These Go To Eleven

I'm Moving!

2009-01-13T15:32:00.002-05:00

My blog, that is. I decided to start up a new blog that would have a different web address. Perhaps it will be easier to remember and I'll get fewer questions about it! Ha! Anyway, It'll be a good place for you to catch up on what's new with our family. I do hope you'll check it out.

thebillingsleyfam.blogspot.com

Also, I'll be closing down this blog in a couple of weeks, so if you link to me here, you should re-link to my new site. Thanks!

Sweet Secret Santa

2008-12-11T08:47:00.002-05:00

This week at work was secret santa week. All the ladies in the office have a secret santa gift exchange and a delicious potluck lunch! I seriously had the best secret santa ever. I mean, she got me a Starbucks red cup ornament! How perfect! I just adore that red cup! And doesn't it look way cute on my tree?

What I'm Thankful For . . .

2008-11-27T09:12:00.008-05:00

The important:

* Salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Ephesians 2:8-9

* My husband and sweet daughter. Caleb is the most wonderful husband and I am so proud to be his wife. I love him more every day. We also have the world's most precious, most awesome baby girl! Here's a picture; aren't they adorable and wonderful?

* Our church. We are blessed to be a part of a wonderful local church here in Louisville, Highview Baptist. We cherish the friends that we have made at Highview.

The not-so-important:

* Nutella

* Craigslist

* Starbucks Peppermint Mocha

* Redbox

* Jeep

Tagged

2008-11-12T19:03:00.004-05:00

Stephanie tagged me.

Here's what I was tagged to do:

1. Choose the 4th picture folder on my computer

2. Choose the 4th picture

3. Explain the picture

4. Tag 4 other bloggers

This photo was taken in December '06. We had just moved to Louisville (see the boxes?). This is the day Caleb surprised me with Luther, my sweet little golden puppy! Luther was 8 weeks old when we got him; he weighed 17 lbs (now he weighs 98). Nella just turned 9 months old, she weighs 16 lbs.

Tag, you're it! Courtney, Nathan, Josh, Becky.

Trip to Marion (and Carbondale, and Carterville) Illinois

2008-11-02T15:09:00.008-05:00

Nella and Marley meet! They were very excited. Can't you tell?

Becky & Marley, Me & Nella, Alisha & Simon.

Just hangin' out and lookin' cute.

The menfolk. Chase (Simon's daddy), Caleb, and my dad, Dave.

Beck & Marley

Reagan holds crabby Nella.

On the way to Great Grandma's house!

Playing at Great Grandma's house.

Great Grandma loves to sing to us.

Also, our dog-baby turned 2 years old during our trip. He celebrated his birthday on the back porch with a surfboard dog treat and a new stuffed squeaky pig toy.

Pretty Kitty

2008-10-31T16:41:00.003-04:00

This cute cat wishes you a Happy Halloween & Happy Reformation Day!

Best. Cereal. Ever.

2008-10-29T18:23:00.003-04:00

I was skeptical. However, during a visit to my youngest sister's dorm room, I was offered a taste of her favorite snack. I'm hooked.

Reading Time With Nella

2008-10-19T16:12:00.002-04:00

"Oh, Nancy Shaw is just my favorite author!"

"Ha Ha! Those sheep are so silly!"

All I Want For Christmas . . .

2008-10-16T18:50:00.007-04:00

. . . is a dope new MacBook. I mean, they are so tight! If your current computer is bunk, you should totally bag yourself one of these killer machines. I guarantee you'll dig it!

p.s. If you had to click on the links, I recommend you get some of these. I have them, so you can bum mine if you want.

Lunch With Nella

2008-10-05T20:51:00.004-04:00

You gonna feed me or what?

Rockin' my pink high-tops in my highchair!

Classic Nella face.

Daddy & Nella with classic Nella face.

Mommy & Nella with classic Nella face.

Swingin' Saturday Morning

2008-09-27T10:39:00.006-04:00

We took advantage of the beautiful late September weather and took an early morning trip to Charlie Vettiner Park.

Nella's Rice Snack

2008-09-27T10:36:00.003-04:00

Mmmm, tasty rice rusk!

Happy 'The Office' Season 5 Premiere Day

2008-09-25T08:10:00.004-04:00

You know you can't wait to spend some time with your Dunder Mifflin pals!

I mean, I can't.

(Yes, that link goes to Wikipedia. If you're wondering why Wikipedia is so awesome, Michael Scott can explain it to you in 13 seconds.)

Mmm Mmmm Autumn!

2008-09-22T18:56:00.005-04:00

It's the first day of fall - my very favorite season! For now I'll ignore the summery weather . . .

Here are some wonderful things I would love to try, cook, bake, or buy this season:

1. Yummy and simple pumpkin soup.

2. Chili. In fact, tomorrow I'll bust out the crock pot and whip up some chili for dinner. I will also broil up some Hebrew Nationals and serve it in the form of chili dogs!

3. Homemade applesauce. I would really love to get into canning, but I don't have all the necessary equipment. For now, I'll stick with freezing it.

4. Sweaters! Sweaters! Sweaters! Sweaters!

5. Pretty mums!

6. Pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks.

7. Finally, how cute are these pumpkins?!

So tell me, do you have any fall favorites?

Picture Post - 7 Months

2008-09-22T12:15:00.004-04:00

Nella is growing like a weed! She sits unsupported, chows down the solid food, drinks from her sippy cup, sleeps like a bedtime champion (most nights), and even has her first tooth. While she is not quite crawling, she does manage to scoot, roll, or squiggle her way around. She is very curious (nosy), a quick learner and does NOT like being told 'no.' She never fails to crack us up with her hilarious chatter. Here are just a few pictures from the past month.

"Excuse me! My pirate ducky and me are trying to take a bath!"

Here Nella is playing her favorite game. 'Shopping' for toys in her toy basket. She sits and takes them all out of the basket. Then throws them around.

Being sweet.

Playing with daddy before bedtime in her cute pj's and slippers.

6 Month Old Nella Ruth

2008-08-20T15:41:00.005-04:00

Trip to Chicagoland!

2008-08-19T18:29:00.008-04:00

Last weekend we ventured to Chicago for the wedding of some dear friends, Kristin & Thadchai, as well as the baptism of some sweet cousins, Alexander & Sofia.

Nella & me before the wedding.

Mr. and Mrs. Thadchai Sattayatam!

Nella loves the Thai fan wedding favor.

Alexander had fun with Photo Booth.

Cousins Sofia & Ella play with Nella.

