We are ...

... having a baby!

We will be completing our family in August with the arrival of baby number 3! Very exciting!!

This last addition to our family has been a long time coming. We started talking/planning about this one about a year and a half ago. I actually started preparing myself for the fact that it just might not happen. But let's just say that we are very "thankful" for this wonderful gift from God (if you don't know what I mean, click here).

So far, this pregnancy has been alot like my other two ... just plain awful. I was stricken with morning sickness for every waking moment of the day from week 5 until about week 14. It still hasn't totally disappeared, but at least it isn't ALL THE TIME. But, if I do recall my prayers at the beginning of my pregnancy, I did ask that the Lord "bring it on" as far as pregnancy symptoms. I wanted to know at anytime that this baby was developing and growing like it should. He definitely answered that prayer with a resounding YES. And even though I was absolutely miserable, my house was a mess for three months, and my daughter watched a ridiculous amount of TV, I counted it all joy just to know that this little one was ok.

Now that the sickness is just about gone, I do feel much better. I still have some "joys" that are uncomfortable, but I think that might just be my age ... seriously. Being 33 and pregnant is ALOT different than being 26 or even 30.

So far I have gained 11 pounds. Not too bad, I guess. Gained 3lbs in month 2, 3lbs in month 3 and 5lbs month 4. I am trying not to obsess about it too much. I just don't want a repeat of my pregnancy with Victoria. I think I gained a whopping 40 pounds. One of the first things Carey said to me was "You aren't going to go crazy on donuts and Dr Pepper again, are you?" No hon, I am not.

This pregnancy seems to be going by a bit slower than the others did. Not sure if it is because I worked during my other pregnancies or if it is because pregnancy itself has lost its appeal to me and I just want the baby here. I think I am more excited about this one than I was for the other two to arrive. So, the countdown for me has already begun. I have already converted the spare bedroom into the baby's room. I even made up the bed.

The kids are super excited about the baby. I think Riley is more excited than Victoria. He keeps throwing names out there that he wants us to use ... Sam, Nathan, Issac ... all boy names. He wants a little brother SO BAD! I almost want it to be a boy just to see his reaction. But that would be the only swaying factor. I honestly don't care. And the way I look at it, it is just another person to love and care for and most importantly, to teach about being a follower of Christ. Boy or girl just doesn't matter much.

But the hair does. I want a curly-headed child. I have a wavy haired child and a straight (very straight) haired child. I would LOVE to have one with curly hair.

A Peek Inside the Everyday

Here are just a few pics taken over the past month or so. Just a peek inside of the everyday in our home.

This was probably a Saturday morning. More often than not,
they end up right next to each on the couch.

I do believe that Daddy ran this bath. So fun!

Enjoying her High School Musical boom box.

Climbing on Daddy ... this happens alot.

Our enormous snowman built on the snowiest day ever
in these parts (at least in the past century).

Riley is Seven!

It just makes my heart hurt to write that. Seven. Wow.

We had a few celebrations for his birthday. First there was a family party. Because my side of the family has grown recently and our schedules are so very busy, we now celebrate birthdays and anniversaries in clusters. It just so happens that there are two other birthdays within a week of Riley's, so we had a big birthday bash, complete with birthday and unbirthday presents for everyone. Gigi (my mom) is really good about making everyone feel loved ... all twelve of us!

Ready to party!

I LOVE this picture. Riley was sick on Christmas day, so we missed out
on the grandeur enthusiasm he typically shows when opening presents.

On Riley's actual birthday, he wore a birthday button to school and a birthday hat and got to have cupcakes (store bought of course) for snack during school. However, I was informed that morning as we were walking out the door, that "so-and-so's mom brought juice boxes too." Ok ... fortunately I had just been to Walmart the day before and just so happened to have stocked up on juice boxes and had EXACTLY 19 of them. Phew.

I think he is making a number seven with his fingers.

Then, we had birthday cookies that night at Children's Choir complete with balloons, which were somehow used for music purposes. At this moment, I cannot recall how we managed that.

The last celebration of "birthday week," was spent at Medieval Times. It was pretty cool. I had never been. Riley really liked it, but Victoria LOVED it!! Who would have thought?! Riley and I were a bit tired. The show didn't start until 8:15 or so and we are not evening people. We are morning people. But the Pepsi helped. Yep, your only drinking options are tea or Pepsi. We ALL had Pepsi, even Victoria. I do believe she drank all hers. Oh well.




