23 Weeks!

I can't believe I'm already 23 weeks!  The time is really just flying by!  We are so excited to meet Baby Girl.  She is definitely moving around a lot which I am feeling and Lee was able to barely feel too.  Also, on Friday, I saw her move for the first time.  She is really having a blast in there!  I think she's dancing!! 

Lee got the camera out last night and took some 23 week shots, so here they are!

I hope the next few months are as wonderful as the last 5 have been!!!  I just want to meet her!!!

Blizzard of 2009!

Well, this was the storm of the decade!!  I don't think I've ever seen so much snow....well, that I can remember anyway!  We managed to get out Friday night to buy Andrew's Christmas present, so we got that out of the way.  Good thing too!  I don't think it would've been smart to drive to 7 Corners at any point this weekend.  Crazy drivers!!!  Lee got a few pictures of the craziness outside.  I stayed warm and baked some cookies and wrapped some presents!

Here are the measurements Lee took throughout the day......

7:45 Saturday morning

10:30 Saturday morning

12:15 Saturday afternoon

3:30 Saturday afternoon

The final tally was 22", but we didn't get it on camera!!

Farley LOVED playing in the snow on the deck....we even threw a treat out there to see what he would do.  Well, he dug for it and found it.  He's a dog, what else would he have done????

All in all, the weekend was filled with a lot of resting (for me anyway).  Lee shoveled us out on Saturday morning and went to the store because we wanted to make homemade roasted tomato soup and grilled cheese for lunch!  So, off he went!  Visability was horrible and the roads were treacherous, but the store is only 1/4 mile from the house, and it was no match for the Element!  Best car for the snow.  It really is great!!

Yesterday, he spent most of the day shoveling us out - again - and then headed over to mom and dad's to shovel them out as well. 

Before the shoveling commenced, we watched "Gran Torino".  If you haven't watched it....DO SO NOW!  What a fantastic movie.  I am so happy we watched it because it was an amazing story.

Anyway, I hope everyone stayed warm and cozy this weekend!!!

Baby Movement....

A few weeks ago, I felt Baby Girl move for the first time.  I didn't feel her again until Sunday.  And now, I feel her ALL THE TIME!!!!!!!  It is such a wonderful feeling that is so hard to describe to anybody who hasn't experienced it for themselves!!  She is so active and I can't wait for Lee and Andrew to be able to feel her as well!! 

Post-Thanksgiving Dinner Party

Lee and I wanted to host a dinner party after Thanksgiving so that we would have the opportunity to spend time with my family around that time.  We've never had a dinner party that didn't include the grill and being outside, so it was a little scary to put a meal together for 9 people!  About a month ago, Lee and Andrew went to Home Depot and purchased some wood so Lee could make our 4 person table into a 10-12 person table.  I certainly wasn't sure how this would get accomplished, but he's always been good with building things, so I didn't question it!  I just said, "go for it"!  So, he did!  And it looks fantastic.  It looks like we got rid of our old school kitchen table and replaced it with a nice dining room table!  We were able to fit everyone around it comfortably.  Next project - more chairs!!  Unfortunately, we only have 4 chairs, so we had to borrow some from mom and dad.  Here is what the table looked like before eating.

I wish we would have taken pictures of the delicious food!  For appetizers, we made bruschetta and garlic stuffed mushroom caps along with some standard cheese and crackers.  Wine and, of course, water, were flowing and everyone was having a fantastic time!  This was Adam's first visit to our home and we welcomed him with open arms!  I'm not so sure he was so thrilled though......

Ok, I guess he had fun....Lee just caught him in a hungry or tired moment!

Dinner was great.  We enjoyed a wonderful homemade lasagna and a great seafood pasta.  These were accompanied by a salad and some bread!  I know I enjoyed it and hope everyone else did too!

As a Greeley family tradition - at least for the past 5-7 years or so - Mom gives the 3 of us Thanksgiving gifts.  These gifts are items we can use during Christmas, so they usually consist of Christmas ornaments, candels, tea towels, etc.  This year was no different!  Andrew made the mantle!  Mom and Dad - G-Maw and Pops - gave Andrew his own Christmas stocking for their mantle.  In it, he found some ornaments and a wonderful pair of Christmas PJ pants which he has worn every night - and all day during the weekends - since!  Lee and I received a wonderful smelling candle that I just can't get enough of and some great ornaments and a little tea light lamp. 

