Tons of Pics in One Long Overdue Update!

Seriously? Has it been that long since I have been here? Well, I would apologize, but I think you all understand that I have been a wee bit busy lately...with the labeling, stamping, and mailing of Christmas cards (like 84 of them!), hosting our annual Christmas Open House, everyday chores, packing, packing, and more packing...and yes, of course, preparing for this baby! It is not that I haven't meant to stop by, and it is not like I have nothing to share, because unlike the rare occasion when I have no words (believe me, it happens), there is plenty going on over here...it is the time and energy I am lacking-hence, the lack of blog posts.

I have been meaning to at least post pictures since there is not much time to amuse you with my writings and silly stories. I may work on this post for several days, but I am determined to finish it eventually...enjoy the pics!

My little helper is more than willing to do just about any chore (with the exception of picking up her toys)!

That's it Phoebe, get down in there...what a great work ethic!

The Her Family came to visit in June. Here, Phoebe is playing dress up with her cousins. It is a good thing Ayden is too young to care about the frilly apron thing.

Giant origami is always good for keeping the kiddos entertained. Such a talented husband I have!

Phoebe helps carve her first pumpkin in preparation for the Harvest celebration.

It's a lady, of course...

Here she is in all her glory!

Mini pumpkin project.

Phoebe and her best friend, Gwyn, admire each other's costumes. Phoebe is Fancy Nancy...of course!

Quite a fancy hairdo. Fancy Phoebe and her very own cheerleader escort at our church event. That bag is loaded with goodies!

Me and my giant accessory!

Phoebe and I participated in the annual car races at our church. I did not carve the car myself, but Phoebe and I are responsible for the cool decorations and the "bling".

Very awesome, girly muscle car!

Lined up and ready to race...and the WINNER is...

After several heats, Phoebe walked away with the 1st place trophy in her age group and 2nd place overall. Not too shabby.

The Her family was here again in October for two weeks and we had such a great time with them. I was thankful to have aunties here to run and play with Phoebe. My sister-in-law took about a bazillion pictures of the kiddos, so I will post a few here.


Phoebe and her cousins reunited at last...they just love each other so!

Daddy and Phoebe show off their moves.

Their famous "tree" pose. Mothers and Grandmothers alike gasp when they see this, but I assure them that as her Mommy, I am quite confident in their skills. They have had a lot of practice and according to Phoebe, "Daddy is the strongest man in the whole universe!"

Xee continues his workout by tossing small children into the air...

and swimming with multiple kiddos on his back.


Fun in the sun with Aunties Khou, Mao, and Brandy!

Nothing like a good water fight!



Cousin Ayden having some soaker fun!

Boogie board bliss....

Baby rides in front, while Phoebe rides in back!

Phoebe's aunties are quite talented with the sand sculptures, producing everything from three-tier cakes to seahorses, to turtles....but my personal favorite-the Thanksgiving turkey. Really, it was quite impressive. The picture does not do this bird justice!

Mao and her kiddos.



The twins with their Daddy, James.


A surprise visitor for a stunned Khou pops the question in a truly romantic fashion.

A fun trip on our friend, Captain Mike's boat...


gets us a birds-eye view of Queen Anne's Revenge from the next Pirates of the Caribbean movie.

Are we worn out yet?...

How 'bout now?


Well, that only took 4 days to complete this post (I have a love-hate relationship with blogger). So, until next time...We hope you all have a very Merry Christmas and we look forward to posting more updates soon!

Give Thanks!

THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION

"Now therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country ...."(Note: the entire Thanksgiving Proclamation can be viewed at the Library of Congress website: www:http://www.facebook.com/l/3939e;loc.gov)

Oh, give thanks to the LORD! Call upon His name;

Make known His deeds among the peoples!

Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him;

Talk of all His wondrous works!

Glory in His holy name;

Let the hearts of those rejoice whoseek the Lord!

Seek the LORD and His strength;

Seek His face evermore!

Remember His marvelous works
which He has done...
Sing to the LORD, all the earth;

Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.

Declare His glory among the nations,

His wonders among all peoples.
For the LORD is great andgreatly to be praised;

He is also to be feared above all gods.

For all the gods of the people are idols,

But the LORD made the heavens.

Honor and majesty are before Him,

Strength and gladness are in His place.
...Give to the LORD the glory dueHis name;...

