The Last Decade

(I totally stole this from Kristen) This is what has gone on in my life the last decade, I won't be going into too much detail since my pregnancy brain is preventing me from remembering the exact details of some things, but you'll get the gist.

2000
-Kaitlyn turns 1 in May
-college at HCC
-teaching swim lessons and working front desk at HSC
-meet my best friend (Jarrod)

2001
-college at HCC
-still teaching swim lessons at HSC
-working at/running Miami Heat Tanning Salon on the weekends

2002
-Get Assoc. Arts Degree from HCC
-move to Las Colinas (best move ever!)
-Start College at UNT

2003
-pregnant
-Emma born in Sept.
-Graduate in Dec. with Bachelor of Arts in Political Science

2004
-working as CA for Chiropractor in Carrollton
-Subbing in Keller
-Got married and moved to Keller (Hathman house) In July
-quit Chiro job, too far to drive with Kaitlyn in half day K
-K gets Joshua for Bday present

2005
-pregnant
-Mia born in Nov.
-Jarrod opens office in Old Town Keller by train

2006
-Move to house on Conchos (our money pit)
-Joshua put to sleep
-get Ben and Bear

2007
-pregnant
-miscarry at 10 weeks
-not feeling well about a month later, go to Dr. and find out pregnant again with a boy
-Economy starts getting bad, so Jarrod starts throwing papers to keep office open

2008
-Jude born Jan. 1st
-Jarrod closes office in summer, starts working for Olympic Cleaning (he loved that job and the people he worked with)
-Jarrod turns 30
-Interview in Tucson

2009
-Interview in Missoula, MT in Feb.
-Gets job
-Move to Missoula during Spring Break
-Kaitlyn finishes out 4th grade in MT
-5yr. Anniversary
-doing lots of camping and hiking
-Pregnant- baby due Jan of 2010
-Emma starts K and Kaitlyn starts 5th grade


A lot has happened so far. We have lots to look forward to in the next 10 years, hopefully they won't seem as busy, but with 5 kids you can only expect busy. We will be starting off 2010 with a bang though since I go in for my induction on the 11th of Jan (unless Coen decides to come earlier on his own). Jarrod and I did discover that pretty much every time we move I get pregnant =Las Colinas-Emma, Keller= Hathman house-Mia, Conchos house-Jude and Montana-Coen. So until something happens, we won't be moving for awhile ;)

Baby Coen Update

Well, I thought I'd update with some baby info as we are winding down our 9 Months.

Sleep- not so much, but more than I thought I'd be getting by now. I have been trying to get in a daily nap with Mia and Jude which has helped with the sleep deprivation.

Food Cravings- Not really anything this pregnancy, but there are definite things that I don't want, it just depends on my mood (or Coen's I guess). I am trying really hard to stick with this whole gestational diabetes diet. I have done really good. I'm only supposed to be poking my finger twice in the morning, but I've cut that out these last few weeks and just been sticking with the diet.

Movement- Well, Coen has been head down for the last month or so and he mainly moves in the afternoon and at night. So, hopefully he won't keep this day/night confusion when he finally comes. He is a mover though and he loves to try and bust out through the front of my stomach. There are also quite a few times when you will see something bony poking out of my left side. My bladder also seems to be a fun playground.
Well, like our other kids, he seems to like to prove me wrong and he's moving and shaking right now.

Labor Signs- Nothing lately. I did have some pretty bad Braxton Hicks Contractions a few weeks ago. I am also 2 cm dilated as of my last Drs. appt last Monday. My next one will be on the 28th so we'll see if anything has progressed.

What I miss- Sleeping on my stomach and being able to roll over in bed without it hurting. I also tend to get colds/sinus infections when I'm pregnant, so right now I am really missing being able to breath through my nose.

