job!  And I'm so glad we made it fit in the sunroom again!  It seems to change every year...and I'm always moving things around to find a spot for the tree!

Emily was also thrilled to escort Dan to the IU basketball game Friday night!  She put all her silly bands on and a little lipstick...ha!  She couldn't wait to go! 

Alex has been an awesome organizer the last couple of days too...so she was happy to play with the play-doh that has been hidden in the back of the cabinets while she waited to leave!  {Thanks tons, Alex for cleaning out the cabinet...now there are about 10 more to go!}

...and while they were at the game Alex and I watched the Wizard of Oz!  I love that movie!  {However...he was desperately trying to find the IU game on tv...but couldn't find it!}  I've always wanted Emily to dress up as Dorothy for Halloween, but she hasn't seen the movie yet...maybe next time!

They have both been a huge help already this week trying to get ready for Monday...the big day!  Emily helped me peel potatoes for soup, put her clothes away...and they have both been great about helping me clean up with laundry and washing windows...I've got at least another day of nesting to get in!  

I tried to get one last photo of all my {babies}...

{...can you even see my belly...it is camouflaged...hardyhar!}

Unfortunately...the only thing that got camouflaged was the tree by my huge belly!

As you can see...I did not force them to take this picture...they were thrilled!  ...ahem...

Either way...I think we're ready!  It's gone entirely too fast...and I'm so nervous of the changes that are about to happen...but could not ask for any more blessings and cannot wait to be a family of five!

{next time you see me...I hope to be holding Elizabeth in my arms...and I will be skinny...

...okay...so at least the first one, anyway!}

{Joy}ful Plates

I had a few spare minutes between laundry, homework and running here and there...doctor, pharmacy {Emily is still on another round of antibiotics...at least it's the yummy pink stuff!}, gymnastics, pet store...and a quick nap...

I decided to add some twine, photos and fun letters...and a few more plates...to the kitchen!  I really love how it turned out!  {Yes...I'm still talking about the plates!  ...sorry...}

Looking at these pictures...it still looks like I could add more twine to some plates...but I wanted to keep it simple...I tend to get carried away...I still think I need some more plates too...but I'm trying to remember no swiss cheese!  Anyway... I used the Cricut to cut out the gift tags and to spell JOY for the Christmas holiday...and it will be fun to change the words and pictures at any time! 

...Yes...I think I will definitely need to add more twine and photos {and a few more spare minutes!}...especially to make room for pictures of Elizabeth's little smile and feet soon!

{And...I also put out a little holiday twinkle... I know it's still a little too early to have the Christmas lights on...but as we drove home from gymnastics this evening...turns out...we aren't the only ones...so there!}

{Welcome Holidays!}

Just {Leave}...

Well...first of all...I had a date with the paint brush on Friday and Saturday...so we could {leave} all of this behind...

We're pleased with the results...and I do not miss the dirty beige and greasy stains from the old flat paint!  Now it should be all ready in time for Elizabeth to throw her food on the walls...with easier clean up...I hope!

I like the way the plates turned out...I have some twine and still would like to make it look like this...but I had to at least get them up on the big blank wall!  Luckily...it's hard to go wrong when hanging basic white plates in a random pattern...so far, no swiss cheese!  Ha!  I would like to add a few more different sized plates to it, but I used what I already had, and bought the oval plates from Target.

It was a huge job...but finally worth it!  I only feel like I've been hit by a truck!  Dan painted all the trim, and I went around and painted over and under the cabinets...great work out...but not the easiest when you're 9-months pregnant!

And while Dan and I were busy making the kitchen sunny...Alex and Emily didn't mind to {leave} us to our work...

The leaves have really fallen this week...and the weather has been beautiful {until Thanksgiving...down to 35 degrees!} so what better time to enjoy a big leaf pile!

They must've spent hours out there running as fast as they could to leap into the leaves and then rake them all back up again!  However...I was vacuuming up leaves all evening that kept falling out of someone's clothes or hair! 

And...I really wanted to deck the halls today...but I think taking it easy is a better idea.  I've started to spruce up with a little bit of holdiay trim though...

...hopefully I can get it all up this week!  That's all I have left! 

If you don't hear from me in awhile...it's only because we will be getting ready for Elizabeth!  How can there only be a week left?!  This week is filled with more doctors and dentist appointments...and hopefully a stay in the  hospital!  My mom is hopefully planning on staying with us next weekend in preparation!  I need to catch up on the laundry and pack my bags!  So nervous...so excited! 

Happy Thanksgiving to you all early!

Update from the Manor...