Oh, worship the LORD in thebeauty of holiness!...
Let the heavens rejoice, and let theearth be glad;

And let them say among the nations,"The LORD reigns."

Let the sea roar, and all its fullness;

Let the field rejoice, and all that is in it.

Then the trees of the woods shallrejoice before the LORD...
Oh, give thanks to the LORD,for He is good!

For His mercy endures forever...

Blessed be the LORD God of Israel

From everlasting to everlasting!
And all the people said, "Amen!"
and praised the LORD.
1 Chronicles 16:8-36

Belly Shots

Phoebe is watching a show and while I would really like to lay down and take a little nap, I feel that I must address the issue of pictures on this blog (or lack there of). I have had more than one request for belly pics and have been too busy or just too lazy at the end of the day to get it done. While the Hers were here visiting, my sister-in-law took some family photos. I am saving some for Christmas cards, but here are at least a few pictures of the baby bump. Sorry to keep you waiting!

7 Reasons Why Today Was a Good Day

1. In the excitement and anticipation of Daddy coming home, Phoebe was a little angel. Actually, she's an angel every day, but sometimes she temporarily misplaces her halo.

2. I got a call with some good news this morning concerning one of the "issues" we have been dealing with. Then I found out that the final book in the series I'm reading came in to the library today. Can't wait to read it and see how it all ends!

3. A friend from church texted me this afternoon to tell me she was at the beach, and would I like to take a break and drop Phoebe off to play with her daughter? WOULD I?? Um, yes please.

4. The weather around here is on the cusp of change. Well, I won't be sporting turtlenecks or anything, but the tradewinds have kicked up and it feels as though we are moving a few millimeters closer to the idea of fall and winter. The tourists won't have as many "perfect" beach days, but I am kind of digging the overcast look once in a while.

5. Opened up my email to find several messages from some of you ladies regarding my last post. I love you all dearly and am so thankful to have you identifying with me in this walk of life, whether it be through the meadow or through the mud! I think I must add a little P.S. to this previous post...

(P.S. Despite the stomach-churning, face-clenching, unpredictable swinging and swaying, we still got off the ride smiling...laughing, in fact. We do so enjoy an adventure! )

6. Picked up Daddy from the airport! Woo-hoo! I must state clearly here that I am NOT cut out for single parenthood (who is?). Though I did relish in the glory of hearing my daughter declare every day, with squeals of delight, that it was "girls day". She is, afterall, my favorite girlfriend!

7. Last, but definitely not least, God is good. He sustains me every day. He loves me with a pure and everlasting love. And though life's circumstances may shift like the weather, He never changes. He never fails.

Riding the Wheel

Sometimes there is just no better therapy than writing for me. Tonight though, it was immersing myself in a tub of hot water, and then bathing in a sudden downpour of salty tears. It took me by surprise, yet I suppose in my current hormonal condition, it shouldn't have. But there it was. There I was, letting it all out.

Today was day seven of a travelling husband, and that compounded with a bunch of other stuff we have been dealing with...stuff I have not disclosed in this blog because, well, it isn't necessary...but real life stuff, nonetheless. And the joys and challenges of being a mommy, only weeks away from baby number two. In addition to the weight of guilt I felt as I recounted the numerous times I blew it with Phoebe today. Well, let's just say that my busy schedule as of lately has kept me in a crying drought...until tonight.

Have you ever been on California Adventure's Ferris wheel? From far away it doesn't look that big, but close up it is impressive. When you board the ride, they ask you if you want to be in a stable car or one that also glides and swings along its own course. Do you know what I'm talking about?

I remember riding this with Xee and Phoebe a couple years ago. Xee gets a bit squeamish on these things, but I've never been afraid of heights, so when they asked if we wanted the stable car, I, wanting the full experience of course, opted for the other one (you know...the unstable one), despite the ever-increasing size of Xee's brown eyes, glaring at me in disapproval and beckoning me to change my mind. Hey, if you're gonna ride it, go for the gusto, right?

Ah, what a thrill! The slow and steady glide up, up, up, was quite refreshing. You can see half the park from way up there. Not scary at all...But then, without warning, you take a turn for the edge of the rotation and suddenly your stomach is taking a plunge as the car quickly glides into a rotation of it's own. A rotation within the rotation. Oh, and the swinging!...In mid-air, a hundred feet above the ground!