What I'm looking forward to- Holding a new little Fancher. I am also anxious to see who he'll look like. Jude looks a lot like Emma, so I'm wondering if Coen will look like Mia. I am also ready to wear normal clothes again- I know it will take a little while, but I am so ready to not wear pants with bands.

Milestones- We have 3 weeks and 6 days left! I am offically in the 9th month.

Updates

So, I thought I'd post some updates about everything that's been going on lately. So, here goes-

1. Nov. - since the whole bowling extravaganza not too much has been going on. We obviously spent Thanksgiving here in MT. We went to Bozeman for the Huffing for Stuffing run. It was a lot of fun. We drove up Wed. and went to the Museum of the Rockies. Then we hung out in our hotel and woke up really early for the run. Jarrod ran with the girls in the 2K, then he ran the 10K and the kids, Jarrod's parents and I walked the 5K. Bozeman was beautiful- just a snow covered wonder and the weather was great for the run. Then, we came home. We actually celebrated Thanksgiving on Friday b/c of the race and since I didn't feel like cooking, I ordered food from Cracker Barrel. It was yummy -especially the pies (the chocolate pecan pie was to die for).

2. Dec (so far)- We had the baby shower last weekend. It was nice to just hang out with some women. Jarrod and Kevin took the kids for the day and they had a blast- children's museum, seeing Santa for the 2nd time, and Freemo's pizza. Jarrod also hiked up a mountain with Kevin and cut down a Xmas tree for the house. It is an interesting tree-kind of like the Charlie Brown xmas tree. Next year we are going to go to the tree farm and cut down our own xmas tree there. I have done a majority of our xmas shopping, but I still have some more to do, but for financial reasons I have to wait until next week, so I will be cutting it close. I have never cut it this close to xmas before and it has been kind of nerve racking.

3. Baby- I feel like so much has been going on. In Nov. I found out I have gestational diabetes, so I have been monitoring my glucose levels daily. It hasn't been too bad. I didn't have to cut out sugars, just cut back on certain carbs- I have to watch my sugars, fruit, dairy and grains and starches. It has made going out to eat very interesting since it seems like everything is carb loaded. We also finally picked out a name for the baby- Coen Behrendt Fancher. I officially have 5 weeks left, which is 4 Dr. appts and then baby boy is here. It is going to be a crazy month with xmas and Jude's 2nd Bday, but we are mostly ready to welcome home our new bundle of joy.

4. 101 Things in 1001 Days- I went back and updated everything I have done. The items in bold are things I have done.

I will update pics as soon as I get them downloaded.

Bowling

Well, I had the bright idea that I wanted to go bowling yesterday. We did not go yesterday, but we went today after church. It was a lot of fun. I really like bowling a lot and I especially love how it wears out the kiddos. We only played one game b/c with 6 of us one game takes a loooong time. Jude helped Jarrod bowl and the girls each bowled alone (Emma and Mia had bumpers-later we added them for Jude, too) I bowled about 3 frames and pinched something in my hip area,so I decided to sit out the rest and let Jarrod bowl my remaining frames which he was grateful for b/c Jude was bringing down his score. I was a little sad about it b/c I was doing really good, but what can you do. Everybody really enjoyed themselves. The scores ended up like this- Jarrod, Mia, Emma, Jude and Kaitlyn (she did not have bumpers and she got her first strike). We may have to try that again after the baby comes so I don't have to worry about injury. I wish I had some video of the game b/c Jude sauntering up to the lane with his little half skip/walk was hilarious. I really need to invest in one of those Flip video cameras. So, since I don't have one just close your eyes and imagine my little stud skipping up to the lane and tossing the ball with his Daddy. He was so proud- I got an awesome high five every turn. All the kiddos did great and we can't wait to go do it again!

