How is this possible???

We've been back at home now for a total of 24 hours. I'm as fed up with stuff now as I was before we ever even left!! We had an EXCELLENT time, but sometimes it's just so hard to come home and go back to the way things were...things that will never change. Never.

I'm moody, can ya tell?

That being said, I've found some great blogs since I've been home, and although I've saved most of the trip pictures to my hard drive, I still haven't uploaded them to photobucket to post. I've also taken a picture of my desk (gasp!!!)...it's awful. It's a catch-all, and I hate it...it makes me unable to think when I'm sitting here (ahhh, so that's why her posts are so scatterbrained!). It's my first major project. The second will be the van and truck (and no, I'm not copying you, 50's Housewife, I promise!). An excellent point has been made, that many of our vehicles are, sadly, our second homes. Cluttered homes mean cluttered minds, cluttered minds mean cluttered hearts. And I can't live like that. So, Biblical Womanhood is hosting a Clear Out the Clutter Challenge, and although I'm frightened, I feel the need to participate.

Now...kudos to a great friend, Diana. She's not a blogger so I can't link her, but I work with her at The Greens. She cat-sit Dexter for us while we were away. Not only did she come over daily to feed, water, and pet Dexter, but she Spoiled. Him. Rotten. And I didn't think he could get any more spoiled. We came home to cat toys scattered in all the important places in our home, and one whiney "Where-the-H/E/DoubleHockeySticks-did-you-all-go-and-why-did-you-leave-me-here?" cat...but he was happy. AND. AND this woman did my dishes. I couldn't believe it. I'd had so much stuff to get done before we left, and the dishes ended up being last on the list. She also cleaned my kitchen floor. She's an angel, and I'm proud and lucky to call her friend.

We're having a barbecue this Friday...which seems odd to me, since I have to work, but I guess I'll join in the festivities whenever I get home. This means that we (read: I) will have to put the new barbecue grill together sometime before then. I have no idea when that's going to happen, but I guess tomorrow after work is about my only choice. Not only that, but I'm starting to realize that we don't have a patio, or a back porch, or a patio set, or, I don't know, extra chairs for people to sit in. And we've got 4, 8, 12 people coming, I think? This is wonderful.

Now I am off to bed, since tomorrow is my early day. I'm dead tired, which makes no sense, since I've just had a week off. But my dogs are barking...I got too used to not being on my feet for 8 hours a day. I promise you all that not only will I post trip pictures, but I'll post before and afters of the desk (and maybe, just maybe, the van and truck too...but don't hold me to that). Perhaps my mood will improve dramatically, but Thursdays at work usually bite the big one, so I won't promise that.

We're alive!!

Okay, so I'm just here to let everyone know that yes, I am in fact still a member of the living! I've been checking the blog almost every day, but it wouldn't let me sign in!!! You have no idea how frusrating it is to see people coming to visit your blog, and not be able to let them know that you're here, you're reading, and you're longing to talk!!!

Quick update: we've been having a BLAST. Plain and simple, this has been one of the best vacations I've had in a long time, and I'm having trouble grasping the idea that we'll be back home in no time at all. We've been swimming, seen alligators, seen LOTS of other wildlife, been to the beach (I think we're going again this evening), seen family (we'll see more this afternoon at the party)...it's just been an excellent time. And let me tell you...after our freakishly crazy weather in St. Louis, the weather here has been absolutely perfect...it makes me believe that I might actually be able to live in Florida (which would make Big Boss Man and the Boys just pleased as punch). The first night was actually chilly...it's amazing how quickly one acclimates to change in climate. We'd planned on eating dinner out on the back porch, but the wind was just chilly-willy, although we did go out and sit a bit later, albeit with blankets wrapped around our shoulders (who brings a sweatshirt to Florida?!?!)

I have about ten gazillion pitures and videos to share, but this computer has not been cooperative thus far...so I'll wait for our return to do a full trip story. I hope that everyone has had a fantastic week, and I'll see you soon!!

And we're off!!!!