This little sweetheart is finally off the couch...

{She's extremely thrilled to have an early-morning picture!  But I had to get rid of the one with her wild hair!}

She's not 100%...she hasn't had her normal appetite for over a week.  I think she's lost some weight and she looks so pale...I'd say she's about 60%...but I'll give her another 10% because she does have enough energy to show a little attitude!

After visiting the walk-in clinic,  her pediatrician...and finally the ER on Sunday night...it was finally found that she had pneumonia, which I was concerned about.  The nurse practitioner asked me if I wanted her to have a chest x-ray...um...yes!  I know some parents are concerned about the risk/benefits of the radiation, but speaking as an x-ray tech...I know that the radiation is minimal and she had suffered long enough.  I wanted so bad to take the x-ray myself!  I really miss my profession...but am so grateful I'm been able to stay home and take care of my little Emily.  It's been hard seeing her this sick.  She's so independent and sassy, and to see that spark missing for a week was just not like her.  After missing school for six days...I told her the class will think she's a new student!  She was still a little tired and weak...but I think she was so ready to get back to her friends...and to catch up on her schoolwork.  It's been hard making it up at home.

On another note...Dan's been missing his projects...I have not!  So...Sunday afternoon he decided to grab some paint samples and start trying them out!  So now our kitchen and entry look like this...

{notice all the medicine on the counter...I feel like a mini pharmacy right now!  Alex is still finishing up his doses from a week and half ago too!  There's even some in the fridge!}

We've needed to paint since we've lived here...seven years ago...but we've put it off for so long because it's such a chore!  Look at all the holes he had to cover from my past experiments with what to hang on the wall!  Ha!  I told you...me and blank walls = swiss cheese!  I have an idea of hanging plates on the big kitchen wall next time...but I have trouble getting what's in my mind to the wall!  Something like this I hope...

I love the idea of simple white plates in different sizes and textures...

Kelli from RTSM gave me the inspiration here!  She just needs to come over and decorate my house for me!  Remember...she also gave me the idea for the mini art gallery in the basement too!  Thanks Kelli!

Now...we just need to accomplish this within the next two weeks...

...because that's all I have left before what's in here...

...becomes our newest addition to the Manor!

I'm feeling huge!  It may not look like it in the picture {or maybe it does!} but black is slimming...right?  Ha!

I think my face looks fuller and my ankles may be a little puffy...but thank goodness flip-flop season is over!  My mom told me I look big...but if your mom can't be honest than who can?!  It's all worth it, I know!

I'm still in disbelief that there are just two weeks left!  I'm ready to meet her and hold her and squeeze her...but I'm not ready for sleepless days and nights and infinite diaper changes again...but so excited for Alex and Emily to meet their little sister!

And...sorry...but this baby...is going to need to find a new place to sleep...

...sigh... what am I going to do with her?  So spoiled!

Stay tuned...

Bad Hair...Pretty Sky

Last week Alex had a check-up with his allergy doctor...and came away with four prescriptions and a big hit to the wallet...ouch!  His breathing treatments are pretty pricey.  But he is doing much better...and his reactive airway disease usually reacts this time of year...so it's expected.  But I had to make the comment that Emily never gets sick...

...shoot...I had to open my big mouth...

She has had a fever and cough since Sunday and has missed school all week...poor thing...just look at that hair!  {I know I'm so mean to take her picture when she's not feeling good!}

The doctor didn't find anything wrong with her...but gave her some cough medicine...and her fever keeps lingering... sigh... 

She hasn't really eaten much all week either...but she finally ate Wendy's last night and seemed to be feeling better... we even went outside to enjoy the beautiful pink sky at sunset and the warm weather...

...then when I took her temperature, it had gone down...to 101 at least...she fell asleep... but then decided she didn't want the Wendy's after all...ugh! 

This morning was no different...we've been meeting around 3am every morning with Emily greeting me saying, "I feel hot."  Temperature...102.6  So we went back to the doctor {this time it was her pediatrician and not the walk-in clinic we went to before...thank goodness!} and she was given the pink antibiotic {that always goes down so much better!} and was told to take breathing treatments 3-4 times a day for the next few days for the wheezing in her chest...so glad those will be getting their money's worth!

...and of course...lots more of this...

Alex told me her friends are worried about her and have been asking him when she's coming back to school...so sweet.  And he's tired of bringing her homework home and taking it back to her teacher...ha!  I told him he gets the gold star this week for being such an awesome big brother!  Let's hope she can finally get back to school tomorrow!

...well...at least her hair is looking a little better!