Mia's 4th Bday

My sweet little Mia Grace turned 4 this week. Man how time flies. It's hard ot believe my little spider monkey is 4 years old. She was so excited, she has been asking how much longer until her birthday since Kaitlyn's Bday in May. We've kept the Bday's small this year and just done a family party for each of the kiddos. I've really enjoyed it and I think they have, too. We wake up early and the girls put on the special BDay Boa and we open their gifts. Then, they get to pick dinner and we have a special dessert. For her Bday, Mia got to pick lunch too since she's not in school. So, we woke up, did presents, had lunch at Pizza Hut, dessert at Baskin Robbins, dinner at McDonalds (her choice) and yummy Costco Cupcakes to top off the day. She really enjoyed getting to be in charge for the day and took full advantage of it. She even tried to keep that feeling going for a few days after =). Here are some Bday pics. Enjoy!









Dear Mia,
I just want you to know how much we love you and that we are so proud of you. You are such a sweet little princess. You have the most caring heart and you are always such a good helper. Whenever someone needs help you are always there ready to lend a hand. You are growing into such a beautiful young lady. You are also our silly little monkey and you tell the funniest knock knock jokes. "Knock, Knock Who's There? Banana Banana Who? Banana Sillyhead!!!" We love you to pieces and can't wait to see what this year holds for you. We love you Princess Mia!

Halloween

This year Halloween wasn't as extravagant as it usually is for us, it was actually pretty calm. I was also thankful that the two big girls fit into their costumes from last year and I keep the costumes so we only have to buy a new one for the oldest and one for the boy.
The night before Halloween we went to a Fall Festival at the church we've visited a few times. The kids had fun and they love getting to dress up more than once. The next day for Halloween we went over to the Krieg's for their Halloween party. So, the kids trick-or-treated in their neighborhood and then played for awhile while the adults watched the baseball game. It was a fun Halloween.
Jude's costume on Halloween night (I think he wore it all of 10 min)

Jude's costume for the Fall Festival

Mia as Snow White

Kaitlyn as the Gangster Girl

Emma as Double Trouble

Quick 101 Things Update

Ok, so I have been working on my list of 101 Things. Here is a quick update on what I've gotten done/started since Oct.
-I have printed out our Passport stuff and gotten it all filled out. Just need to make some copies, get pics and save up the $$ (we'll probably get that all done after we get the baby paid off)
-We start the monthly Bible verses this month
-We've been keeping up with our chores. The kids are doing a good job of cleaning up when asked (they do whine, but they do it). I've been keeping our bed made, filing has been kept up with, sticking to budget, the laundry stays up to date and our dresser has been clean.
- We are still working on the baby name. Sometimes we have to take breaks from the discussion b/c they can get pretty heated
-Almost done reading The Home Experience
-signed us all up for Huffing for Stuffing in Billings on Thanksgiving, so 5K #1 here I come (I will be in week 33, so I will be walking this one)
-I've been getting some quiet time which is nice-along with some nice bubble baths
-been baking (crockpot yogurt, freezer apple pies for 2)
-cutting out internet for 4 days a month has worked, but been pretty hard-it's amazing what we rely on the net for
-hanging out with the kiddos- movie night, game night and playground
-Working on reading half my booklist

Pumpkin Patch

Well,this year we went to the local pumpkin patch so the kids could pick out some pumpkins. It was fun, they really enjoyed getting to pick their pumpkins and help me find corn and gourds for our cornucopia. Then, we went home and decorated them with sharpies (that way they don't rot so fast and I don't have to mess with pumpkin goo). It was a lot of fun, but I think next year we are going to try a patch a few towns over to go pick them in the field. Enjoy the pics-

