I'm at it again!

Almost 2 weeks ago, I started on my mission to seriously lose the rest of this baby weight! I've been doing Turbo Jam 5 days a week and have lost 6 lbs already! The last two days, my three big kids have joined in. They are so funny. Drew said yesterday as I was finishing, "Mom, next time you do Turbo Jam, count me in!"

It's a great fun, workout... I have about 6 different workouts to choose from in the series. I feel so much better already! My goal was to lose the first 10 lbs. by July 4th... looks like I'm gonna make it!

When do I find time you ask? Well, I make time! Usually when Annika goes down for her first morning nap around 10 am, I get at it. Then I put on a movie or turn on PBS for the kids and we're all happy while I catch a shower. It's been working famously for 2 weeks now.

You have to watch this!

This is the cutest video of a cutie pie 2 year old singing The Lord's Prayer! We watched it three times, and the kids loved it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR4PQ30VkBk

Jeremy and Annika checking out the latest issue of Real Simple, I just had to take a pic.

a baby is born!

Yesterday, I had the awesome privilege of being present at the birth of my best buddy Jessica's fourth baby! Her water broke Thursday morning at 6:30am, she called at 8:00ish to let me know.... called back around 8:45 to say they were on their way to the midwifery and her sweet baby girl was born at 9:35am! We scurried out of the house, my dear friend Sarah B. watched my big kiddos and I made it to the midwifery just 10 min. before she gave birth. It was an amazing morning, watching Jessica be so strong and give birth in the shower! She has super quick deliveries and this one was no exception! She got in there right after I arrived in the room to speed things up because she was at 7cm and the contractions had slowed lying down on the bed... so good ol' gravity worked it's magic and the baby was born within minutes of her being in the shower! There was no time to get out, that baby was coming! Judi was super quick to get in there with Jess and Ryan and out came a surprise baby girl! They didn't know the sex of the baby beforehand, but completely thought they would have a boy!





She doesn't have a name yet.. they had a boy name all ready, but hadn't decided on any girl names! So I'm excited to find out her name! She was 6 lb. 1 oz. and is so adorable!



Welcome sweet girl!

Wow! Big news from Aaron!

We received big news from Jeremy's brother Aaron this weekend! He's engaged! He lives in So. California attending seminary, and met an awesome gal named Abie in January! Yes, this January! They started dating this spring and Aaron popped the question last Saturday! They're getting married on October 18th, and we are SO thrilled for him.

He was over last night for dinner on his way up to his summer job on the pipeline. So we got the whole scoop, saw all the proposal pics, and listened to him gush about his sweetie. They met through his church in Long Beach. He is quite the creative guy.... here's how he proposed:

First last Tuesday, he flew up to Chico for the day to ask her father for her hand in marriage without Abie having a clue he was gone for the day. (His answer was of course, yes!)

Then he planned for her whole family to drive down Saturday for the big moment! She's super tight with her family... He took her to the beach and had 3 family photographers hidden in different locations on the beach, and caught the whole thing on camera! So after he got down on one knee, and she said YES, and they celebrated, he told her that they were all there! What a surprise! Then... he had the family members frame the photos that were taken that day and went to her uncle's house and had a party planned that night for her decorated with the proposal pics from that day!!! Good job, Aaron!

So it feels strange to have not yet met my future sis-in-law... can't wait though, I know I'll love her. They asked Drew, Gavin, and Morgan to be in the wedding this Fall in California. I told Aaron that she and I should form a support group for women married to Bacon men. hee hee

It was a great night, celebrating Aaron and his bride-to-be! Pictures to come!

some funnies from yesterday and today...

Okay, well the kids and I were having an educational discussion about classical music just now. We are currently listening to Beethoven and discussing the different instruments that make up an orchestra. So we pointed out flutes, violins, drums, horns as we were listening. I asked Gavin what instrument he wanted to learn to play and he said "guitar! Oh, no, no, no the trumpet!" I said, "Daddy used to play the trumpet!" And Drew piped in, "With Beethoven?"

Don't ya love this pic of my two goofy boys hamming it up together? Things never change! Drewy was nearly two and Gavin was about Annika's age about 3 months!

Then earlier, we were getting ready to watch a movie.... We heard that Barbie's Nutcracker was actually decent! So we decided to give it a try. And as we were getting ready for the movie, Gavin asked, "Now can we watch Barbie and the Cracker?"

And then there were two whoppers from Drew's mouth yesterday.

Before heading out to MOPS and getting breakfast, Drew was attempting to toast his own english muffin when he asked, "Mom? Do you know who invented english muffins?"

"No"

"Well, I wish you did and that I had a million dollars so I could give it to them. Because they are SO good!"