Ella and Nella!

Nella's great great grandmother, Grandma Compton.

Cousin Tracy helped with nap time.

Sweet Blanca!

Photos I Didn't Take . . . But Wish I Did - Olympic Edition

2008-08-11T09:55:00.003-04:00

Chicago Tribune photo by Scott Strazzante / August 2, 2008. A tourist frames up the Forbidden City in a camera in Beijing, China on Saturday.

AFP/Getty Images photo by Adrian Dennis / August 5, 2008. A performer practices beside the National Stadium, also known as the 'Birds Nest,' in Beijing Tuesday for The Opening Ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Olympics which takes place Friday.

Chicago Tribune photo by Scott Strazzante / August 5, 2008. Dancers wait for the Olympic Torch Relay to start its three-day trip through Beijing at the Forbidden City Wednesday.

*Photos & captions from chicagotribune.com

Affordable?

2008-07-31T20:42:00.006-04:00

This is a way cool painting for sale at the Affordable Art Fair in NYC.

Flood Series #1
Liz Brown
48"x 58"
oil on canvas
$5000

Wrap it up. I'm sending a check.

*photo from dominomag.com

So Pretty!

2008-07-24T20:56:00.001-04:00

Fourth Fotos, Finally!!

2008-07-13T20:35:00.009-04:00

Excited about swimming.

Nella likes Divot.

A lot.

He gave her kisses.

They're not sure how they feel about each other!

Nella's grandparents and great-grandparents.
And no, my dad is not black. Just really, really dark. It's the Indian skin.

Four generations.

Nella's great-grandparents.

Luther's Lake

2008-07-09T08:41:00.003-04:00

Luther loved swimming in the lake last weekend.
I'll post more pictures from our Fourth of July weekend later.

Luther's Pool

2008-07-02T17:51:00.001-04:00

First Cereal

2008-07-02T17:46:00.003-04:00

New Nephew

2008-06-22T13:21:00.003-04:00

Marley Jakob Ben Avi

Sweet and healthy 10-pounder!

Father's Day

2008-06-15T21:00:00.002-04:00

Poll Time!

2008-06-11T14:37:00.006-04:00

Who do you think she looks like?

Vote in the poll on the sidebar.

(She is totally making a Caleb face in that picture on the right!)

Cupcake kick

2008-06-05T15:59:00.009-04:00

Lately I've been on a bit of a cupcake kick. I love eating them. And I am immediately attracted to anything with cupcakes on it. I've even made brownies in a cupcake tin, just so they'd be little browniecakes! Anyhow, I found this super sweet cake tin online, and I love it! I think it would be so fun to make a cake shaped like a giant cupcake.

Now, if only I could figure out how to do it without a fancy, $35 cake pan . . . :) Perhaps I should seek help from my friend. We have made some great cakes together in the past. For example, check out these 'penny cakes' we made for the 2006 2nd annual Abraham Lincoln birthday bash.

And, she has experience working with cupcakes. See? This is Abe's famous top hat, made out of cupcakes for the 2007 bash.

Has anyone else make any awesome cakes without the help of a fancy cake tin? Please do share!

If money were no object . . .

2008-05-31T21:37:00.003-04:00

. . . I'd totally buy this sweet Jeep walker for Nella. It also comes in pink, but who ever heard of a pink Jeep?

What I'm Loving Right Now . . .

2008-05-28T15:29:00.009-04:00

Am I too old for these? . . .

Because I am absolutely loving these fantastic key covers from Urban Outfitters.

Also, I'm loving these delicious Fiber One bars.

These bars are loaded with fiber and they actually taste like oats & chocolate instead of chemicals & cardboard!

Also, I'm loving this recipe for Moo Shu pork from allrecipes.com.

I like it because it's slightly different than the traditional dish (no mushrooms!) and it's very easy to make. In fact, I'm making it for dinner tonight!

Also, I'm loving Coldplay's new single, Violet Hill. Listen here.

I'm looking forward to the release of the whole album, Viva La Vida, later this June.

I'm Flying!

2008-05-07T08:06:00.000-04:00

Playing in the Mud

2008-05-07T07:59:00.002-04:00

"Is this a good activity?"

Derby Day

2008-05-03T13:11:00.003-04:00

I pick Cowboy Cal.

Weeks 10 & 11

2008-04-24T13:49:00.006-04:00

Nella will be 11 weeks old tomorrow. Meanwhile, we're still waiting for the birth of her betrothed. Come on baby Abner!
Here are some photos from the past 2 weeks.

She loves her swing.

'I hope those old ladies at church don't pinch my cheeks!'

Don't you just adore baby feet?

Take 2

2008-04-17T19:46:00.003-04:00

Not to rehash an old post . . . but I saw Dr. John Piper speak this morning and it reminded me of this post I made last December.

In case you were wondering; yes, my face was melted off by his preaching. And, yes, I did hear the 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' theme song in my head when he first stepped up to the pulpit.

What I'm Reading Now

2008-04-08T21:25:00.005-04:00

Yesterday was my birthday. First we had a delicious dinner at one of my favorite restaurants, Havana Rumba (amazing Cuban cuisine). Empenadas, pollo al mojo and congris!! Delish! After diner, Caleb took me to Borders and let me pick out any book I wanted! It was a great night!

After perusing the history, religion, and sociology sections, I selected Charles Freeman's The Closing of the Western Mind. While I'm pretty sure I'll disagree with Mr. Freeman's views, I'm looking forward to what The New York Sun calls 'an excellent and readable account of the development of Christian doctrine.'

Hopefully it won't take me too long . . .

Faces

2008-03-30T19:10:00.002-04:00

Baby Mood Swings
She can cover every extreme - all in the course of 60 seconds!

Hey Jude

2008-03-24T17:56:00.001-04:00

This is awesomely adorable! Enjoy!

Coffee Corner

2008-03-22T12:11:00.006-04:00

Mission Accomplished!

My coffee corner is complete again. Last night I found this one at Target. I really wanted the red Kitchen-Aid one I mentioned in the previous post, but it was a bit too pricey. This one was on sale for $37.99!!!!! I absolutely LOVE a good bargain (and Target)! I figured for that price, I had to at least give it a try!

So far it is getting the job done.

Heat Pumps and Brew Cycles and Filter Baskets! Oh, My!