Well folks, in 23 minutes, we'll be on our way to Lambert International Airport, heading off to see my in-laws (who are two of the most wonderful people on this Earth, so 'in-laws' can't be said with that scrunched-face nasally voice). I'm just a tad schedule-oriented, so hopefully this trip will be pleasant, as we actually have tickets and seats and everything. We got an email from Grandpa last night letting us know the manu for our arrival feast (I know there was other stuff...but all I read was baked chicken....mmmmmmmmm), and I'm just as excited as can be. The Boys woke up this morning around 6am...early even by their standards...so I think they might be a little excited too.

As I've mentioned before, we will try to get on and update at least a couple times while we're there, but if that doesn't happen (it is a vacation, after all), then I'll be bringing home lots of pictures to share! Hopefully the face in those pictures will be a much more relaxed, not-so-worried-about-everything-she-can't-control face. I feel like falling in love with my husband all over again. I feel like enjoying my children. I feel like visiting and catching up with family, some of which I haven't seen since our wedding. It feels like vacation time, baby!!!

CONTEST!!!!

I know, I know, I have to come here and glaot about how in less than 24 hours, I'll be in sunny Florida and not in gloomy Missouri...I'll get to the gloating, I promise! But for now, I have a contest to announce! I've been led to a new blog, and lo and behold, she's holding a Pampering Gift-Away!! You should see the list of loot you'll get if you win! So, as usual, Go. Read. Enter. Return.

The Simple Woman

I'm off to pack, and I promise I'll be back on later, to, well, gloat some more!!! :)

We have pictures!!!

So the whole family went to the ultrasound this morning. We ran a little late, but they never get you in on time for these things anyway. The only issue that caused was for my bladder to have even more pressure from the 4 bottles of water I drank.

Arriving promptly at 11:07 (uhm, for an 11 o'clock appointment), we signed in and sat down to watch HGTV on their flatscreen tv. Little Linebacker decided he had to go potty way bad and just couldn't hold it (obviously he had no idea what my bladder was doing), so I took him in and suffered through him being able to go and not me. As soon as he came out, we got called in.

Without further ado, I'd like to introduce you to Baby Ax!!!

Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and toes...


Head, shoulders, knees and toes, knees and tooooooooooeeeeeeessssss...


Eyes and ears...


...and mouth and nose...


Head, shoulders...


...knees....


...and toes!!!

And now, for the more important stuffarooni...


Like a full body shot with a wee little hand waving "hi!"


And a spine...all set the way it should be...


Another full body shot, legs crossed this time


And how about a dead giveaway?!?!?

So ladies and gents, we'll be welcoming (finally) another source of estrogen into the testosterone-laden home I've lived in for so long. YIPPEE!!!!! Everyone is thrilled, The Boys (who think they want a little sister until they discover that she leaves her toys around the place just like they do), Big Boss Man (who was pleased as punch that he was right all along this time), and moi (who will finally have someone's hair to put braids and ribbons in!!). The tech said everything looks wonderful. Heart beat is dead on, spine looks good, no markers for anything needing a closer look. Little Junior Mint was just being as photogenic as possible, pretty much the whole time.

So...now we start planning. I don't think we'll do the nursery all up in girly girly stuff. At least we can start (or continue) arguing over names and actually have them mean something, since we know we can say "she" now!

Thank you all so much for sharing this journey with me!!

This is it.

I had planned on getting up this morning and posting about how "Today is THE DAY!!!" and me, me, me, Junior Mint, Junior Mint, Junior Mint, The Boys, Big Boss Man, etc. All about us. Then I decided to visit my blahg-roll first, because I've been a bad blogger friend and have been neglectful of late. One post has completely struck me...and I've only gone to maybe 3 of my blahgs so far! So I decided to come here and share instead. I may be back, posting more links if they hit me in just the right spot. I'll definitely be back to post pictures of Junior Mint. But for now, chew on this:

Barefoot Gardener says just what I'm thinking.

When is a waste of time not really a waste of time?

I completely blame Big Boss Man.

Completely.