And then in the car on our way home from MOPS, Drew asked if I could turn the radio station to the Oldies. I turned it there for the first time the other day, and they loved it! We usually listen to KLOVE 88.5, KAFC 93.7, KATB 89.3, or KLEF 98.1.... But yesterday Drew said, "Mom, can you turn it back to the Oldies? I really liked that one called "I Really Wanna Bust the Dust!" They were grooving out to "Another One Bites the Dust" the other day!

sigh

I think tonight holds the record for the most posts I've done at one time. But there's just so much going on!

Today marked the last MOPS event of the year. And the last MOPS event that I'm a part of leading! I've been in MOPS leadership these past 4 four years since moving back out here to the Valley and WOW has it changed me.


I have grown so much as a woman, mommy, wife, friend, and leader and have loved, loved, loved my time with so many wonderful women. I believe so strongly that reaching and caring for Moms is vital to strong families. Nearly all of my close friends here in the Valley came from relationships that were built at MOPS. I still plan to attend, but it feels so strange to be done. MOPS has been so huge and consuming in my life and I've loved every minute of it. Yes, there were a few "bumps" in the road, but as I see it now, have grown me and molded me right along with them.

Let me just name the gals that have meant so, so much to me this year especially. I was too choked up this morning to say any of this to them, but it was on my heart.

Anne-Renee
Rachel
Elizabeth
Amber
Tasha
Chantel
Hannah
Milly
Tiana

The relationships I have with you all are near and dear to me. And I think I'm grieving the closeness of those relationships and time spent together. Late nights spend talking and giggling at retreats and out-of-state conventions, steering team meetings spent sharing our ministry vision and plans together, praying together for the Moms in our group, and the awesome friendships built will be missed! I know we will stay great friends, but I will miss and love you all dearly.

So, what's up next? (other than focusing on my 4 little bits and homeschooling?) Well, a dream I've had over these past years is to see Moms get plugged into a Bible Study of some sort to gain Bible knowledge, intimate friendships, time to share their life with others, and a close relationship to the Lord. And I'll be focusing on that next year, with my new, emptier plate! I'm beyond excited for the chance to make this dream a reality and see our MOPS Moms flourish!


Here are some pictures from last weekend of our Steering Team out on the town for our final outing together. First we went out for a yummy dinner, then it was off to the play Little Women! We love hanging out and cherish the time when it can be just us having girl time with out all of our kids! We have 24 kids between all of us! (including Elizabeth's little girl who will be in her belly a few more months!) Milly, we missed you that night!

my! how you've grown!

Here's my sweet Annika at 10 days old and 3 months old in the same shirt! Look how baggy it was and look how tight it is now! She looks like a different baby! She was wearing that shirt probably for the last time yesterday and I just had to do some comparison pics. That last smile makes me laugh compared to her serious face in the picture before!

a date with Miss Tammy

Gavin's Sunday School teacher, Miss Tammy, took Gavin on a "date" this last Saturday. Gavin earned it for filling his sticker chart in class from saying his memory verses each week! Gavin has been SO looking forward to it! In the days and weeks leading up to his trip, here's what he had in his head that they would do together:

go mountain climbing

get a banana split at "Queen Dairy"

go bowling

see who would jump the farthest!!!!!!!

here's what they actually did:

went for a pony ride (Gavin actually fell off the pony when the pony got scared hearing a gun shot! But he called me and assured me that he was okay!)

went to Carl's Jr. for lunch and playland

went bowling

played at the park (Tammy said that he "mountain climbed" a hill in the parking lot, then proceeded to relieve himself on that very hill in the parking lot! That's my boy!)

had ice cream at "Queen Dairy"

went to Shop Rite to buy wallets for Drew and Morgan just like the one he won in her class

What a memorable day that was for him! And Tammy even took pictures of the day on a disposable camera for us to develop!!! How cool is that? The only disappointment is that I never heard who won the jumping contest! Tammy, you are amazing, thank you!!!

Drew and Morgan ran after them waving enthusiastically. They really missed him!

some precious moments in our home

This first picture was captured as the kids were watching robins out the window. It was a moment that was so warm and fuzzy for me!

Morgan came upstairs after raiding the costume box with this unicorn costume on! We've had it for a couple years and this is the first time she's put it on! It was a fabulous hand-me-down that Marla Kay gave us that was worn by my (now 20 year old) step-sister Alli. Thanks!

And this third special moment in my life happened on Mother's Day, no less. Ever since the ol' milk wagon went dry a month ago, and Annika has been on formula, it is a very, very rare moment that my girl falls asleep in my arms. :( She likes her bed, and falls asleep in a snap without a fuss. Great, right? Right - but I love holding her asleep. So on Mother's Day, after all the kiddos were in bed, I fed her and was just holding her smiling at her and her back at me. Then she started blinking those long sleepy blinks, and she conked out. I about cried! It was so special, so I just held her forever and was so thankful that God gave me that moment as trivial as it may sound. Thank you, precious daughter for that gift.

a four-wheeler!