So Riley at age seven is alot like Riley at age four or five or six. He is exactly the same only taller and he eats more. He is still so tender hearted, full of joy, considerate of others and couldn't hurt a fly (this part makes it a bit hard to stand up to his younger sister).

He is also a really good student. He is naturally smart and doesn't even realize it ... alot like his Daddy. He doesn't put much effort into his school work and still brings home 100's on his papers. He does say that school is boring, so I am sure that he isn't being challenged enough. But he has a really great time (the social butterfly he is) and there is plenty of time to be challenged in school later. I mean this is only 1st grade.

He is a super goof ball and loves to try to make people laugh. He is into Phineas and Ferb, being a spy, inventing things, Legos (still), and making many things out of paper and the trash I have in the recycle bin (which I usually throw in the trash when he is at school the next day ... fortunately he hasn't missed any of it ... yet).

He is also into choosing what he wears to school everyday. I really wasn't prepared for this one. However, he must have a clean room the night before to be able to do this, which only happens about half the time. So at least he is wearing everything in his closet and not just his Phineas and Ferb shirts and Star Wars shirts.

At his check-up, he is in the 75% on height and 80% on weight. Still on the the growth road to being tall like Carey ... love that!

He enjoys our evening reading of his Bible and our daily devotional. He gets a bit bent out of shape if we don't do it every evening. Love that. I am noticing too that his prayers at night are more about what is going on in our lives than just the run-of-the-mill kid prayers. It is exiting to see him grow spiritually. We are just praying and waiting for him to start showing interest in accepting Christ. Oh happy day that will be!

Me and my guy.

Our Somewhat Merry Christmas

I can sum-up our Christmas with this one statement ... we got through it. Christmas was sandwiched between doctor's appointment, fevers, chills, medicine, more doctor's appointments, stomach bugs, etc. It started the Monday before Christmas and lasted until the Monday after New Year's. But, we were bound and determined to make the best of it and I think that we did.

Riley ready for his class play performance at school.

So this was what he wore to school on the last day before
the Christmas break. It was his idea to have a red nose.

Playing in the snow storm on Christmas Eve.
Between the blowing snow and having fevers,
I do believe the kids only lasted about 10 minutes.

Opening one present on Christmas Eve ... I am sure it was Legos.

Victoria is giving her new pajamas a hug 'cause she loves them so.
The kids always get a new pair of pajamas to wear on Christmas Eve.

Trying out her new skates on Christmas Eve.

Christmas morning. For some reason, neither one of them are
wearing the new pajamas they got. Oh well.

Victoria got a new bike for Christmas.

Riley got Legos. Big surprise. He was still pretty excited!

Daddy putting together Victoria's new stand mixer for her kitchen.

So this robot arm that Riley got in his stocking was a HUGE hit
Christmas morning. Why we didn't get two is beyond me.

The headlamps were a favorite too.
Victoria wore hers most of the morning.

Riley putting on a smile. He was so sick. He spent most of the
morning sitting in his bean bag chair. Poor little guy.

Pops and Gigi always join us on Christmas morning to watch
all the present opening madness.

So, after all the opening had finished and the house was put back in order, I told Carey that I cold have us packed and ready to leave for Michigan in two hours. So we left Saginaw on Christmas day around 3PM. We arrived 24 very long hours later in Suttons Bay, Michigan. Exhausted, stinky and Riley had run about 103 fever most of the way up. Come to find out, he had pneumonia. And Carey came down with a sinus infection the very next day. Urgh. But again, we made the most of it.

Wrestling with Grandpa.

Riley is ready for battle.

Victoria is ready for sledding.

One of many, many, many trips down the hill.

The ski crew ... Carey, Riley, Victoria and Carey's cousins, Tyler and Corbin.

Victoria's first time on skis. She was pretty much a wet noodle on skis.
Carey had a hard time just trying to get her to stand up straight.
She lasted only about 30 minutes. Carey was exhausted.

Carey and Riley making their way down the mountain ...
well it was really just a big hill.

Still sick, but ready to have Christmas at Pops and Gigi's!

Definitely a Christmas to remember. Hopefully just the good memories ... Carey driving through the snow on Christmas Eve to get Chinese food (yummm), hugable pajamas, a White Christmas, fun new toys, skiing with cousins, sledding with Grandma, snowmobiling with Uncle Craig, and a lazy Sunday afternoon opening presents at Pops and Gigis. At least, that is what I choose to remember.

