Minus One.

I have this group of girls.

From college.

They are so special to me, I can't even describe. I have realized just how much I appreciate their friendship over the last year or so.

They have seen me at my worst and my best.

They stuck by me in some seriously ugly stages of my life - and they still love me.

They know how I get....and they still love me. That is some serious love. Because we all know how I can get. For reals.

Erin, Kendra, Kate, Alison, Patty and Sarah. My girls. I wish I had current pictures (send me some, will ya??), but I do have some goodies from the past.

About a month ago, we all got together (minus Sarah and Kendra) when patty came in from VA. And this past weekend we all got together (minus Sarah and Patty) to celebrate Erin's birthday (30!!) and Alison's new baby, Claire. I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to hang out with these girls twice in one month! It was awesome.

Except, we are always minus a VERY important one.

This one.

(yowzers, scary picture!!)

This is MY Sarah. I can say that, because we roomed together for most of college. And she has truly seen me AT MY WORST. And still loved me for it (eventually). There are no words to describe our relationship - so I won't try. That makes us sound like lesbians. We're not.

Anyway, I miss this girl like crazy. She lives in Massachusets, but jet-sets all over the ding dong place. Jet set to Jacksonville, please!!!

What Pushed Me Over the Edge.

I figure i'm going to need a few things if the baby indeed turns out to be a Mini Dave. And did you know that both Carter's and Osk Kosh have a forever return policy (thanks to Abbie for that information...Dave thanks you too!)?

I can buy now and return later if necessary. So I'm buying now. I'm planning to wash up just one outfit and then the grandmas can wash up the rest if it turns out to be a boy. I'm also going to pull out all of the gender neutral stuff we have from Hallie that can be used too.

I have no idea what I have, other than onsies. Check out what's in my cart right now. So cute!! So tiny!!

(the one above says "little brother," so cute.)

(do these not look like long boxer briefs? I think they are adorable!)

It's probably a good thing I don't know if it's a boy or not. I'd be a shopping fool.

Update - Walls.

I walked down to my basement last night (after running by Home Depot for Dave) and found half walls! The drywall was halfway up all of the walls in the main sections of the basement and completely up in the bathroom. Very exciting.

Today the top half will commence to be hung and the finishing work will begin. Pictures tomorrow.

In other news, I have a cold. In my face.

And I can't stop looking at boy clothes online. Because I am convinced there is a tiny Dave sloshing around in my belly right now. Convinced.

So I look at thing like this,

Or, oh my gosh they have it in pink too!!! I'm thinking one of each.

Ahem. Back to boy clothes.

Somebody stop me!

Walls. Real Walls.

I'm pretty excited today. We are starting the long process of finishing our basement, starting with the drywall. We had it framed out when we built the house two and a half years ago, but decided to wait (and save) before doing the finish work.

This is what our basement looked like last night. Bob, Dave and Bummy got the drywall hauled into the basement and put insulation/plastic on the outter walls.

You know, it is really hard to take pictures of a framed basement. No walls or whatnot. Not pictured - the rest of the main area, dave's man land or storage room.

Nevermind - here's a picture of the other side of the main living room area. I tried to get pictures of the drywall and apparently didn't do a good job. Who knew it was so big? Or heavy??? Thanks to Bummy and Bob for the help! We have awesome friends.

This morning the drywall guy, Dan, will start hanging the drywall and finishing will probably start next week. I can't wait. I have already started decorating, but that is still a loooong ways away.

Oh, and here is Hallie this morning, right before I left. I love this girl. Crusty nose and all.

We Are Having a....

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BABY!!!

The suspense was brutal, I'm sure. We had our sonogram yesterday at 21 weeks. I forgot how cool those are. I love seeing the spine, especially, like a little eel. Creepy, but so neat.

They had us turn our head when it came time to check out the boy or girl parts. I tried to peek TWICE, but I could get oriented enough to tell what I was looking at. And then I would feel guilty for peeking and turn my head back. I am not good with suspense. I want to know so bad. So, so, SO bad.

We had our follow-up appointment with the midwife this morning (yet another trip to Springfield - blah) and I totally tried to read the report over her shoulder - but she said they didn't write in the report the sex. FINE. I guess I will WAIT until the baby is BORN.

The
suspense
is
killing
me.

Must.
Shop.

Thank You Aunt Lissa.

Hallie got the Pretty Pretty Princess board game for Christmas. It is perfect for the little girl (or Dave) in your family. She loves it, especially now that we don't let her throw a fit if she gets the black ring or someone else becomes the pretty pretty princess.

We played last night and she won both times! But I am pretty sure Dave was the real winner, with his gorgeous green earrings on.

I love this picture. You can see Hallie cheering in the background and Dave rocking a green earring. So pretty. Such a pretty, pretty princess.

I Tried. I Failed.