2008-03-20T11:01:00.005-04:00

This morning I declared a 'State of Emergency' for the Billingsley house. My coffee maker finally died! Mr. Coffee had been, in the words of my Grandma Sipe, 'on the fritz' for some time now. So, I knew it was coming. But that doesn't necessarily make it any less devastating. I was just hoping I had a bit more time. If you know me, you know that coffee is not something I take lightly, so selecting a replacement maker will be somewhat of an ordeal. I was quite attached to mine and they don't make it anymore. Those of you who were familiar with it (mainly Chase and my mom) might be thinking 'What? Grieving the loss of that old janky thing?' Well, sure Mr. Coffee was quite old and he may have had some quirks, but to me he was perfect. So now I'm on the hunt for a new machine. I prefer a stainless steel carafe (keeps the coffee hot w/o turning bitter) and a flat bottom filter basket. And it must be programmable. I don't need a built in grinder (I use a separate grinder because I like to control the grind settings). Anyhow, I've been doing a little online research. I think I like this one. Not a stainless carafe, but, it is red! To me, a red kitchen appliance is something to get excited about! I suppose I can always get a separate carafe (I like this fancy one!). Now my mission is to find it for less! Because a good bargain is also something to get excited about!

What am I doing for coffee in the meantime? Well, If I can't make it here or here or here or in a desperate pinch even here, I'm sticking with tea!

5 Weeks Old

2008-03-15T18:28:00.003-04:00

Nella is 5 weeks old.
It is amazing to watch her grow! She consistently sleeps well at night (usually between 4-6 hours at a time), though, getting her to fall asleep can be a bit of a challenge! She is learning to hold her head up and is getting stronger everyday. She loves cuddling with daddy, staring at the ceiling fan, and making trips to target with mommy!

Getting ready for bath time!

Isn't she lookin' so cute in her pink whale towel?!

She has some wild hair!

Stuff White People Like

2008-03-15T17:37:00.003-04:00

I stumbled upon this blog recently and I have been so delightfully entertained by reading the clever entries that I just had to share! It is called 'Stuff White People Like' and it's just too funny! Scroll through and find yourself laughing at posts like, #87 Outdoor Performance Clothes, #63 Expensive Sandwiches, and #29 80s Night! I dedicate post #40 Apple Products to Caleb . . . (it's so very him)!

Baby Friends

2008-03-07T10:13:00.008-05:00

Yesterday my friend Carrie and her sweet baby Shiloh stopped by for a 'playdate!' Nella and Shi had a fun time 'playing' (though I'm not entirely sure they were even aware of each other). Shiloh is about a month older than Nella.

Nella and Shiloh both look a little confused here.

They sure love their 'paciflowers!'

I am really looking forward to future playdates!

Bright Sunshiny Day

2008-03-04T19:47:00.002-05:00

We had a couple of warm and rather pleasant days. However, they were fleeting, as it is now chilly and rainy once again. It has been so rainy here, that Luther has been confined to the kitchen. (It is IMPOSSIBLE to keep muddy paw prints off of tile.) But since the ground was dry, our neglected dog-baby was finally released from his captivity and allowed to run free in the great outdoors. Caleb and Luther both enjoyed a nice game of Frisbee.

See how happy he was??

Nella's first Warhol

2008-03-03T14:44:00.005-05:00

I recently made this purchase for the nursery. I'm going with a bit of a strawberry theme and I thought this art print would be a nice addition. It's by Andy Warhol. I've never been a huge Pop Art fan, but I do like this one. If I had to pick a favorite pop artist I'd definitely go with Robert Rauschenberg.

Weekend and Whatnot . . .

2008-02-24T19:16:00.011-05:00

Yep . . . it's still pretty icy here. So, we enjoyed a nice lazy weekend indoors. We love relaxing weekends!

We hit the redbox and rented Michael Clayton. I enjoyed it. I hope Clooney can bring home the Oscar, because really, who doesn't like George Clooney?

On Saturday night we indulged in 3 straight hours of Forensic Files. It has become a tradition at our house. I bet we've seen every episode. That show makes me wish I would have become a forensic photographer or a firearms and ballistics expert, or at least a latent print examiner!

Here is Caleb with 2-week old Nella! She is back up to her birth weight and has grown a whole inch! She's focusing her eyes really well now and is starting to smile and make funny faces a bit more too. We're really enjoying parenthood - all its joys and challenges. We're looking forward to every stage; we know that it will go by fast. We already can't believe how much Nella has changed in just 2 weeks!

Welcome Sweet Nella Ruth!

2008-02-12T20:15:00.002-05:00

Proud daddy!

I'm sure you're all aware by now, but . . . baby b is a beautiful baby girl!
On Friday, February 8, 2008, we welcomed Nella Ruth Billingsley!
8 lbs 2 oz
20 1/2 in
7:39 pm
University of Louisville Hospital, Louisville, KY
We are absolutely in love with our new and precious baby girl!

We just can't stop kissing her!

4 days old.

The Final Countdown

2008-02-07T09:32:00.001-05:00

Baby Billingsley is being evicted!
Well, baby still has about 19 1/2 hours to exit on his/her own (which i thoroughly hope he/she decides to do). We are all very excited. Honestly, I'm a little anxious as well. I do, however, trust my doctor's decision to induce labor. I really have no reason not to, as I didn't attend medical school and she did! As of now, I am scheduled to go in at 5:30 am EST. We will be sure to keep you all updated.
Thank you for your continued prayers!

Countdown

2008-02-01T09:37:00.001-05:00

0.
Today is baby B's official due date.
It still doesn't seem like anything is happening. Um, contractions are supposed to hurt, right? Because I don't feel much of anything. Perhaps I've made it too comfortable in there for baby! My doctor assures me it could be any day now. I do have an appointment on Wednesday, February 6. If I don't go into labor before then, my doctor will schedule for me to be induced later that week. While I sure hope to have this baby sooner, I suppose it's good to know that we'll have our baby by next weekend. God willing, of course.

*and yes. in case you were wondering, my countdown image is from that iconic smashing pumpkins t-shirt. does anyone else remember how cool those were? ah, the mid-to-late 90's american alt-rock scene. gotta love it.

What I'm Loving Right Now . . .

2008-01-29T16:18:00.001-05:00

Ooh La La!I am absolutely in LOVE with J. Crew's new spring line of fancy ballet flats! So much, in fact, that I felt I just had to blog about them (even though maybe 3 of my readers will appreciate it)! They make me very excited for springtime! I sure hope Payless or Target come up with some sweet budget-friendly look-alikes!

Countdown

2008-01-25T09:17:00.000-05:00

7 days.
You hear that, baby? You have 7 days!!
I feel . . . blah. I'm ready to have this baby.