Everything around you is blurry. You can no longer focus on the beauty of the park, but only the sound of your own screaming voice and the look of torture on your poor husband's face. You giggle, because it is still deliriously fun (also for the sake of your crying child) and endure this sensation (twice) and round the corner with a sigh of relief, thinking the ride has come to a stop...only to realize that this is just a slight pause to let more passengers on, and now they are taking you around, ALL the way around...AGAIN!

So tonight when I stepped foot into my soothing hot bath, I had been going around slowly, feeling the breeze, taking in the scenery, breathing steadily, and suddenly, without warning, I must have come to that point in the curve. The point where my car dipped into its own rotation, and caught me a bit off guard. Everything was blurry and I could only hear the sound of my own sobbing....

Then I heard a song in my head. An old Amy Grant song I haven't heard in years came flooding to my mind. A gift from God to my overwhelmed heart. The spinning stopped. A deep breath of relief. Thank you, Lord, for the words You gave to me.

When the weight of all my dreams
is resting heavy on my head
And the thoughtful words of help and hope
have all been nicely said

But I'm still hurting
wondering if I'll ever be the one I think I am
I think I am

Then You gently re-remind me
that you made me from the First
And the more I try to be the best
the more I get the worst

And I realize the good in me
is only there because of who You are
Who YOU are

And all I ever have to be
is what You've made me
Any more or less would be a step
out of Your plan

As You daily recreate me,
help me always keep in mind
That I only have to do
what I can find

All I ever have to be
All I have to be
All I ever have to be...

Is what You've made me

Still Not Here

Well, I don't know if it is the laptop crashing, or the having to transfer over all of our pictures onto the desktop, or the multiple visits to our rental property, or could it be that I am pregnant? Well, for whatever reason, I just don't seem to have the time...or energy...or motivation to write these days. I so enjoy writing, but lately the desire for ice cream seems to take precedence. What can I say?

There are pictures I'd like to post. Eventually that may happen, if they ever make their way from the external drive to the desktop. Phew, I am just glad we didn't lose absolutely EVERYTHING that was saved on the laptop.

You'll hear from me again...some day!

The Annual Review

Every year around Phoebe's birthday, we have made a musical slideshow of pictures that highlights our year with her. Well, Xee has made it. Some of you might remember the first two. Then year number three came along and I reminded Xee to start on it. I set aside the pictures I wanted in a file on my computer. A few days went by....a month went by....seven months went by....finally, I decided that Xee's schedule was just to busy that year. So I made a Smilebox-the easiest solution for me.

By the time I finished my creation, it was Christmas. Since Phoebe's birthday is in May, I never posted it on the blog. I thought it a little anti-climatic. And now, five months has passed since Phoebe's birthday-ALREADY! We are still getting around to assembling some sort of slideshow. It is our tradition afterall. Hey, I don't scrapbook, remember?

In the mean time, I did have a chance to put together a photobook for Phoebe with some of our favorite pics of the year. I wish I could post it here on blogger, but instead I will attach the link for you all to view. It is amazing to see how she grows in the span of one year. Though we are going to be doing this baby thing all over again, my desire to slow things down a bit with Miss Phoebe has not subsided in the least!

Click HERE and enjoy the book :D

Where is Audrey?

Where have I been? One of the following...

1. On the phone dealing with home warranty issues for our rental property.
2. Playing on the beach with the Her family.
3. Sleeping-in in the a.m., thanks to the Her family.
4. Trying to back up my laptop since it has been acting funny.
5. Taking my laptop in only to find that the hard drive is completely shot! (before I got to fully back it up...thankfully I backed it up 6 months ago)
6. At the rental property, overseeing the replacement of the dishwasher.
7. On the beach, reading a book and watching three happy little cousins play in the sand :)
8. Back on the phone with the home warranty company....the garage door is now broken.
9. More fun in the sun with cousins and aunties and uncles!
10. Yet again, another issue with the rental property! Termites in the the garage!!!

Okay, so I've been busy.

Be back soon!!

She's Got Gills

Why she calls herself "Phoebe Fish"

Half-Baked!

