Liz turns 30!

My birthday celebration started Friday afternoon. Jonathan had arranged for the boys to go stay with his parents so I could have a break. This was a nice surprise. So what did I do with my free time...clean! I just really enjoyed the quiet and cleaning without interruption. We went to dinner, I got a new cell phone cover, and then we looked at Goodwill for 80s clothes.

Saturday morning I slept in (until 7:30am) and awoke to breakfast in bed. Of course it was so yummy I forgot to take a picture before I ate it! I had a delicious omelet with bacon and onions. Jonathan placed on the tray a gift card to my favorite spa. At first I thought he borrowed the tray but later found out it was mine to keep from my friend Ann Foster. I then noticed a box for an electric can opener sitting on the cabinet. I have been complaining about our hand operated can opener for a while now. It just doesn't work well. I was so excited to see the new one, which has a cover on it and opens bags as well as bottles.

Jonathan has always said he is not gifted with administration but he did a great job planning my party. It was an '80s theme so that made it fun researching what to wear. We ate at Mama Baris, the best Italian restaurant in town. It was fun seeing the different outfits that mainly us girls wore. My mom helped me krimp my hair (after all these years I still had my krimp iron). Since one of my favorite things to do is play games we played telephone. One person started a sentence (pretty lengthy) and then it was funny to see how that sentence changed when it got to the last person. The one thing Jonathan felt bad about was not having a cake at Baris. After we sang Hallister Happy Birthday at his party Jonathan pulled out an ice cream cake from the freezer and put 30 candles on it! So I got to have Happy Birthday sung to me as well. :)

Hallister turns 3!

We started Hallister's birthday off with his favorite breakfast - a chocolate doughnut with sprinkles. His best friend Jacob then came over to play and help make strawberry cupcakes. We enjoyed eating those before having his favorite lunch - grilled cheese and cheetos. We finished off the day with Chicfila for supper. The Sunday after his birthday we had a small celebration at the house. It was supposed to be at the lake but it was closed. We still had fun though, pulling out our pulls, making water balloons, and enjoying the slip n slide down the hill in our back yard. Hallister is really into tractors so we had a John Deere theme. The next morning Hallister had breakfast with all the toys he had received. (They slept with him as well.)

30 Weeks

I realized it has been a while since we did a Baby Girl update. I am now 30 weeks pregnant. She is moving all the time. I am thankful I have not been sick with her as far as getting another bad cough. Having whooping cough with Preston was horrible. I've had a cold this past week, but just a runny nose. Another difference in this pregnancy is how high she is sitting. With the boys I felt like they were going to drop out, and with her I have trouble breathing sometimes. She is really up in my rib cage.

I had a doctor appointment today. Her heartbeat was in the 130s. She kicked the doctor....heehee. We talked about when we will schedule the c-section and it will be November 22nd, so we will get to come home with her on Thanksgiving Day. I will go in at 5:30am on the 22nd to do blood work and start an IV and then at 7:30am we will start with the surgery. So exactly 9 weeks from today we will get to hold our baby girl!!!

September

September is a busy month in our family. On my side we have SIX birthdays, my Aunt Mindy (3), PawPaw (10), second cousin Silas (11), my Mom (17), Hallister (22) , and then me (24).

I know as I get older my birthday will get overlooked because Hallister's is so close, but this year will be one to remember for me since I'm turning 30! Birthdays were a big deal growing up for me. When it was your birthday you got all your favorites the whole day....favorite breakfast, lunch, dinner, and then ending with our tradition of ice cream cake from Dairy Queen. YUM! That chocolatey crunchy center is just divine.

I am looking forward to this whole week before I turn 30 because there is a lot of fun happening. Tuesday is my 30 week appointment for Baby Girl Senn, Wednesday I have Bunco (a fun dice game I play with women once a month), Thursday Hallister turns THREE, and then Saturday is my b-day! Jonathan has planned a small get together of my close friends and our parents at one of my favorite restaurants Baris, with an 80's theme. It should be fun!!

We will also be transitioning the boys into sharing a room. Jonathan constructed an awesome rail on the side of one of the bunk beds in Hall's room to make it basically a huge crib for Preston. We had them set up as bunk beds but Hallister was jumping on top like we told him not to and fell off. Today Preston took his morning nap in his "new" crib and slept well. We will try their afternoon naps in there, and then lead into night time.

Our Suburban

It has been a long three months of searching for just the right vehicle. We finally had enough money saved to purchase our new car with cash, a method we learned in Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University. We drove to Segoville, Plano, Killeen, and San Antonio. We prayed each time before seeing the vehicle that God would give us complete peace if we were supposed to get the vehicle or walk away.

Finally Labor Day weekend we found a great deal on a 2001 Chevy Suburban. It wasn't perfect with no flaws but it was perfect for us, and listed at $1,000 less than other vehicles we had found. We now have enough room in one vehicle to carry all three children, and then some. This is our first vehicle with leather seats, and among other added features there is a TV. That will come in handy on long trips.

We are so thankful God provided us this vehicle and that, although it was hard at times, we were patient and waited for His perfect timing.

Just Between Friends

Just Between Friends is a consignment event that happens every year in March and September in Waco. You get to bring your baby and maternity clothes, toys, furniture, and accessories for a 3 day event. If you just consign you make 65%. If you also volunteer or barter you make 70% on all of your items that sale.

This past March I put more in the sale then I ever had before. I cleaned out clothes (thinking we weren't having another child for a while...haha) and a bunch of toys that were neglected. I also volunteered so that I made 70%. It is fun checking someone out at the cash register and seeing them buy your items.

Last month JBF asked past consignors to contribute stories on how JBF has helped you financially. So I contributed this one......"Ever since our family went from a two income family to one income, so that I can stay home with our boys, we have found that we are tight each month, but somehow God always provides. Last March I was looking forward to the JBF sale knowing this would be my way of contributing towards our bills with whatever I made. I consigned more than I ever had before, with clothes and larger baby items. Shortly after the sale we received our high electric bill for $275. This was disappointing since we did not have enough to make the payment without dipping into savings. A week later I was excited to get my JBF check in the mail for more than I had ever profited before, the amount of $275. It was the exact amount we needed and once again, God provided. This time, through Just Between Friends!"

I received an email last week that they chose my story and that I was going to be interviewed on the RADIO!! So tomorrow at 8:45am Just Between Friends will be on the radio and I will present my story, or a shorter version of it. I believe it is going to be live. So if it is possible tune into Star 92.9 with Dustin and Beth in the morning. I am a little nervous but also excited. Please pray that I do well to honor God and my family. After all, He is the one that deserves the glory!