Wednesday was my last day at work. It was a particularly stressful day and I am sooo glad to have a bit of a break.

Scanner Art

2008-01-18T09:34:00.001-05:00

Face Your Pockets Project

I've been obsessed with this site for a while now. I think the whole idea for this project is pretty interesting. I like that you can turn all the junk found in the bottom of your bag into something beautiful. Art is fun that way!

Countdown

2008-01-18T08:09:00.001-05:00

2 weeks until due date.

I'm ready now.

I sure hope the baby knows that!

Work is winding down now.

Thank goodness because so is my energy!

I'm looking forward to a little break from work.

I bet it will be really hard to go back.

Countdown

2008-01-10T17:04:00.000-05:00

3 weeks to go!

(Or 21 days. Or more . . . or possibly even less!)

I'm getting more excited every day. But also, more tired and more impatient. I hope I get a sudden burst of energy before labor begins. I'm assuming I'll need lots of energy for that! I've already heard billions and billions of labor and delivery stories - (I guess if you've gone through it, you're allowed to tell it to whomever you please. It's an earned right!) - and they all have one thing in common - - it's hard work!

My wonderful mother is coming to the 'ville this weekend to help us get all sorts of last minute things ready for baby B's arrival. This will be especially helpful because Caleb has been very busy with work and school, and I've been really preoccupied with work lately. I just haven't had the energy to get some things done that I should. So my dear mother has offered to help us! It's sure to be a weekend full of to-do lists, cleaning supplies, impossible to understand assembly instruction booklets, decaf lattes, and hopefully some delicious Italian food!!

A photo I didn't take . . . but wish I did.

2008-01-08T20:24:00.000-05:00

LSU quarterback Matt Flynn kisses the national championship trophy after the Tigers beat the Ohio State Buckeyes 38-24 in the BCS title game Monday in New Orleans. (AP photo by Rob Carr / January 7, 2008)
*chicagotribune.com

Right place at the right time. I love it.

What I'm listening to now . . .

2008-01-07T12:03:00.001-05:00

I like David Gray. Mostly the old stuff. I'm currently enjoying his Greatest Hits album. I recommend tracks 6 (Hospital Food) and 8 (Alibi).

Countdown

2008-01-02T13:10:00.000-05:00

Normally I'd post this countdown update on Friday, but I am posting it early since I must say goodbye to my sweet MacBook for a few days. It's going to be sent to Apple so they can clean up some mild discoloration on the wrist areas of the keyboard. So, it's a cosmetic issue; it still performs perfectly - like every good little Mac should!

I had an Dr. appointment today. It went pretty well. Everything is still looking good. I should be able to work for about 3 more weeks. And hopefully have a baby soon after that! I go back to the Dr. next Wednesday. There is one slight inconvenience, I have Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. It's really no huge deal, and it's actually very common this late in pregnancy. It does cause some pain in my hands during the day, but it's a million times worse at night. It is actually extremely painful at night and keeps me awake. My doctor prescribed some super-fancy wrist braces. They are to be worn as often as possible. I'm sure hoping they help, my Dr. thinks they will. I'm a bit skeptical, but hey, she did go to medical school and I did not!

Well, Since we have about 4 weeks left, I'll open the polls! Cast your votes for Baby B's arrival date and gender, and hey, if you're feeling adventurous, even weight and name! The winner will get . . . probably nothing. Just bragging rights, I guess!

Hope you all have a marvelous 2008! Good luck with those resolutions! I leave you with this quote from Irish playwright, novelist, and poet, Oscar Wilde:

"Good resolutions are simply checks that men draw on a bank where they have no account."

Countdown

2007-12-28T11:16:00.000-05:00

5 weeks to go.

I'm doing well, and as far as we know, so is baby. I see the doctor again on January 2.

Caleb and I had a wonderful Christmas at home. We got to see some dear friends, Mr. and Mrs. Abner. They happened to be travelling with a Nintendo Wii, so we played some really fun games. We really enjoyed having some time off to rest. We 'rested' by watching The Lord of the Rings trilogy - the extended versions! Don't freak out though! We watched it over the course of 3 days . . . not all at once! We are really looking forward to some more time off for New Year's when we'll once again plop down on the couch . . . but this time to watch Illinois in the Rose Bowl!

Countdown

2007-12-21T08:21:00.000-05:00

6 weeks to go.

Nothing really new to report. The next doctors appointment is January 2.

We're about 95% settled in to our new place. We love it so far; it's such a cute house! We're getting used to a new area of the city . . . mapping out the quickest routes to church, the seminary, UPS, Old Chicago, the Apple Store, and the hospital.

Our next big project is getting 'ready for the baby.' Whatever that means! Everyone keeps asking us if we have 'everything ready.' I don't know if it's possible to have 'everything ready' but we'll be ready enough.

Countdown

2007-12-14T09:03:00.000-05:00

7 weeks to go. So far, so good!

Dr. L. says things are progressing 'beautifully' and we're right on track. Aside from incredibly swollen feet, ankles, and legs, I'm feeling great! While I won't say being pregnant is a breeze, I really can't complain. It hasn't been bad. Honest! I hear billions of horror stories, but praise the Lord I have what some women tell me is an 'easy' pregnancy. If I had to find something to complain about, I'd definitely go with the swollen feet! But mostly because I can't wear any of my cute shoes! I'm down to one pair that actually fit on my feet: the trusty and supportive slip-on Birkenstocks! Worth every penny!

Well, I guess I have complained a little, but mostly to my pregnant friend!

Desiring . . . Your Enthusiasm?

2007-12-12T13:30:00.000-05:00

I must admit something. When I hear or see Dr. John Piper preach, I can picture Larry David delivering the sermon! (It is a little harder to picture Dr. Piper bumbling around awkwardly in social situations 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' style . . . but still. . .) Aside from a few obvious physical similarities, I think they share a similar tone as well! Or maybe it's how they move their hands around while speaking. Does anyone else agree? Or do you all think I'm crazy!?

Then again, I also think Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr. slightly resembles U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (IL).

The Cheesecake

2007-12-11T15:18:00.002-05:00

Flourless Godiva Chocolate Cake topped with a layer of Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake loaded with Chunks of Godiva Milk Chocolate and topped with a layer of Godiva Chocolate Mousse.