Not only did we get spoiled with Christmas items, we also received our first "gender specific" clothes for Baby Girl.  Grandpa bought Baby Girl the cutest onesie......

Aunt Maureen and Uncle Andy gave Baby Girl the CUTEST outfit.....

Aunt Anne gave Baby Girl two cute PJs.  A Bunny pair and a "my auntie loves me" one!

Anne also gave Baby Girl her first book - Green Eggs & Ham - one my favorites too!!!

Grandma made Baby Girl her first blanket and 2 very adorable burp cloths!

We had the best time visiting with everyone and hope to have people over soon for more entertaining!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

This year marked the first year since I was about 4 years old that I wasn't with my family at Wintergreen for Thanksgiving.  It was also the first time in almost 10 years that Lee was with his family for Thanksgiving!  So, it was definitely time to share this holiday with the Diehr/Watson/Pfleckl clan!  Dennis and Helen were so gracious to host Thanksgiving this year at their home in Bristow, VA.

Lee and I were in charge of bringing sweet potatoes, a "Thanksgiving Casserole" and an apple pie.  So, we our idea for a "Thanksgiving Casserole" was Cheese with Macaroni!  It is only called that because, well, there is SO much cheese going on in that dish!  It was Lee's first attempt at making some form of traditional sweet potatoes and boy were they yummy!  I wish we had taken pictures of the two dishes because they looked amazing too!  Everybody brought some sort of side dish to go with the turkey that Dennis and Helen prepared and the ham that Lee's folks brought.  Dennis and Helen also prepared some delicious mashed potatoes, stuffing and gravy!  This might have been the first time in the history of my Thanksgivings that I did NOT go back for seconds.  This baby girl has me feeling SO hungry, but by the time I start eating, I'm full so quickly!  Although, I'm always starving about an hour later! 

Not being with my family was different, but being with Lee's was so wonderful!!  We had such a great time!!  Lee had fun walking around with his camera and snapping shots of all the family there!  Here are just a few!

Jaci, Ruth, and Sarah

Dennis and Cole Bug

Sarah

Connor

Alec

More of Cole Bug!

Our Thanksgiving was great!!  Hope yours was too!

20 Week Sonogram!

On Tuesday, November 24th, Lee and I went for my 20 week sonogram.  I didn't sleep the two nights prior because my mind was racing.  I was trying to be positive, but for some reason, I just kept thinking something was wrong.  I don't know why I do that to myself because everything is PERFECT!!!!  Our appointment was early in the morning, which was a good thing!  If I had to go to work and sit around all day thinking about it, it would've been a crazy day!  I didn't realize this appointment would last so long either.  It was almost an hour!  But, it was an hour of watching our little angel move around and wave at us!  In the beginning of the pregnancy, we discussed not finding out the sex of the baby and trying to wait 'til the end for the big "It's A _______", however, we decided to find out at this appointment.  The technician was a lot of fun and really made the process easy for us.  She didn't do a lot of talking throughout because she was busy taking measurements and writing in codes for the Radiologist to review.  It took about 5 minutes for me to relax because it wasn't until then that I could see the heartbeat!  I breathed a sigh of relief and was able to enjoy the rest of the process.  She took some pictures throughout the process that we could take home on a CD which I have here:

I think some of these 3-D photos are a little strange, but hey, that's our baby in there!!!  Once the technician was almost through the measurements and all the important "make sure everything checks out" stuff, she asked if we wanted to know the sex.  So, she looked around and made a very educated "guess" that the baby is, in fact, a GIRL!!!  After she left, the Radiologist came in after reviewing the measurements and did his own checking around.  His "guess" matched the technicians, so I would say....we're having a GIRL!!!  We are definitely thrilled.  Although, I know I would be thrilled either way!

We started making some phone calls to tell my side of the family, but we knew we would see Lee's whole family 2 days later on Thanksgiving, so we waited to tell them all then.  It was a lot of fun seeing and hearing everyone's reactions because I really think they would've been the same either way!!  Although, everyone guessed it was a girl, so I think they were all mostly just excited they were right!!  :)

We can't wait for Baby Girl to join our family in April!!!

So Thankful....