I tried to be patient with January. I really and truly did. But today is only the 21st, and there are still 10 freaking days left of this cold, dreary, worthless month.

At least February is sort of short. And it has Valentine's Day thrown in the middle of it for some fun.

I want this.

I want to be outside. Porch swing. Give me the porch swing.

My Views Last Night and This Morning.

Last night.

Dave walking around, talking on his phone.

Hallie getting ready for a visit with Grandma Lucille.

I'm ready to roll in my boots and sweat pants...so attractive.

Zoey is passed out on her bed. Busy day.

Unmade bed with folded laundry.

This morning (from the front porch).

Sooooo pretty.

What A Gray Day.

It's so yucky outside - cold and frozen and icy. Our geothermal unit acted up this morning, I found a rash on my boob and i'm starving and it's only 8:30 and I had my breakfast less than an hour ago.

So let's post a recipe! I made these for Dave and my dad last week and Dave said they were the best things i have ever made. Gee, thanks. Most of it was from a mix.

Chocolate Whoopie Pies

Cookie part:
1 package Devil's Food cake mix (can probably just use whatever)
2 eggs
1/3 cup oil

Icing:
2 tbsp. flour
1 egg white
2 tbsp. milk
1/2 c. softened butter (was supposed to be shortening, but I didn't have any)
1 c. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

To make: Pre-heat over to 350. Mix together the ingredients for the cake part, roll into small balls and place on a cookie sheet. I smushed them down a bit with my fingers to make them somewhat flat. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove from cookie sheet and let cook. Beat your icing ingredients together until creamy.

When cookies are cooled, add filling just like an oreo! Best if wrapped separately and refrigerated, but I just put them in a pan and stuck them in the fridge. They stayed soft.

PS - I didn't love them, but Dave went nuts over them with a glass of cold milk.

PPS - I think the filling could have been better if I had used shortening, or they have recipes that call for marshmallow fluff. I didn't have either so I had to improvise.

Today is Tuesday. A Good Day.

I would say that Thursdays are my favorite day, but really who cares?

Today is a good day, let me count the ways (there are only five).

1. Wearing my new maternity pants. Work maternity pants. My itchy Bella Band (God bless it) is taking a much-needed vacation from holding together my regular work pants. My mom bought me some gray maternity pants for Christmas and it was like a revelation. I could actually be comfortable, itch free and not look baggy and whatnot!!

I made her pick me up two more pairs of work pants and a pair of jeans of this miraculous design:

http://www.motherhood.com/maternity/secret-fit-belly.asp

The secret belly fit. I love thee.

2. I didn't have to work this weekend. I thought I was going to have to pull a Saturday-morning-er at work, but my favorite co-worker pulled through and I love her.

3. The final dry-waller is coming to bid on our basement. I'm ready for the bidding process to be done and the work to start! Does anybody  know anything about cork flooring?

4. I love my daughter so much. We had such a fun shopping day yesterday. She was an angel and the whole day was just fun.

5. I love Dave too. And he is home until....checking my calendar...the end of January. Awesome!

HAPPY TUESDAY!

What My Daughter Knows about MLKJr.

1. He was a doctor. Of what, she is not certain.

2. His name has "King" in it, but the rest of his name sounds like, "marshautharKING."

3. He was shot in Atlanta.

4. By a man who had a lot of hate in his heart.

5. He was buried by a lake with his mom.

I'm just grateful that a four-year-old knows anything about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. I really love her pre-K teachers.

January 15th (sort of)

2011

2010

2009

2008

2007

2006

These Little Piggies.

I spend a lot of time painting those tiny toes. And the fingers too. Usually rainbow on the fingers, solid colors on the toes. With or without designs on the topcoat - depends on her mood.

I would spend less time if she would stop picking her darn nails! We aren't sure if it's a nervous habit or just a bad habit. But Dave and I both hate it.

A Busy Weekend.

Last weekend was super busy, but super fun.

Friday was Green Pastures.

Saturday was Jenna's shower.

Sunday was St.Louis with my college girlies.

I have two pictures of the whole weekend. Both are of the shower set-up and neither have a single person in them. BOR-ING.

A Backlog.

Back log or backlog?

Anyway, I'm finally getting through some old pictures from December. I have no idea what we were doing in a few of these.

Like...this one. Is she wearing make up?

 Here is a picture of our "Elf on a Shelf," Markle.

The backs of precious heads:

And the front:

Christmas 2010

These are the only pictures I took of the entire Christmas extravaganza - so no pictures of Missouri or any other celebrations. I was a total slacker in the picture department this year.

Favorite gifts: Magna-Tiles, Sketcher Shoes and Ariel Baby. Seriously, those Magna-Tiles are worth every penny.

Favorite memories: Dave in a wig (he is such a good dad), watching them do snow angels, eating biscuits and gravy and of course, being with family.

Least favorite memory: spending part of Christmas Eve in the ER for an ear infection for Hallie.