Our December ... so far

Our December was filled with choir practices and performances, parties, food (savory and sweet), shopping, wrapping, family time, and other time of this and that. Needless to say, I didn't have much free time to blog about it and now it is pretty much a blur. I do remember that it did snow ...

Quick picture before we took Riley to school.

So excited about the snow!!

And I have to mention that Victoria LOVES telling everyone "Merry Christmas." She tells me this before she goes down for nap and we when we put her to bed in the evenings. She also likes to tell the bell ringer at Walmart. The other day, the bell ringer was on her cell when we walked by and Victoria exclaimed "Merry Christmas!" Well, Victoria was very upset. With a huge frown on her face she told me "she no Merry Christmas me." It was pretty cute.

Then there was Riley's Christmas musical at church. They performed "The Camel Lot." In a nut shell, a little gir has a dream while preparing for her church musical that her car lot owning father owns a camel lot in Bethlehem and is informed by shepherds, camel buying patrons and a wiseman that the Messiah has been born. Anyway, part of Riley's costume was a ball cap. He was the teenage boy looking for his first car, er camel, with his dad. Well, the hat managed to make it's way into his performance. It was in his mouth for a while. It was in his hands while he was doing his motions. It was all over the place ... so I am told. I still haven't seen the video yet. I was busy in the sound booth with giving cues for the lighting, music and film crew. It was remeniscent of two Christmas' ago. He is a bit of a ham. All he needs is an audience. As soon as Carey's gets me some sort of fire wire card cable thingy, I will be able to start uploading video again.

Well, can I just say that I am sooo glad that I spent all last week cleaning the house, shopping and wrapping presents. Because this week we are doing a whole lot of nothing. Not by choice ... 3 of the 4 of us are sick. Urgh. So we have been spending these last few days on the couch, administering medicine, going to the doctor and watching lots of TV. Not my idea of a fun Christmas break. So, we are hoping and praying that we will all be well by Christmas Day. Not only so that we can enjoy the morning full of presents and fun, but also for the 1200 mile drive we will be making that night and the next day.

Merry Christmas!

Victoria Rings Silent Night

Victoria's music class performed again this year at the Saginaw Rec Center in their Christmas program. She did SOOO much better this year. Last year I ended up ringing the bell not long after the song started. I told her when her color was on the card and she did the rest.

And here is Riley giving Victoria her flower after her performance.

Our Happy Thanksgiving (for the most part)

Not sure if we have started a family tradition or not. Last year we went camping on Thanksgiving. This year we went camping on Thanksgiving.

This time we went to Tyler State Park in Tyler, Texas. So pretty. The trees were massive and the colors were amazing. There was a little lake (or a big pond) in the middle of the park, which we could see out the front of our tent. It was a bit cold, but not nearly as bad as last year. The trip had its ups and downs as with any camping trip for the Thompsons. We spent the first morning in Tyler at Walgreens getting medicine for my queezy stomach and at Academy getting new camping chairs. Poor Carey broke both chairs the night before ... oops.

Once it warmed up on Wednesday, we ventured into the woods to do some geocaching. Very cool. Carey had three that he had printed directions and clues for before we left. The kids were a bit whiny, but that is typical. They were worried about the dog of all things. She kept running ahead of us. They were afraid she would run off and not come back. We informed them that she might be a dog, but she isn't that stupid.



The rest of the trip was uneventful. Carey took the kids to the park and took Riley fishing. By the time you prepare a meal, eat a meal and cleanup after a meal ... well the time tends to get away from you. And the fact that the sun went down around 5:45. But, the kids were ready for bed around 7:00 both nights. That is definitely not typical.

We ate great as always. Carey does so well in the outdoor kitchen. He even did dishes after every meal while I just sat by the campfire. :)

We did collect some pine cones to bring home and decorate as Christmas Tree decorations. Not a very good idea. Victoria and I seemed to have a runny nose most of the camping trip. Then for about two days after, she would get all stuffed up and watery eyed every time we were in the car. Well, that is where the pine cones were ... still in the glove box. Oops. So, needless to say, the Thompson girls will not be camping in the piney woods without the assistance of allergy medication in the future.


But it was nice to be away just the four of us ... and the dog.