Thursday, December 2, 2010

For Aunt Ellen (aka Diane):

I was going to post my new Santa picture and realized I haven't posted anything since my last Santa picture...Nothing for an entire YEAR! (no wonder Aunt Ellen requested an update) why is that?... I am blaming facebook... and by extension, Sheriece and AD (love you both!).

I love reading and following other people's blogs. I start each morning by hitting a few of my favorites. It's the new coffee. I always come away inspired to make something or do something or BE something. While I am lacking in the usual creative, interesting traits required to be a great blogger, I would still love to be a blogger, if only for my own sake.

So, I am committing to blogging on a more regular basis. Therefore I am going to save my new Santa picture and do a 12 days of Christmas thing with all the pictures to date. Fun?... Sounds fun to me, I do love my Santa pictures.

So for tonight I am just gonna blog about....what I had for dinner! Although I am not looking to start a cooking blog. Mainly because I don't cook. Think I will use "What's for Dinner?" as default/filler posts... Tonight Shane made a scrumptious stew for another of our favorite blogs, Kalyn's Kitchen. She has a great cafe Rio recipe!...although I have nothing to compare it to. Never been to the real deal, but I hear great things about it! (btw, Sheriece, AD, that meal makes up for the facebook thing!) Anyway, Kalyn's pictures are much more appetizing than mine. I'll work on that...


Crockpot Recipe for Sausage, Peppers, and Cannellini Bean Stew


It is a South Beach recipe that I LOVE! Italian turkey sausage, YUM!. (Thanks, Shane! )We do the South Beach / low carb thing on occasion with much success and I am currently in need of some of that success. Holding out until after Christmas and then we will go back to phase one. Maybe this will be the year I finally shed all this baby weight I have been carrying around for twelve years now in varying degrees... Tonight though, I had my soup with saltines!

Oh, and here is a quick picture of Spencer. This is his early morning face. Somehow he looks sweeter in the mornings...maybe it's the bed head, a sign of a great night's sleep.


Tuesday, September 1, 2009

World, meet Spencer

Jonathan "Spencer" arrived at 7:56 am on August 28, 2009 weighing in at 8 lbs. 5 oz. and 20.25 inches long. Everyone is healthy and happy.

Spencer has a nice head of black hair, not as much as Gillian did, but still a respectable amount. He has dark blue/grey eyes.


I would give you more descriptions, but Spence is hungry...

Spence is a great sleeper already. The new parents on the other hand...not so much.
Nick couldn't be more proud. He keeps telling us how lucky he is to be the only male cousin with a brother.

Gillian is in baby heaven. Spence will always be the best dressed baby if Gillian has anything to say about it.

Monday, August 10, 2009

Gillie's first soccer outfit...

We signed Gillian up to play soccer this fall with her cousin Addison and her friend Gracie. Since she will make the cut off for kindergarten next fall and neither of the other girls will, this will be one of the few opportunities for them to be on the same team. Gillie's initial reaction to the idea of playing soccer was not excitement... actually she cried. "I want to be a cheerleader." Well, new soccer gear and outfit later, she is finally excited to play soccer... just don't tell her there is anything wrong with her soccer outfit...

Sunday, August 9, 2009

The Nursery







We have finished the nursery with only 19 days to spare. We scheduled my c-section for August 28th. Oh, and we have picked a name. Not a full name, just a name. But that is half the battle, right?

Thursday, July 9, 2009

Yes, that is Nick!


This week Nick was lucky enough to go to the lake with his cousins...(Note: I am blogging from my desk at work, not from the boat...lucky dogs) Last year he was very close to getting up on skis, but this year he did it!!! We are so happy for him. It's either good water skiing genes or Lee's boat driving is enough to scare anyone out of the water...

Friday, June 26, 2009

Bonding with baby


Today we had a bonding ultrasound. Here is "Baby Don't Cry" or "Baby Jon Hank" (Gillian's current favorite names) at 30 weeks. He is sitting on his tush with both feet and one arm up in front of his face. The other arm is tucks under his bum. This made picture taking a little difficult but he was awake and moving the whole time. He kept grabbing his toes with his little fingers. Very cute, can't wait to meet him!

Monday, June 15, 2009

Update...

So, it's been a few weeks since my last post. I have been waiting to get some pictures in the computer to go with the post, but since I still haven't done that, here is a quick update...I'll add pictures later...

Baby news: I am 28 weeks and It's a boy! ....tentatively named "Matthew Spencer" or "Baby Matt". Shane has only recently started to participate in the name game the kids and I have been playing for weeks. After Nick's initial suggestions of names that make him laugh, I told Nick we were going to test out all the names on him for a week at a time. He immediately agreed to this and has henceforth known as "Rex". Gillian has been my only real sounding board. She gives her honest opinion and takes to calling the baby by whatever is currently at the top of our/her list, like "Baby Mitch" then "Baby John Spencer" (it was "Jonathan Spencer" on my list but she shortened it). She did have kind of a funky start, initally liking "Baby Heart full of Love" (Too much Care Bears). Stay tuned for further evolution of the name of Baby Boy Glasscock.

