Are you surprised?

Oh this gal who nominated me (Thanks Tiffany) as a princess is scoring some HUGE brownie points. She knows how to get on my good side! I miss her terribly and can't wait to visit soon!

This princess award is for readers and I have only started getting serious about reading within the last couple of years. My reading schedule is usually around 11pm-? I know, I know it's a bad habit and I am sure this new lil gal will force me to read a lot earlier since our night schedule will be in turmoil for a few months!

1. Name an author you love.
James Patterson is an author that I have a "collection" of books by. It is his fault
that I stay up so late, you can't put his books down.

2. Name an author who highlights your personality.
This is a tough one b/c I am an original! But I guess I would say books that
relate to moms and their quest for raising children. I am still trying to figure that one out. Just when one thing starts to work another doesn't. It is never ending.

3. Name some books you love.
a) Same Kind of different as me by Ron Hall and Denver Moore (currently reading)
b) The One Year Book of HOPE by Nancy Guthrie (currently reading)
c) My new NLT Bible
D) Gary Chapman books
D) The book I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE, is Mom... and Loving It! by Sharon Autry and Lauri Hilliard. This book is a MUST for moms! I could read it over and over!

4. Something that always excites you.
My boys! They are always entertaining and every morning Owen has a "great idea" or a new "recipe".
If you were to ask my husband he would say, "Food" He says I get all giddy when I know we are going out somewhere. hahah :)

5.Something you hate.
Bills, medical problems, negativity! Oh and people who wear pajamas and slippers in public. It really gets under my skin!

NOW I am passing this award along. All they have to do is grab the princess award above and post the questions and answers.

Here are 4 gals that I nominate as a Princess
1. Angie @ http://nurseangiesnews.blogspot.com/
2. Jill @ http://quirkykirky.blogspot.com/
3. Kanani @ http://khepworth.blogspot.com/
4. Melissa @ http://harrishatchlings.blogspot.com/

My last OB appt before Lila arrives!

Monday was my LAST OB appt. in Omaha!! Lila was 4 lbs. and 15oz. The ultrasound tech said she has more hair so I went to Target and purchased some headbands. We were able to see her diaphragm working. She would breathe for 20 seconds then we would have to do it again. The Dr. wanted to see her do 30 seconds which she finally did! We are hoping that she will be ready on Feb. 8Th. That is still the plan. For now I am still on bed rest and will be having non-stress tests done every 4 days until Monday the 8Th. We will arrive on Monday morning at 9am for an amniocentesis and then have a stress test done following that. We will be dismissed to wait for a phone call regarding the results of the amnio. If her lungs are mature we will deliver at 2pm that afternoon!! Please pray for a safe and healthy little girl! We are getting more and more anxious as the days go. I know that seems backwards to you but when you lose a baby at 38 weeks it almost doesn't seem like it is going to happen. We are praying for her to be healthy and for the c-section to go as smooth as possible.

Brian/boys has been working really hard on the nursery and we will post pics as soon as we have it completed, hopefully this weekend! I gave my boys each a canvas to paint a picture for their sister! They had soo much fun with this! Here is a sneak peek of the walls/paintings.

Homemade Vanilla extract-yummy!

This year for my friends I made my own vanilla extract! It was super easy and fun! My hands smelled the entire day of vanilla. Yummy! I think next year I will get a bunch of gals together for lunch and make them together! Are you in? I purchased the vanilla beans from a website called Beanilla. I highly recommend purchasing high quality beans.

I attached a star cookie cutter with a sugar cookie recipe. If you look close you can see my name embossed on the recipe card. This was a gift from my mother in law Janis and I LOVE it!

We are getting ready for Lila

So we have FINALLY ordered the essentials for Lila and her sweet nursery. Brian and I have always waited until the last second (so it seems) to purchase stuff b/c of our previous experiences with losing 2 children. Returning items and them asking you why/ what was wrong with the product is too hard on both of us. So here is to hoping sweet Lila comes on Feb. 8Th healthy!

We have our last appt. next Monday and look forward to seeing Lila again. The last time we went she was 4lbs. and had hair on her head which was SUPER exciting!! Jill my blog friend sent me a project on how to make hair barrettes so you can bet on seeing LOTS of bows in her hair. Brian is eye rolling me now :) We will be going on Feb. 8Th at 9am for an amniocentesis and if her lungs are mature then we will have a c-section at 2pm. I am praying she is ready but if not then we will repeat the amnio on the 15Th.

Here are some essentials for Lila and myself that we have purchased so far.
1. Nursing cover
2. Nursery bedding with matching paint :)
3. Lila hanger (etsy find) I couldn't resist!
4. Mother-ease cloth diapers (I used these diapers for both boys and thought they were the best. I imagine they have only improved in the last 5 years but these are still in great shape.

The WINNER is..........

Here is my handsome husband, Brian, drawing the winner.

It's Kara! Congratulations! Here is what she had to say
about her food cravings:

Peppermint ice cream and Uncrustables. That was my craving with Audrey.
With Isaac I craved those Reeses peanut butter eggs, trees, hearts- etc.

Email me your address at court_carpenterathotmaildotcom so I can get this in the mail! I hope you like this product as much as I do!

It was really interesting to read all of the different cravings from sweet to down right sour! Thank you all for participating!

Homemade Gummi Hearts

I found these molds at Target in the $1 Spot and knew they would be perfect for homemade gummi candy! This is the easiest recipe and very quick. It also was a HUGE hit with the boys! You can find the directions for this here. How cute would this be for Valentine's day! The boys are excited about trying different flavors and molds. I would keep in an air tight container so they don't dry out. Enjoy!

*PLEASE NOTE* I used only 1 pkg of jello and 2 1/2 pks of knox and it only filled 1 mold which was 14 hearts. I will always double the recipe from here on out.

**Don't forget to scroll down to the Bounce Bar giveaway ending this Wed. at NOON!

My cravings and a blog giveaway

Wow I can't believe how sloooowww this bed rest business is going! It is very quiet around here during the week. I am sure grandma JJ is sick of me calling twice a day to check on my boys. It is not about how they are doing it is more about me just wanting and longing to hear their sweet voices. My boys are both very energetic and imaginative and always keep me entertained. I enjoy all the stories that the grandparents are sharing and the boys LOVE telling me what they have been up to. I miss them so much and Fridays can't get here soon enough. We have been leaving surprises for them in their beds to come home to. This week is their own chap stick :)

With that said I have been enjoying my time by reading, working on the projects from my challenge, and taking long naps!

I wanted to share one of my cravings I have been having lately. Mmmm mmmm good! Brian introduced me to hot cocoa with MILK instead of WATER! I will NEVER go back to water again. This has changed my world. I know what you are thinking hmm strawberries not on the angel food cake. NO not me I can't stand a soggy angel food cake. So I have a side of sugar for those strawberries instead.

My other new indulgence is the new Bounce Dryer Bar! I am in love with this product! Have you tried it yet? Well then here is your chance. I have yet to find a dryer sheet on my floor, in my shirt sleeve at church, or a big fire hazard pile in my dryer.

Leave a comment about what your favorite craving is and you could win this Dryer Bar!! Best of luck! Drawing ends Wed. of next week at Noon and is only open to US residents.