Well, we've turned to the dark side. Jeremy surprised the kiddos last week with a kid-sized four-wheeler that his company sells. The kids were beyond thrilled, and still are. So for now, they're taking "four-wheeler lessons" as they call it. Drew took me on a ride for Mother's Day. He'd been planning it as my gift. It was precious, he took me back in our neighborhood and on a fun little trail. Grandpa Louie and Gavin joined us on Grandpa's four-wheeler! What fun!

the bobsey twins

The kids love helping Daddy with his outdoor projects. One recent Saturday, they were helping him dig and move some dirt for a landscaping project that is on the horizon. I snapped this photo of them helping out... and about two seconds later, I said, "Hey, Gavin and Morgan, stand a little closer together and look at me!"




And without any coaching from this camera toting Mom, this is what they did. SO stinkin' cute. They look like they were placed, moved, and cajoled into smiling like little models. And they look like little twins don't they?





and about two seconds later, this is Morgan pouting...



and about two seconds later, she's a mess... It runs in the family. But I love that fact that she was captured in a sad moment, I'm sure she'll laugh at and love this picture for years to come!

happy birthday to Jeremy!

Jeremy just celebrated his 32nd birthday yesterday! At the moment, he and the kids are outside working on a treehouse... he's been taking them outside every night when he gets home from work to give me a break and some alone time with Annika. Here are ten reasons (in no particular order and I'm sure I'm leaving lots out) why I love my husband:

1. He takes an interest in our children's spiritual growth and is a great Bible teacher.

2. He melts at the sight of our sweet baby girl..

3. He is always so willing to grow as a husband, father, and friend.

4. He always greets me with, "Hi, beautiful!" I love that, it makes me feel so special, even if I'm not exactly looking so beautiful.

5. He supports me in my decisions, ventures, and sometimes crazy ideas.

6. He's such a hands-on Daddy.

7. He's Mr. Clean and loves to help keep our house lookin' spiffy. It's a great help to this weary and thankful Mama.

8. He works hard to support our little (or not so little) family. And is so committed to whatever he does, he's been at his job for 12 years!

9. He loved me even when I had braces! (He said he "digged" me with braces)

10. He married me! We're celebrating 9 years this summer and still think we're playing house!

the cupcake

The newest addition to Bacon Bit Knits is this cupcake complete with beaded sprinkles on top! I made this one for little Savannah and have since made one more this week for baby Leah as well. Hmm... I'm already dreaming up more color combos. Want one for a gift or for your own cutie? I sell them for $20 and they're made to order!

cute, or what?

I hadn't seen this picture in a while, and just stumbled across it! It's Keat and Gav when they were just wee babes! I just wanna pinch those cute faces.

Morgan Felicity has news!

Thursday night, Morgan decided that she was ready to ask Jesus to come live in her heart! It happened in the car in our driveway as we were getting home. After we prayed, she ran around the yard with her arms outstreched singing, "I'm a Christian!!!!!! I-----'m a Christiannnnnn!"

So that night we had what she called, "a Christian party!" We broke out the birthday box, decorated with streamers, had applesauce and cheese sticks for dinner, and had ice cream to celebrate!

She has often reminded me to pray when things get tough, and usually when I hadn't thought of it yet! Like the time our power went out last winter when she was two... "It's okay Mom, Jesus will help us! We should pray!" So we prayed, and ZAP! the power came on immediately! Thanks for the reminder, sweet girl.

We gave the kiddos Jelly Bellies to munch on before bed last night and they all three plopped down in front of the fire, and were so cute, that Jeremy snapped this picture.

our sweetie pie

Annika is 2.5 months! She's smiling and cooing, and yesterday for the first time gave us a good giggle. Can't wait for more of those! After we got through those first 3 weeks, she's definitely been our easiest baby yet. She is a champ of a sleeper and is happy as can be as long as she's fed and rested. I can't imagine our family without her. It's been so fun to see Drew, Gavin, and Morgan with her. The are absolutely precious as big brothers and a big sister.

I've just today started my first workout on my way to the pre-pregnancy Amanda. This time I'm super motivated to get back to the pre-allfourchildren Amanda, which is 25 lbs! Gulp!!! But it feels different this time. The last three times I've lost baby weight it was to lose it so I wouldn't add more and more each pregnancy. Now it feels like it'll be for good!

This morning, I did a new DVD that I bought called Ballet Conditioning. Smokes, it kicked my tail! I had to turn it off after 30 min. because my wobbly legs couldn't handle it! Whew, if you ever thought ballerinas were wimpy, think again! They're tough. :)

Yikes, I'm on the web!

When I was in Kansas City for a conference in November, I was interviewed for Stonecroft's Generation Now. Go to this link to read a portion of what I said, and see my picture! Jeremy laughs because at this point, I have nothing to do with Stonecroft!


http://stonecroft.gospelcom.net/stonecroft_2006/connect_2006/html/generation_now.html