Today is the official half-way mark of my pregnancy. Twenty weeks down...about twenty more to go! Aaah! Only twenty more weeks to go. Take a deep breath Self! Change is a comin'. And such is life. It is forever changing. As I think about all of our wonderful friends and family, I cannot help but wish we could visit you all. It is September friends, and remember that is always a bit of a nostalgic time for me. Read a post from last year, Almost September, and remember how much we love and miss you all!

IT'S A .......

So Friday was the big day. Our long awaited trip to the "baby doctor", as Phoebe refers to him. With my first pregnancy, we wanted that magical moment. The months and months of anticipation for that one amazing announcement: "It's a...." And when Phoebe was born my response was, "Of course it's a girl." It didn't seem to surprise me. What a magical moment, meeting her face to face. There are few things in life that compare.

This time around, Xee made it pretty clear from the get-go that he wanted to find out. He needed to know. He wanted to be prepared. "Okay," I said. We could do it that way this time. And so Daddy took the day off on Friday, and the three of us headed out the door, on our way to take a peek!

We arrive at the office...I'm feeling a tad bit nervous-I've never done it this way before. How will I feel?....A cold squirt of gel on my belly...the wand swirls round and round. Long pauses and measurements taken by the doc...baby is moving all over the place...And then...THEN he tells us the big news.

"Are you sure?" I ask.

"Well, these things are never 100% sure, but I can confidently say that I am at least 85% sure."

Tears welled up in my eyes. This moment was more special than I had expected. We are so happy to know this kiddo in a more intimate way. Hello baby!

Is the suspense killing you?

Well, have a look for yourself...


Is it clear to you? Anyone having trouble? Hint: That is not an arm, or a leg, or an extra-long nose....

IT'S A BOY!!

We are very excited about meeting our little guy. Finding out this incredible news just confirmed what I have felt in my heart these last 19 weeks. Xee and I have always believed we would have one girl and one boy (at least), and we believed God placed that desire in our hearts that He might later fulfill that promise in our lives.

Names? Don't ask....some things must remain a mystery!

And Phoebe? What was her initial reaction?

As we left the office, I said in an excited voice, "So kiddo,what do you think? A baby brother!"

Her response: "URGH!"

Later that afternoon we stopped by a park to play. Daddy started asking her all kinds of questions about what she was going to teach her brother when he arrived. She just kept her quick stride toward the swings and sighed, "I don't want to talk about it!"

The baby brother thing has grown on her a bit in the last few days. Though her opinion that girls are better still weighs heavily, she is already obsessed with finding boy presents for her younger sibling, and she wants to know when she can start sleeping with him.

We are all still digesting the fact that another person will be joining our family in another 21 weeks or so. Very exciting! We will keep you all posted.

Wave goodbye, baby!

Fresh Start To My Day

9:30 a.m. It's early yet, and I just caught myself putting away the dirty dishes from my dishwasher....oops!

9:37 a.m. Just squashed a pesky, little gnat with my bare hands.


That's better. Let's begin again, shall we?

Progress Report

Alright, so I realized the other day that most of you aren't able to track baby's progress by checkin' out my growing belly. You are just too far away. Sorry I haven't posted more pictures. I will do my best to keep you updated.

I am feeling great and the headaches have decreased to almost none! Hooray! I am always wishing I had the opportunity for a daily nap, and I currently have the appetite of a 16-year-old boy. Our family continues to grow excited at the anticipation of meeting this little one in my belly, who, by the way gets very active both when I eat, and of course, when I am sleeping (or trying anyway).

This is what I like to refer to as "the beautiful phase". Everyone tells you how beautiful you are, and well, you believe every word and take it all in. People have yet to say things like, "Are you sure you're not having twins?", "Wow! You sure have gotten BIG!", and "Gee, your face is so...puffy!" These are not figments of my imagination...only sweet memories of being prego with my darling Phoebe. Despite my super healthy diet and exercise regime back then, I managed to gain a whopping 57 lbs! The midwife was as shocked as I was, but could not complain about my diet and therefore summed it up to be that I just had "a lot of water".

So far I am way under the amount of pounds gained last time around and I am convinced that I have Miss Phoebe to thank for that. I think I am still burning more calories than I can possibly pack in during the day! Whatever happens, I am just hoping not to have to give away every single pair of shoes I own and start over with a half-size bigger foot this time around! Seriously though, I love being pregnant. It is a privilege to be the vessel for this new little life to develop. There is no greater honor or joy in this life for me. What a sheer blessing it is to be a mother.