If you've ever been pregnant you know that feeling that hits right about the 3rd trimester.  The one where you move in slow motion and try to keep up with everyone else going full speed ahead.  The one where it really sinks in that you just NEED to have this baby because it's not cute to be pregnant anymore.  I'm there.  And I'm only 28 weeks.  Technically 28 1/2 weeks but whose counting?  Me.  

I have all these things I'd love to share with you but I don't have any pictures to show for it because

1.  I forgot the camera

2.  I have the camera but I forgot to use it. 

3.  I have the camera.  I remembered to put it in my hand but I'm just too tired to take pictures.

My days consist of waking up pregnant.  Washing, drying, folding, hanging laundry.  Homeschooling my bigs and littles.  We have to eat something and preferably something healthy.  To do lists.  Lots of to do lists.  Watching my baby bump shape shift.  Four hands feeling my baby bump while it shape shifts.  (This lil' guy is a mover and a kicker.)  How much on my to do list do I really have to do?  Is it bedtime yet?  Throw in a little out of town company (yay!  ), church stuff, sorting the fall/winter clothes... Really it must be bedtime. 

Onward I march toward the goal of a healthy baby boy.  The reward will be wonderful.  The blessings enjoyed immensely.  This season will pass and a new one will begin.  Life is good.  I just don't have any pictures to show for it. 

La´bor`less    (lā´bẽr`lĕs)

It's a laborless Monday!  Unless you count the laundry I'm doing.  haha...

My mom and stepdad visited over the weekend and oh how they spoiled us!  I was in desperate need of spoiling and the rest of the tribe certainly didn't object either.  It was like a breath of fresh air!  Feeling extra blessed.  And although they are on their way home (boo...) today is still going to be an easy laborless day.  Many blessings to you, my friends! 

Sunday evening stroll at Driessen Beach Park, Hilton Head Island. 

Just right for a laborless weekend, don't you think?

Yesterday I had a followup ultrasound to get some pics of baby that they were not able to get a few weeks ago because of baby's position.  Everything has now been measured and accounted for and baby is still a boy!  

It was after my appointment that my feet somehow tripped over a curb landing me flat on the ground.  After I looked around to see if anyone saw (they did), I started to assess the damage (skinned hands and knees, sore ankle and arm, hurt pride).  I came home and dug tiny gravels out of my palm.  Laughing at myself has helped to heal my pride.

Week days are busy busy with schooling, activities, and church.  My older girls like to rise early and immediately start on their school work.  Their reward?  Having the afternoons free to swim, play, or whatever their hearts desire.  This is great for me!  I love that self-motivation.  My littler students need more time in the mornings to wake up.  We're happily moving along and already counting down to our midyear break in December when we bring home baby. 

I am finishing up my first quilt.  It's just a basic simple hand-sewn quilt made with denim, flannels, and corduroy.  I used our worn out jeans and thrift store finds to make it.  I wanted it to be soft and worn.  The Chief thinks it is genius.  He dislikes the feel of a stiff new quilt.  Sorry, Chief, this quilt is for baby. 

(Don't look too hard.  There are plenty of imperfections.)

I leave you with this conversation I had with the four year old boy.   Me, "I like you alive.  Don't you want to be alive?"  Lil' guy nods his head yes.  Me, "So don't do things that will make you be not alive."  Lil' guy nods yes again. 

On that note, I'm off to keep the lil' guy alive. 

If we didn't have birthdays, you wouldn’t be you.  If you’d never been born, well then what would you do?  If you’d never been born, well then what would you be?

You might be a fish! Or a toad in a tree!  You might be a doorknob! Or three baked potatoes!  You might be a bag full of hard green tomatoes. 

Or worse than all that… Why, you might be a WASN’T!  A Wasn’t has no fun at all. No, he doesn’t.  A Wasn’t just isn’t. He just isn’t present.

But you… You ARE YOU! And, now isn’t that pleasant!  Happy Birthday To You!

- Dr. Seuss

is most definitely  ......................................................................

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Cake.

Candles.

Roller coasters.

Six Flags.

Wish granted.

1.  Her middle name is Rose after my grandfather Rosevelt.  All his friends called him "Rosie".  He passed away when I was ten. 

2.  Emrie loves to color and draw.  She's our artist. 

3.  She has no desire to have her own room.  She is very content to share the sister suite, especially at bedtime.  Why sleep all alone in the dark when you can have sisters nearby? 

4.  She loves Little Debbie's.  Especially Fudge Rounds. 

5. She is a friend to everybody.   

6.  She can't wait to have a baby in the house again. 

7.  She does not like watermelon.  Not even a little bit. 

Happy Birthday, sweet Emrie!

So we could properly root for our Braves.

We were met with clouds and a rain delay.

Out came the umbrellas and ponchos. 

Gotta love the Dollar Tree. 

Judah requested a "trash bag" of his own. 

Finally time for some ball. 

The good news?  Chipper Jones hit a home run!

The bad news?  The Braves lost.

As the kids painted our old bench for me, they noticed some interesting carvings on the back.  

Many years ago, a young man, with the initials J.H. passed the time during long church services by carving his initials into the back of the church pew. 

Which led to our life lesson for that day:  

If you are ever going to write on something that you aren't suppose to (which I hope you choose to never do that), PLEASE don't write your name.

Develop a keen appreciation for the little luxuries in your daily life - the smell of coffee in the morning,the songbirds outside your window, a loved one's crooked smile. Seek out these "blessings" and take time each day to notice and savor them. Pay attention to your life. ~Mrs. Dunwoody

My morning luxuries:

Tasty cinnamon rolls.

My fave breakfast tea.

Sunlight streaming in my kitchen window.

Not fully awake "good morning momma".