Yeah, I just had a giant piece of that! Highview treated the 'office ladies' to their Christmas lunch at The Cheesecake Factory today. Delicious. And nutritious, especially since my cheesecake came loaded with 2 huge blobs of fresh whipped cream and a Godiva chocolate square! It was knee-buckling good . . . so it was a good thing I was sitting down! Anyhow, it was good enough to blog about! Maybe it seems like chocolate overload to you, but really, when else would I get to have such an extravagant dessert?!

The Weekend Happenings

2007-12-10T10:07:00.000-05:00

We had a busy weekend. We moved. Luckily we had some help! Some guys from our Sunday school class helped Caleb move all the furniture. My mom and sister came in to help us get stuff unpacked and organized. I don't know what we would have done without every one's help! If I can remember, I'll post some pictures after we get everything put together.

A crazy thing happened on our last night at Regent Park Apartments. Someone thought our Jeep may have contained some awesome things to steal. So, a thief or band of thieves cut a nice large hole in the back window. Well, the doors were definitely unlocked! Another thing, those windows zip off! Couldn't they have just unzipped them!?!? Sheesh. Idiot thieves! Anyhow, besides the expensive windows we must replace, they set us back a whole $5.99 because the only thing they actually stole was a cassette adapter!

Another "BOOOOOOO" moment: my cute red cell phone was lost-slash-stolen! That's right. Lost and stolen. It was my fault; I left it on the Kroger U-Scan. Seriously less than 3 minutes later, I went back in to get it. Gone. A cute red cell phone was never turned in to the customer service desk. We called it a few times that night. First, it rang and went through to voice mail. Later, it went straight to voice mail like it had been turned off. So, some joker out there is enjoying my phone. Don't worry everyone, Caleb called Verizon and had the service suspended. I have 30 days to get a new phone and I will hopefully be able to keep the same number. So that thief with my phone will have to pay for his/her own service now! But I do hope they enjoy all the cute pictures of Luther I took on there!

Also, Caleb and I are Aunt and Uncle! Caleb's sister had her baby on Friday. Jeremiah James Eugene Kahler. Since they live in Alaska, we won't get to see him until next year. Probably in March.

Anyhow, I hope you all had a lovely and eventful weekend.

Countdown

2007-12-07T06:51:00.000-05:00

Well, I'm getting kind of antsy, so we're gonna start this countdown now. 8 weeks to go! It sounds like a long time, until I think of everything we still have to do to prepare for the arrival of our first baby. Am I overwhelmed? Yeah, maybe a bit.

We're moving this weekend. Always a hassle, but we are blessed with friends that have servant's hearts. So we will have the much needed help.

I have big plans on Tuesday, December 11. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix on DVD. I have not seen it yet.

Anyway, have a very productive weekend!

Blue Cross Blue Shield

2007-12-05T10:11:00.002-05:00

I recently re-discovered this treasure! I’m sure most of you have seen this, but, watch it again! Kids are awesome! And so is the director of this commercial,
Bob Ebel.

Luther's 2nd Christmas

2007-12-04T09:48:00.000-05:00

We got a free Christmas tree over the weekend. It's really nice and it's super easy to put up. So, we put it up last night just to see how it looked. Luther wasn't really sure what to think of it. He kept 'tasting' the lights. He was mesmerized! Caleb took some quick pics.

Tagged!

2007-12-04T08:46:00.000-05:00

Stephanie tagged me ages ago, so . . . here goes!
You may remember I was tagged once before.

Here are 7 random and/or weird facts about me:

1. I have a gross addiction to lipgloss, lipstick, chapstick, carmex . . . any lip product, really. I always have several in my purse. I guess you could say I'm a chain-glosser. I've been known to spend rather large amounts of time (and Caleb might say money!) in Sephora trying out all the different kinds!

2. If I could travel to one place in the world today, I'd say Geneva, Switzerland. Not only is it beautiful and rich with history, but it's now home to the International Museum of the Reformation. Sweet!

3. I've always admired the photography of William Wegman. Because, how does he get those dogs to do that? Luther would never cooperate!

4. I think I suffer from Restless Legs Syndrome. Seriously.

5. I like to watch the DCI finals. It's really pretty amazing.

6. I've tried to read Gabriel García Márquez's 100 Years of Solitude at least 10 times. It's so boring! Am I alone on this? Come on! I can't be the only one who thinks this!

7. I rarely iron. I always attempt to remove the wrinkles via wrinkle release dryer setting or Downy Wrinkle Releaser first. Worst case scenario, I break out the iron!

All I Want For Christmas . . .

2007-11-18T18:11:00.001-05:00

. . . Is 12 Cashmere Sweaters From J. Crew!

I thought I'd post this just in case someone had an extra 2 grand layin' around that they were looking to spend on something fabulously unnecessary! I know, it's pretty ridiculous. However, I will say that of all the 'of-the-month' clubs out there this is by far the best! Wouldn't you rather have beautiful cashmere than a crate of anemic looking apples? I know I would! You know how I love J. Crew!

A photo I didn't take . . . but wish I did.

2007-11-13T20:58:00.001-05:00

Saintly respect
Greek Cypriot Orthodox pilgrims pay their respects to the skull of St John Chrysostom, in a Greek Orthodox church dedicated to the saint in Lakatamia, outside of Nicosia on Tuesday. The silver-encased skull, on loan from its home in a northern Greek monastery, will remain in Cyprus until Nov. 20. (AP photo by Petros Karadjias / November 13, 2007)

**photo from chicagotribune.com

What I'm Excited About This November!

2007-11-05T14:10:00.001-05:00

Here are some things that I'm really looking forward to this month:

1. Paula Deen Live - On Saturday, November 10 I'll be attending Paula Deen Live with my mom and our friend, Lorrie V.!! Very excited!

2. Chili Cookoff - Also on Saturday, November 10 our Sunday school class is having a chili cookoff. Do you think I have an unfair advantage since I'll have seen Miss Paula Deen that very same morning??

3. Haley officially becomes a Saluki! - Wednesday, November 14 at 10 AM, my sister Haley will sign a national letter of intent with Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. She will accept an athletic scholarship to play golf for the lady salukis. Yay!

4. Project Runway Season 4! - Wednesday, November 14 at 10 PM, season 4 premiere! I am very much looking forward to another season of squirrelly designers attempting to match wits with Tim Gunn, Heidi Klum, Nina Garcia, and Michael Kors!

5. A Rushville Thanksgiving - Caleb and I will spend the Thanksgiving Holiday in Rushville, Illinois with the Billingsley family. Much fun will be had by all.