He has introduced me to the world of StumbleUpon. Now for those of you that don't know what this is, it's basically a random search engine in which you choose your interests, and then you hit a button and it automatically goes to a website that has to do with one of your interests. It's really cool, and you can either thumbs up a site (which is about the same as saving it in your favorites), or thumbs down a site, and they won't show you any more like that.

Now...I've narrowed down my interests to a few (as opposed to many, like when I first started), because I kept getting websites that, although I was interested in the content, I'd never find myself sitting and reading.

Some of my interests? Pregnancy (obviously), children (double obviously), crafts, knitting/crocheting, gardening, home improvement, homemaking and cooking. I'm starting to feel much more Suzie Homemaker than I was 5 days ago.

Now comes the guilt...I've spent more time in front of this computer in the last few days than I ever have!! I mean it's been absolutely gorgeous outside, and I've been in here. Now granted, I've been going back and forth between the computer and my household chores, but still. So I get to blame BBM for it...for introducing me to the wonderful world of SU.

That being said, I've come across some really, really cool websites that have a lot of information about my current "hopeful hobbies", such as sewing and gardening, that I would have never come across if not for SU. And the result is even more interest in these things!! So hopeful hobbies? Look out!! I'll be mastering you in no time!

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In other news, we've got 8, count them, 8 days until our Florida trip. {sigh} I'm not sure I've ever looked so forward to a vacation in my adult life. My back hurts, my feet hurt, and I'm just tired (even with the copious amounts of sleep I've been getting). I've promised BBM that I won't nag him about anything concerning the readying of our home for Junior Mint until after we return from vacation...but after that, it's on, baby! I can't believe how quickly the 4½ months have gone by, so the rest of it is sure to follow suit!

And speaking of JM, could I have any more heartburn? I've recently started eating again (Burger King was my friend a few nights in a row, and right now I'd KILL for a Slurpie), but after feeling the effects those things have on my GI tract, I think I'll stick with cereal and milk, thankyouverymuch. Heartburn = lots of hair, right? I've also started feeling "flutters" or "quickening"...yippee!!! And in just a few short days, we'll be seeing JM on The Big Screen again, as the technician checks out his/her internal organs and spine and other such important stuff. Pictures will most definitely follow that appointment!!

Ah-ah-ha-ah-ha!!

Please insert your BEST Mary Poppins voice into that title...you know, where her head is down inside her carpet bag, searching for her tape measure? And when she finds it, she does this sing-songy thing with her voice...go watch the movie, you'll know what I'm talking about. Don't have it? Rent it, then watch it.

I. HAVE. TREMENDOUS. NEWS!!!!!

Folks, you are now about to witness the power of prayer, in the smallest of instances. Last week, I wrote about some Real and Fake emergencies at the Ax Family Headquarters. One of those emergencies was that I'd lost a necklace, given to me by my mother over 9 years ago. I posted about it here, because quite frankly, no one seemed near as upset about it as I was, and I wanted to whine about it, then let it go and not obsess over finding it. Several of my wonderful blog friends sent "find your necklace" thoughts and prayers.

I've FOUND my necklace!!!

I don't know why...I went into that bathroom, the one we don't use because it's all torn to pieces right now, and opened the window...I seriously have no CLUE why I did it, as I've done it about a hundred times already, looking for this necklace. But I did it again. Maybe because the sun is actually shining for once this year, and I thought maybe I'd see a glimpse of gold sparkling on the ground below? Who knows.

I stuck my head out the window (no screen...told ya it was all torn to pieces), and looked below, saw nothing, and started to bring my head back into the house...when BAM!!!

I turned my head ever-so-slightly to the left, and there. it. was. Sitting right on the edge of the windowsill (outside), as though God Himself had laid it there (along with a few other pieces of jewelry I didn't even realize were missing). So, it has a couple knots in the chain. But c'mon...how miraculous is that?? It's been raining cats and dogs here for the last week and a half! And yet my necklace is still sitting there, plain as day, when I've looked there a gazillion times?

Rejoice this weekend friends. Rejoice in the small miracles that happen everyday. God is good.