Nick news: Nick competed in his first karate tourament. There are four different parts of the competition. Nick took home the 1st place trophies in three of the four areas, sparing, weapons (he has mad bow staff skills) , and for his kata (I think that is the word). The only one he didn't win was grappling (which he describes as "UFC fighting"). He went straight for the automatic win move, the choke hold, but couldn't quite get it. Meanwhile his opponent kept getting the small points on him that added up to a win eventually. Close fight though. Nick was so proud, so were we!!

He recently acquired his first "Girlfriend", "Victoria". She calls him on the phone and he takes her calls in the playroom on speakerphone. I don't think he realizes that if the playroom door is open, the whole conversation makes its way down the stairs to the kitchen... I'm not telling him because it nice to be reassured by their conversations that they are still just fourth graders... Nick: "Can you believe Parker did that in class today? (akward laughing type noise)", Vicki: (similarly akward laugh) "No!" (followed by a long even more akward silent pause).... At first I thought it was an almost overnight change in his additude towards girls, but now I am picking up on other signs that were there. Like how his christmas list included brand name clothes or how he spent some of his own money on a bottle of cologne... I have heard through the grapevine that Vicki wears his Abercrombie hoodie that has been over marinated in "Phelps" cologne every day at school. I though it was weird when he would grap it on his way out the door, otherwise dressed in his patchwork shorts and white hanes t-shirts. He said he gets cold in class...I don't think the boy has ever been cold in his life... As long as his never figures out to shut the door when he is on the phone, I might survive the next 8+ years.

Gillie news: Gillian has already started planning her next birthday party, who she will invite, what kind of cake and what they will do.

She is also giving me pointers on how to take care of the new baby that will arrive just a couple of weeks after she turns 4! She'll tell me "Mom, the baby can only have milk when he first comes home because he won't have any teeth yet." or "Mom, you can feed the baby and dad can change the baby's diapers, but I am going to pick out his outfits and put on his bibs." I was worried at first she would be disappointed that the baby was a boy and not a girl but she has put aside all her girl dolls and has been carrying around her only boy doll ("Baby Jack" - after her cousin Jaxon) since we found out. Baby Jack only has the one outfit Santa brought him in, so she has to pretend that the girl doll clothes are for boys. It's not unusual to see her carrying around Baby Jackon, dressed in a pink floral nightgown, her shoulder as she bounces him and pats his back. She is going to be such a big sister.

Gillism: "High IQ or Tunnel Vision" ... I read an article on line recently about a two year old british girl who has the same IQ as Stehpen Hawkins. They gave an example of the creative answers she gave to questions. "What do you use your eyes for?" She answered "You close them when you sleep, and you put contacts in them." I decided to conduct my own IQ quiz with Gillie. When asked what you use your eyes for, she responded "To put on eyeliner."

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

14+ Weeks

I had my monthly visit and all is well. I go back on April 9 for my big ultrasound which means two things:
1) we will find out the gender...Yeah!!
2) I will be half way done with this pregnancy...Yeah!!!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

That's the Name of the Game

Apparently there is a hitch in the polling system (and I don't even live in Florida). Once someone votes, I can't add anymore names. So we will start by brainstorming names and adding them to the list. Once we have a nice list we will open the polls again. So send me ALL your suggestions...I seriously need them.

Thursday, February 5, 2009

10 Weeks and Counting...


10 week check up today and it's official, it's a peanut!!! Okay, maybe not, but that's all I can make out... Apparently there are arm and leg buds and a very pronounced spine... Baby is growing normally and heart rate was in the 130s.  We could see the baby moving in the ultrasound.  Very cool.  Next appointment is in one month.  Alright Jessie, bring on the name suggestions...

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Eight is enough...

I have been TAGGED by my followers...

8 Favorite TV shows:
1- Gilmore Girls
2- The Wonder Years
3- Ghost Hunters
4- House
5 - Friends
6- Fraiser
7- America's Funniest Videos 
8- Heros/Lost (Tie)

8 Things I did yesterday:
1-Went to work...late
2- balanced a tax return
3- reconciled payroll tax returns
4- surfed the internet
5- removed staples from a 60 page tax return
6- replaced two pages
7- re-stapled the tax return
8- went home to bed

8 things I wish for:
1- our admin assistant to come back from maternity leave so I don't have to mess with staples (the temp doesn't understand why everyone can't do their own stapling)
2- a normal pregnancy
3- a healthy baby
4- happy children
5- my son to stop asking me what is the alternative to a C-section
6- a snow day
7- winning the lottery
8- Nick not to be mad at me for writing #5