6. The Red Cup - The red cup will return to Starbucks for the 2007 Holiday season! Love that Peppermint Mocha!

New Look

2007-11-01T13:46:00.000-04:00

So, I tried to design my own blog template . . . and it turned out to be a disaster! That is sad, really. But I guess I wasn't cut out for web design! Anyhow, I got frustrated and gave up. So I just went to pyzam and got one. Maybe someday I'll get motivated to try my own thing again. After all, I even downloaded some groovy photoshop brushes for it! Hopefully I don't let those go to waste.

Hope you're having a lovely Thursday!

Billingsley's 'First Baby' Turns One

2007-10-30T06:58:00.001-04:00

Yeah, that's right. Luther's birthday was Saturday. We gave him a 'big boy' collar and a large rawhide bone. He loved it. He always looks like he's smiling . . . except when he's giving his sneaky look! (p.s. His chewing the bone on the ottoman was highly frowned upon. He was *promptly moved to the floor.)
*after a few photos, of course!

Baby Billingsley's First 'Photo'

2007-10-26T15:57:00.000-04:00

Makes you wanna see this cute face outside the womb, huh?
In case you're interested, daddy posted more pics.
I sure hope I can be patient for 14 more weeks!
That face will be looking much less skeletal then.
The most awesome part was seeing the heart beating.
All chambers, valves, and ventricles just pumping away!
We get to hear our baby's heartbeat at every checkup.
But actually seeing it at work was way cool!

p.s. We still don't know the sex of the baby!

Happy Fall

2007-10-25T10:55:00.000-04:00

Last Saturday, we made a trip to the lovely Starlight, Indiana where we visited Huber's Farm, as well as Huber's Orchard & Winery. We went with our Sunday school class. Fall fun was had by all.

Due to the fact that they charged an outrageous per lb. fee, we did not pick a pumpkin. (I'm thinking a $4 Kroger pumpkin and a few pumpkin gourds will suffice!) I leave you with a cuteness shot of of Lillie Kate Trapp 'driving' a tractor.

Bulletin Woes and Baby Grows!

2007-10-19T13:24:00.000-04:00

This wonderful machine is the IKON CPP 500. It is marvelous . . . when it's working.

I'm in my office now, trying not to be overly frustrated. The machine is down. For the second time in 2 days. Normally not a big deal, but it's Friday. This makes it a huge deal. As of now, 3 campuses will have no bulletins. Again, shouldn't be a big deal. But for some reason it is. Some people are obsessed with their bulletins! And, it's my job to get them done. So if it doesn't happen, I will have failed at my job. It is only 1:45 pm, so hopefully the issue will be resolved.

I placed a service call at 12:30 pm. So far, haven't heard anything from them yet. But I sure hope they call me back soon!

In other, more exciting news, we're on the countdown!

15 weeks (or, if you prefer, 105 days) to go!

A bit about week 25.

*The structures of the spine begin to form -- joints, ligaments and rings. These will protect the all important spinal cord which serves as the information transmitter for the baby's body.
*Blood vessels of the lungs develop.
*Baby's nostrils begin to open. There is a study out of Belfast that suggests babies at this stage have the capability of scent preferences!
*The nerves around the mouth and lip area are showing more sensitivity now. When baby is rooting for food later on, these will be valuable!
*Baby's swallowing reflexes are developing.
*Dexterity is improving. Baby can make a fist and would clasp objects placed in palm.
*Approximate length, 13.6 inches (34.6cm) and weight, 1.46 pounds (660gm).

We go next Friday for our first ultrasound. We're very excited.

MMMM&M's

2007-10-16T13:18:00.002-04:00

Yes. I am aware that I've posted about M&M's before. But hey, I am pregnant! I tried these today. I like chocolate and raspberry, so I figured I'd give them a whirl. I like 'em. I am wondering though, who over there at M&M's marketing thought it'd be a good idea to introduce them in the fall. Don't they seem awfully Valentine-y to you? Maybe they should have saved these for next year and worked on a more 'fall' or 'winter' flavored M&M. Like cinnamon or mint or something. Oh well. These taste good even if the professionals at Mars Inc. didn't ask for my input!

Happy Birthday, Becky Laurene

2007-10-11T08:55:00.000-04:00

Today my sister turns 21. Happy Birthday, Beekers! Her gift from me -

a Haiku.

Fuzzy little face,
peeking around the corner.
An otter named Muzz.

Don't worry. It'll make sense to her. Perhaps you'll soon see more photos of Becky on my blog. In a few days, she'll marry Mike Ben Avi. They will live in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Caleb and I will be travelling to Marion, Illinois this weekend for the festivities.

Lillie Kate

2007-10-10T16:20:00.000-04:00

Lillie Kate Trapp
June, 2007

I just found this while browsing through some of my old photos.
She's way cute!

Hockneyizer

2007-10-08T16:55:00.001-04:00

I've always enjoyed David Hockney's work. On several occasions, I've been inspired to make a photomontage of my own. However, it's a daunting process and quite frankly, I'm just too lazy! Lucky for me, a genius at Big Huge Labs created the Hockneyizer! I tried several of my photos and found I had the best luck with the simple ones. Now my once-boring tulip photo looks way groovy! Give it a try!

What I'm listening to now.

2007-10-04T15:07:00.000-04:00

I'm not a huge Sean Penn fan, so I probably won't see the film.

But I enjoy EV's soundtrack.

You can listen here.

. . . but can you tune-a fish?

2007-10-03T13:44:00.001-04:00

When is it the worst time to have an office in the music suite?

When it's piano tuning time!!

Yikes! I hope he's almost done. I'd rather listen to the beginner band! (I've noticed they're improving every week! Those of you that were fortunate enough to experience 5th grade band - wasn't it just the best?)

What I'm watching tonight.

2007-09-27T11:48:00.000-04:00

Where will I be at 9 pm?

Probably driving home from my Baptist Beliefs class.

But as soon as I'm home, I'll join Caleb and Luther for The Office.

Those Smokin' Salukis

2007-09-19T08:37:00.000-04:00

Tell me what you think about this: SIUC to pursue pot study.

This article is on the front page of the Daily Egyptian today. (Yes, I read the DE online. I just can't stop myself! I mostly size up the photo staff's work.)

It seems to me SIUC still wants to snag a place among the top research schools. Is this the best way to do it? You tell me.

*graphic made w/ images found by googling 'marijuana' and 'saluki'

Pirate Name Quiz

2007-09-19T06:43:00.000-04:00

Ahoy, me hearties! In honor of International Talk Like A Pirate Day, I decided to post my pirate name! Take the quiz and tell me yarr name, matey!

