A Little of This and a Little of That and Some Yummy Roast.

It's been a week since I last blogged, and we've just been getting back into the swing of things. Both Nathan and Gracie have had croup, I have had some nasty sinus cold thing going on and with all that we've still been trying to make this house a little more homier.

• Major kudos to Lowe's.... we bought our area carpets there this past week and paid a pretty nice penny. Then the next day I found out that they give 10% military discount ALL the time! So, over the weekend I went back with my receipt and they honored it... and to say thank you to them I bought some more stuff!

• So, finally these white walls have some curtains draped along the windows... now to clean and get you all some pictures. I think that my children have taken over the house because it is a mess lately.

• Gracie showed her mommy side. And no I don't mean the cuddly, loving side that she shows her babies. I'm talking the temper side that I know she got from her mommy... because I surely remember the time when I would loose my temper and throw things. Gracie got mad at Nathan for taking her crackers away from her and picked up my patriotic American Angel and chucked it across the living room, breaking it in half. Her face was an immediate frown.

• And finally, when I was in New York last I attended a Ladies Church function with my mom and got a new cook book as a gift. Bryant is tired of eating the same old every day for lunch and asked me to cook him a roast so that he could take some roast sandwiches to work. So, I tried the new roast recipe out of my new cook book and mmmmmm.... it is good.

New Old Fashioned Pot Roast

1 chuck roast (4 to 5 pounds)

3 medium- size onion, sliced

2 cups already-peeled baby carrots

8 medium sized potatoes, peeled and quartered

1/2 cup ketchup

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves or 1 tablespoon dried rosemary

Mix ketchup, vinegar, water, Worcestershire, and salt in small bowl. Place roast and vegetables in 5- quart or larger slow cooker. Pour sauce mixture over roast and vegetables and sprinkle with rosemary. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours or on high for 4 to 6 hours.

**** I only used 1/2 of a large sweet onion, and did not use potatoes and carrots since we wanted to shred this and use it for sandwiches. I also cut back my rosemary, to 1/2 tablespoon for dried rosemary (our preference).****

An Answered Prayer and a Pleasant Surprise.

Today Bryant and I had an appointment in Bethesda, Maryland at the Naval Medical Center. We talked to a genetic counselor and had an in-depth ultrasound performed, because there was concern of possible neural tube defects with the baby. However that concern was completely relieved when the doctor performing the ultra sound showed us a very healthy and normal brain and spine. He also showed us a very healthy baby BOY!

"Thank you Lord, for giving us a healthy baby! We pray that the remaining time that Elijah spends developing and growing will be both safe and healthy for both momma and Eli. We praise you, for Eli is wonderfully made."

New Bed...

We have been promising Gracie that when we got to the new house she could get her big girl bed. So, after a trip to IKEA this afternoon she got a whole new room. By the time we got back home Bryant was only able to put together the bed and most of her dresser. Tomorrow we tackle the toy organizer and her walls. I love white bedroom furniture for little girls but, when it's against a white wall it tends to blend right on in. We are allowed to paint our walls... however, we have to paint them back to white before we move... and I'm simply not up to that. So, we have some other ideas to help bring some color in. Anyways, it is so nice to finally get her room done. I did Nathan's room the week we moved in here and it has been the coolest looking room in the house. So, it's really nice to finally get started on Gracie's room!

Oh, and Nathan was generous enough to lend his sister some sheets since we bought her a bed and no sheets or blankets to go with it. oops.

20 weeks tomorrow...

And finally a belly shot. These are the first belly shots of this little June Bug. And of course Bryant is taking them from laying on the couch this morning before work. I of course tell him, "sit up, I hate when you take pictures because they're always at weird angles!".... he responds, "it's from belly level".

oh well.

And of course my hair is pulled into a pony tail and I have no make-up on. This is my typical look at home.... I'm never all gussied up! Well, unless I'm heading to church or somewhere that is in a classification above my home and grocery store.... but, obviously that's not today!

Going, Going, Gone...

That's how our lives have been these past couple of weeks. After we finished the move to Fort Belvoir we took off for New York this past weekend. While there we got to meet our brand new niece Miss Jenna and finally had the chance to give our families their Christmas presents.

Virginia Beach Part 2...

Here are the pictures I promised... finally!

This is all sand... it was SO windy and cold there.

Nate and Cameron

Riley and Gracie

The Weekend...

This weekend we were going to head to New York and spend New Years with our families. But, because of the chance of snow up north we stayed in Virginia. We actually got to spend the weekend with some good friends from North Carolina. Bryant and Nate were both stationed in Kansas together and were in Iraq together also. Our families have always stayed connected no matter where we have lived. So, we met half-way in Virginia Beach and stayed in a cabin together. The weather was absolutely freezing but, we had a blast. I'll post pictures of the guys acting like themselves... typical guys at the beach (actually they were hysterical I'm told, and I believe it, it was way too cold for me to venture to the beach with them). We also have great pictures from the aquarium. Our kids had so much fun together. Like I said, pictures to come!

Tomorrow... is the BIG day! We sign our lease on our new house on base. It is SOooo exciting! So, this week we are moving and next week we are finishing up things at this house before the final walk-thru. Can't wait to show you all our new home.