8 things to do before I die:
1- travel
2- read a lot more
3- learn to play an instrument
4- learn a foreign language
5- make partner
6- see my children settled and happy
7- clean out the attic
8- figure out #8


8 things I look forward to:
1- Christmas!!!
2- the end of tax season
3- visits from my family
4 - the weekend
5- the summer
6- naps
7- pizza
8- cuddling with hubs every night

Friday, January 23, 2009

First Picture

We went to the doctor last week and he confirmed the earlier home test... I'm pregnant.  We were able to hear the baby's heartbeat, which is very reassuring and my initial SHOCK is slowly turning to excitement.  I am due September 4th, but because I will be a repeat C-Section, they will schedule it one week before my due date. I feel pregnant already with major food aversion, tiredness, water retention in specific place (like they weren't big enough before), and the always pleasant mood swings.  Next appointment is set for February 5th.  I will keep you posted. 

Monday, January 12, 2009

New Toy...

My actual birthday present, a Flip mino!!! Okay so it is not my actual present, that was returned and I bought this instead!!!  Disclaimer: Shane did buy me something off of my Amazon wish list, so he thought he could not go wrong... Don't know what I was thinking when I added that to the list...

Testing Testing...I may need technical support...

Friday, January 2, 2009

Our Christmas



We had a great Christmas!  It is so fun when the kids are so excited.  We went to Royal Panda Christmas Eve for Dinner (just as good as I remember), and then had Sheriece and family and  Maegan and baby and Taylor come over Christmas day and we all pitched in to make a wonderful Christmas dinner (see the turkey and the gravy!! YUM!!!).  My favorite thing about Christmas is spending it with my family!!!

Monday, December 22, 2008

New favorite recipe...especially since I don't have to cook it




Texas Brisket Chili from Bon Appetit

Here is our lastest favorite recipe! Thanks mom for the introduction. Its a chili recipe that doesn't use ground beef (one for you, AD!!). Note: we (and by we I mean Shane) used stew meat instead of brisket. Don't let this picture scary you either. This is so yummy!!! Garnish with jack cheese and avacodo...perfect for the 15 degree weather we woke up to today!!!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Happy 10th Birthday Nick!!!

(6 am - sleeping soundly)
Nick: Mom!! 
Me:  What?! (open one eye to see Nick standing by the bed dressed for the day...I must be dreaming)
Nick: Mom, it's my birthday!!!
Me:  Happy birthday Nick. Come back in 30 minutes...(close open eye)
(30 minutes later)
Nick: Mom! I made you guys breakfast!
Me: I don't do breakfast.
Nick: I know. That's why I just made you a glass of orange juice.  I made me and Dad waffles! (Don't panic - they were Eggos)
Me: (open one eye again)
Nick: Can I open my present now?!?!?!
Me: Dad, give him his present and take pictures. (close open eye again).



Don't feel too bad for him.  He spent the rest of the morning on a Japanese island surrounded by heavy gun fire... his personal paradise.

Tonight G'ma is taking him out for Sushi,
tomorrow night the family is going out for pizza and Bolt 3-D,
and apparently Saturday night he has invited some friends to go to Lasertron and then sleep-over.  One of the mothers of the friends asked me about it tonight at open house at school... Talk about stretching a birthDAY into an entire weekend!!! 

Happy Birthday Nick!!!

Friday, November 14, 2008

What's for dinner??? Golden Winter Soup!!!

Golden Winter Soup from Cooking Light

I found another great recipe on cooking light.  


This was easy and delicious with the added bonus of being only 7 WW points per serving, including two pieces of toast!!!  Enjoy!



Monday, November 3, 2008

Halloween 2008


Here is the kids with the explanation of their Halloween costumes...Rock Band!!!

We had a great Halloween!!! Sheriece's family and Lexie and Noah came over to Trick or Treat with us.  Mom and Lee came and tended the campfire and brought Halloween punch...I didn't know you could drink stuff with dry ice floating in it...  We had "Scared Silly Chili"(aka AD's White Chili) and tons of treats including Carma's sugar cookies (a family FAVORITE!!) and Lexie's Bug Cupcakes!!! We also stuffed in roasted hot dogs and marshmellows.  Ugh...  Nick hit the streets of our neighborhood with his crew(too big to go with the family this year).  We finished off the night with the Goonies.  Great night!!!






P.S. I almost posted my first photo bucket link all by myself...I only had to Sheriece once!!! Go me!!!

Sunday, October 5, 2008

BFF


Gillie and Addison are so cute.  They have been together since day one.  They are so close, they even think alike.  They had a play date together today and each picked out their own outfit...as they do everyday, usually multiple times a day in Gillie's case.  They were matching!!!!