My pirate name is:

Mad Bess Bonney

Every pirate is a little bit crazy. You, though, are more than just a little bit. You can be a little bit unpredictable, but a pirate's life is far from full of certainties, so that fits in pretty well. Arr!

Get your own pirate name from piratequiz.com.
part of the fidius.org network

These Go To Eleven

2007-09-13T15:22:00.001-04:00

Some have asked about the name of my blog. Well, here is my explanation. Enjoy! Or not! Either way, you have to give mad comedic props to Christopher Guest and the gang!

*Clip from This is Spinal Tap.

Apple Store

2007-09-10T20:00:00.001-04:00

In case you haven't heard, we attended the grand opening of the Louisville Oxmoor Apple Store. Yeah, we're kind of nerds like that! Caleb posted about our adventure here.

Here we are in line. In case you haven't seen us in a while, this is what we look like.

Future Mac user. This baby loved the Dora the Explorer game.

More mesmerized children. Nice.

This 'Teen Girl Squad' was taking taking self portraits and using the new iMacs to post them as their Facebook profile pictures!

What I'm loving now . . .

2007-09-06T14:28:00.001-04:00

Yum!!!

And that is pretty much all I have to say about that.

Airplanes, Weddings, and Babies, Oh My!

2007-08-31T07:19:00.000-04:00

Today I leave for Denver, Co.

I'm going to a wedding of one of my dearest friends, Sarah Jacob. I've never been to Denver, so I'm quite excited to be able to check this one off the list. As you know, I love visiting major U.S. cities! Just maybe I have a list going!

Sarah Jacob & Rodney Crawford

This may leave many of you wondering about how I am getting to Denver. Well, I'm riding on an airplane. "Gasp!" "Oh My!" "Can she fly? She's pregnant!" Well, worry not my dear readers. It is perfectly safe for me to fly at this stage in my pregnancy. But to make you feel even better, I'll let you know that is was ok'd by my doctor.

Also, today I am 18 weeks pregnant. Pretty crazy, huh? Yesterday, I believe that I detected some movement! It felt like a bizarre little popping in my belly. Now, I can't be 100% sure, but judging from what ladies who have been pregnant tell me, that is what it feels like at first. Pretty wild stuff.

Here are some 18 weeks facts for you.

*Photos from pregnancy.org

*Vernix (a white cheese-like protective material) forms on baby's skin with the lanugo (soft, lightly pigmented hair covering the body and limbs); both serving to protect baby's skin during the months in water.
*Placenta continues to grow and nourish the baby.
*Tiny air sacs called alveoli begin to form in lungs. It'll be putting these lungs to good use in just a few months!
*Vocal chords are formed. It goes through the motions of crying but without air it doesn't make a sound.
*Features of baby's heart, including ventricles and chambers, should be visible during an ultrasound.
*Baby measures about 5.59 inches (14.2cm) this week and weighs about 6.7 ounces (190gm).

Anyway, hopefully I'll return with some decent pictures of my trip that I can share with you.

SBTS Fall Kick-off Festival

2007-08-27T15:20:00.000-04:00

Friday night, Caleb and I went to the Fall Kick-off Festival at the seminary. I'm not gonna lie, we went for the free food! It was a fun time, but the heat was almost unbearable! There was a professor dunking booth, which was entertaining, but I didn't get any good shots to share with you. You'll just have to trust me. There were billions of babies and kids. So I mostly took pictures of other people's kids enjoying the games and kiddie activities. There were hot air balloon rides too, but you had to 'win' a ride in some sort of raffle.

These girls were trying so hard to hold really still while they had their faces painted.

The balloon art clown - always popular! These kids all seemed to be mesmerized!

Everybody Down

2007-08-23T11:30:00.002-04:00

My cousin Jason Sipe's band, Matthew. Jason is in the plaid shirt.

2007-08-23T10:13:00.001-04:00

I'm going back to school! Sort of. I did sign up to take 2 fall courses offered by the Seminary Wives Institute at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. The classes meet on Thursday nights from 7:00 - 8:45 pm. I signed up for. . .

TERM I (Aug 23 - Sept 27)
BAPTIST BELIEFS
Instructors: Dr. R. Albert Mohler Jr., Dr. Russell Moore, Dr. Chuck Lawless, Dr. Jimmy Scroggins
Text: Baptist Faith and Message, by Drs. Kelley, Land and Mohler

TERM II (Oct 11 - Nov 15)
WORLDVIEWS
Instructor: Dr. R. Albert Mohler, Jr.
Text: Armed for Battle, course manual by R. Albert Mohler, Jr.,
Worldviews in Conflict by Ronald Nash
Description: This course will seek to understand the nature and implications of the Christian worldview for discipleship and the defense of the Faith. We will also consider alternative worldviews common to our secular age, and compare these to the unchanging truth of God’s Word.

So, I'm very excited. Caleb even took me to Target to get a brand new notebook for taking lots of notes. I picked out Hello Kitty, of course!

2007-08-20T10:59:00.001-04:00

Pregnancy Cravings: Food & Non Food

Cravings to date (because hey, some people might be interested)!

Food:

1. Green Olives

2. Soft Pretzels

3. Mustard (on the soft pretzels)

4. Smoothie King

5. Pop-Tarts (this is especially strange. if you know me, you know i normally hate pop-tarts!)

6. Artisan Breads

7. Olive Oil (the good stuff. with the breads, of course!)

8. Salads (also strange. i'm normally not a 'salad as a meal' kind of a girl!)

Non Food (olfactory cravings!):

1. Chanel Coco Mademoiselle perfume (my favorite perfume of all time! i ran out about a year ago, and can't afford to replace. i actually drove to the mall after work so i could ask for a free sample vial from the Sephora girl!)

2. Johnson's Baby Wash (i have been known to buy this stuff and use it. i used to wash my hair with it in high school! soon i'll be able to use it for its intended purpose, bathing baby!)

3. Lysol (i realize the dangers in sniffing Lysol. i remedied the situation with craving 4)

4. The Body Shop Lemon Basil Home Fragrance Oil (i burn this oil and my whole apartment smells like 'clean kitchen.' also, it's non-toxic!

2007-08-03T13:52:00.000-04:00

Photos I didn't take . . . but wish I did.

Buddy, a 4-year-old Jack Russell terrier, catches a wave while surfing Rincon Point in Santa Barbara County, north of Ventura, Calif.