This time of year helps to remind us to be thankful for the things and people we have in our lives.  This weekend, Lee and I had a short visit with our friends Ryan and Tracy and their 4 year old son Ian.  We are so fortunate to know the Brown family because they have been nothing but wonderful to us.  They gave us so many things for the baby.  I don't even know what we'll actually register for!  Ok, there are still a lot of things we will need, but the nursery is almost set!  We brought all the things home yesterday and put everything in the garage.  It is very strange to have strollers and carseats and cribs and such in the garage!!!  They will make their way into the house before too long and we'll definitely have pictures of the nursery and how it all comes together.  We can't even say how thankful we are to have all these things for the baby.  So, thank you to the Brown family!!! 

Happy Anniversary!

Today marks the 2nd Anniversary of my marriage to my best friend, and the 64th Anniversary of Louis and Madolyn Ripley!  Although Lee and I have been together a lot longer than 2 years (almost 10!!), we've been in a state of wedded bliss for 2 years.  November 17, 2007 is a day I will never forget.  It started off with me getting up WAY too early.  I came downstairs wearing my grandfather's robe that my mom laid out for me.  It still smelled like him!  I tried to be patient, but I just wanted the day to get rolling so I could see my groom!!  Dad made breakfast and we all chowed down before Maureen, Mom and I headed to the mall to get our makeup done.  At the same time we were going to the mall, Lee was on his way to the mall (at the store RIGHT below where I was) to pick up the tuxes that the store messed up the day before.  So, we had to make sure to keep away from seeing each other!  There was so much time between getting our makeup done and our hair done, so it was definitely hard to keep me sane.  I know my mom and sister put up with a lot of my whining that day.  Trust me, I am NO Bridezilla!!  I just needed to keep busy. 

While we were out, a lot of out of town family came over to the house to visit and have some food.  We told dad they all needed to be out of there before we got home!  I didn't want anybody to see me before the ceremony!!  So, after our various appointments and a stop at Starbucks to pass the time, we headed back to the house to sit around again!!  As much as I LOVED having an evening wedding, the day was really tough to get through.  It felt like time was standing still!! 

Then, we got the call that our photographer was running late!!  He was stuck in traffic on the beltway.  This meant that I needed to wait to get dressed so he could get the "getting my dress on" shots!  I was pacing the house, looking at the clock.  He got there with time to spare!  So, we all went upstairs to get ready!!!  I am still SO in love with my dress.  I knew it was the right one!! 

Once I was finally in the dress, it was time for more pictures and then I got to head downstairs to see the "guys" for the first time.  The guys being my father and Don.

After all the pictures were taken, we headed to Hidden Creek.  We got there and got settled in the dressing room for last minute makeup touches and visits with the Mother-In-Law!

Then, it was time to go in!  I'm not sure why I was so nervous, but I just felt like a deer in headlights!  We walked around the corner and it was almost as if I had forgotten how to smile.  Oh, and I was so out of it, I forgot to look at Lee!  Duh!  That was kinda the reason for this whole thing!!!  Once I gathered myself together, we headed down the aisle where it all happened!!!

The rings.....some may not know that we were not married with OUR rings.  Our wonderful best man, Matt, left them in the hotel room.  I'm sure Lee had NOTHING to do with that!  ;)  But I digress.......as Maureen was walking down the aisle...Lee turned to Matt and asked him where the rings were.....his response....I don't have them!  So, Rob, our Efficient, Rob, called for his wife to pass him her ring......and Matt took his off to give as Lee's ring.  Of course, I knew none of this, I was waiting with my father to walk down the aisle!  Once I got up there, Lee leaned in and said "don't be surprised if those aren't our rings" to which I said "excuse me?"  Ha!  It all worked out and we are still married!  It's a great story to tell!!   We told everyone afterwards and nobody even noticed!!! 

After the ceremony, we headed to another room for pictures.  There were a ton taken! 

Next up, getting the reception started!  Lee and I decided to go out and greet everyone before the actual "introductions" started.  This was great.  It gave us the opportunity to talk to almost everybody there!  It was nice to see everyone and see the tables before everyone was seated!  We got our first look at the cake.....my oh my!!!!!

Then it was time for introductions!  We decided at the last minute that we would walk in to "Enter Sandman" by Metallica.  This is Virginia Tech's THEME!!!  It was perfect!!

Dinner was served and it was delicious!! We had the filet and crab cake duo plate. YUMMY!!! Before too long, it was time for the toasts! 

First dance time!!!

There were a TON of pictures taken during the reception, but I just can't pick any favorites!  So, here are just a few that I think are fun!

Cake cutting time!!!

The day was just perfect!!  Happy Anniversary to my one and only!!