- LA Times photo by Stephen Osman

Saint, a 3-year-old golden retiever, catches a wave Wednesday in Morro Bay, Calif. Saint's owner said the dog has been surfing most of his life. -AP photo by Jayson Mellom ( August 1, 2007)

Boy, I sure wish Luther could surf!!

2007-08-03T11:01:00.000-04:00

Sorry everyone. The look of my blog will be changing several times. I get sick of how it looks after a while, so I'm looking for something new. I'm not experienced in making a blog look all awesome-like. But I'm working on it!

2007-08-03T09:36:00.001-04:00

14 weeks
Some new and interesting things are happening to our baby this week. Thought it might be time for a scientific update of sorts. Here's what pregnancy.org had to say about week 14.

**Thyroid gland has matured and baby begins producing hormones which will be used throughout his or her life.
**In boys, the prostate gland develops
**In girls, the ovaries move from the abdomen to the pelvis
**Little one may have learned to suck its thumb by this point!
**Baby's bones are getting harder and stronger by the day!
**Baby's skin is very transparent still
**Lanugo (very fine hair) covers the baby's body and will continue to grow until 26 weeks gestational age - Generally this will be shed prior to birth. Its purpose is to help protect baby's skin while in all that water!
**Baby is about 3.42 inches (8.7cm) long and weighs about 1.52 ounces (43 grams) - approximately the weight of a letter!

The development of a baby still amazes me.

**14 week photos from pregnancy.org

2007-07-30T11:42:00.000-04:00

Sunday afternoon at the Louisville Zoo.

Caleb and I spent a few hours at the zoo. We enjoyed a free lunch provided by the YMCA of Greater Louisville; it was staff appreciation day! I enjoyed walking around and seeing all the animals and Caleb enjoyed brushing up on his wildlife photography skills! I really only had one goal, to see Scotty, the new baby elephant! However, we missed him! But that's ok, because now we know his exhibit hours, and I watched a video of him on the zoo's website. You should watch it, it's really cute! An elephant's gestation period is around 22 months! Yikes! Either way little Scotty is super fun.

Here are some of 'my photos' and lots of 'not my photos.' (The first 2 are 'my photos' and the rest are Caleb's)

I liked this kid's band aid on his head!

We loved the tiger. He's HUGE!

The Polar Bear had mannerisms similar to Luther. Ha!

2007-07-25T13:46:00.000-04:00

I'm so bored!

Please, somebody out there tell me that I'm not the only one who has ever gotten so bored while at work. Please hear this, I enjoy my job and this boredom is rare. It's just that today is soooooo blah!! And I'm busy today, I am. I have a list of projects that I'm working on. In fact, I'm working on it right this second! (Well, really a large machine is doing the work, I'm just killing a few minutes before I can proceed with the next step). Most of what I've done today involves waiting.

What I've done while playing the waiting game:

**Read the Bible. (not the whole thing)

**Organized digital archives of Highview publications.

**Neatly stacked 4000 sheets of 12x18 paper in a large cabinet.

**Wrote a thank you note to my Grandpa Paul & Yvonne.

**Cleaned out my purse. (found a bottle of silver nail polish, a 100 calorie pack of shortbread cookies, 2 old pay stubs (whoops! i'll file those when i get home), multiple walgreens receipts, a camera battery (there it is!), 3 lipglosses (because you NEED that many. . . ), and some loose Gobstoppers (i didn't eat them, but i was tempted!)

**Polished my toenails silver (hey, why not!).

**Made a "for the drive home" playlist on my iPod. (like you've never made a random playlist!).

**Chatted off and on with my G-Talk buddies. (Mainly a Mr. and Mrs. Abner)

**Did a little online 'shopping' (see paragraph below for specifics).

So, there you have it. Now I suppose I can add blogging to that list. Anyhow, the highlight of my workday so far has been my success in finding the perfect cashmere hoodie. (One which I will never actually own, but don't worry! I'll live!).

Isn't it just spectacular? I mean really, who doesn't want an incredible red cashmere sweater?? You can buy me, er, I mean, look at this one here. And seriously, this is J. Crew we're talking about, so of course it's not called red! It's called heather cayenne!! How fancy!

Sorry if you're bored to tears reading this. I am. If you want something substantial to read, let's face it, my blog has never been the place to come for that.

Questions for my patient readers:

1. What have you done while bored at work?
2. What do you think is the ultimate "drive home" song?
3. Have you ever owned an awesome bright red sweater?

2007-07-24T10:48:00.000-04:00

A photo I didn't take . . . but wish I did.

India elects 1st female leader

Congress Party women activists in Allahabad rub colored powder on another activist Thursday as they celebrate Indian lawmakers' vote to elect Pratibha Patil as the country's first female president.

- - AP photo by Rajesh Kumar Singh (July 20, 2007)

2007-07-18T14:09:00.000-04:00

Update: for grandmas, friends, and others.
This morning was doctor appointment #3. Dr. Stice assured me that everything was progressing nicely. So far, mother and baby are healthy and normal. We listened to the baby's heartbeat. Wow! It was awesome. And it was fast! At least, it seemed fast to me. 166 beats per minute, which the Dr. said was perfectly normal. I wish I could have recorded it for you all to hear. Maybe next time, even though something inside tells me it's probably frowned-upon to show up to your Dr. appointment with a recording device! Ah, well.

I have been feeling fine lately. Tired still, but at least not sick! I'd say, if the worst of the sick-y symptoms are over, it was not at all bad. I must be truly blessed with a, so far, easy goin' pregnancy. In a couple more weeks I'll be through the first trimester. That seems crazy. I'm guessing I'll be getting to buy some new clothes soon!

**painting: "Made in USA" by Astrid Lee.

2007-07-12T20:11:00.001-04:00

4th of July at The Lake of Egypt.
(Complete with swimming, foods, fireworks, and dogs).

Mom, Kirsten, Haley and Caleb lounge by the lake.

The Works!

Dad, Haley, Kirstin, Mike, and Caleb enjoy killing fish by throwing firecrackers into the water. Intriguing at first, then quite sad.

The Fam. (minus Becky, who was still in Germany).

Caleb enjoys some fireworks. Luther cowers nearby.

A post-swim Divot.

Divot enjoys "fishing" off the side of the dock. This includes staring at the fish and then furiously pawing at them in the water. It's awesomely cute to watch!

A pre-swim Luther.

Luther loved swimming. He mostly splashed around and tried to eat the 'splashes.' Needless to say, it was entertaining to all.

Then of course, he dried off. Which was like a full-body Jowler!

We had a great 4th. Sorry to post so late. It's a lot of work. And lately, I'm lazy.