Wordless Wednesday

September Bday Pics

See Sept. post- September Birthdays- for info. Here are pics

Emma's 6th Bday



Emma's Bday cookies


Emma's Bday outfit from us


Jarrod's Bday Card


Inside of card


Fire and Ice cupcakes

The Fancher Rundown

Ok, so far this month has been pretty busy so here's our rundown so far-

The kids: The "big" kids are really loving school and getting into the swing of things. They make their "freezer" sandwiches for the week on Sunday afternoon and they also get out all their clothes for the week and put them in the shoe hanger in their bathroom. This has made the mornings much smoother. The "little" ones are enjoying their time at home with Mommy and especially love Mondays b/c it's Daddy's day off. They do get very excited when the "big" ones get back from school. We've been trying to stay on top of our chores, but b/c it totally takes my breath away to go up and down the stairs 22 times a day to check up on the "pick up before you get something else out rule" (so we don't have a tornado in the rooms) they've kind of taken advantage of that one. But, other than that they have been pretty good. We are working on telling the truth with the oldest. When will she realize that we KNOW everything and she just can't get away with it? Little Bubba has most definitely started the terrible 2s. He got put into the "Time Out Corner" yesterday. He screamed bloody murder, but he stayed for his minute. Little Mia thinks she is 12, but she is a sweetie. Ems loves school, but she has followed in the oldest's footsteps with the Kindergarten drama. When I say drama I mean DRAMA. Everything brings on the tears or the angry face. Yesterday Mia's book almost touched her arm and you would've thought someone ran her arm over with a car.

Mommy and Daddy: We have been extra busy- doing taxes, straightening up the house, trying to figure out sleep situations for when the baby comes and trying to come up with a name for our newest addition. Daddy has been really busy with work, but he enjoys it, so that's good. Mommy has been busy getting the house straightened up and keeping up with her 101 things in 1001 days list. It's been nice to have the list b/c it's been keeping me on top of things and sort of forcing me to make some me time. The "me" time has been nice b/c I usually don't get any of that at all. We did a lot of canning and I've been doing quite a bit of baking. I love to bake this time of year. Right now I'm waiting on my crockpot yogurt to finish culturing.

Baby: I have reached the 26 week mark, so 14 weeks left to go. Our newest little buddy is a mover and a shaker. We are still working on names. Talk about stress. I get winded quite easily. Dr. appt today- we'll probably do the normal sit for 30 min. and then hear the heartbeat and then leave.

Family: we went to the apple orchard and got tons of apples-we ate a bunch and canned the rest. We went fishing. We still need to hit the pumpkin patch-maybe next week. It has been super cold. We got about 2 inches of snow last Fri. We have got to find some fun stuff to do when stranded at home in the cold, frigid weather. We all get bored fairly quickly. we did the library yesterday which was an adventure.

I will update with some pics later this afternoon. I think that's all we've been up to.

101 Things in 1001 Days

The Mission: Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria: Tasks must be specific (ie. No ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable, or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. Represent some amount of effort on my part).

Why 1001 Days? Many people have created lists in the past – frequently simple goals such as New Year’s resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organizing and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.

Official Start: October 1, 2009

Finish: June 28, 2012

Diana had this on her blog and it sounded really fun. Jarrod and I had recently been talking about things we wanted to do, places we wanted to go, etc. So, I thought it would be fun to make a list too and get it all written out. So, here goes nothing-

Travel
001. Get passport updated/renewed
002. Go to Banff
003. Family trip to Disneyland
004. Trip to Yellowstone
005. Jackson Hole, WY
006. Go to WA and stay at Kalaloch lodge
007. Visit Olympic National Park
008. Go to Seattle
009. Take a trip back home (DFW)
Children
010. Get Emma and Mia swim lessons
011. Keep up with kids' chores
012. Potty train Jude
013. Teach Mia her letters and how to write her name, teach Jude his colors and work on counting to 10
014. Make all our Baby Food
015. Teach Coen Baby Signs
016. Come up with name for Baby before Dec. '09
Health/Fitness/Sports
017. walk/run 3-5ks (3/3)
018. take walks with kids 3x/wk for a month (0/12)
019. go skiing
020. Go on 10 Bike rides (4/10)
Finance
021. Stick to budget
022. build up Emergency Fund
023. Make gifts/buy from a WAHM
For Others
024. Do 6 Family Service Projects (6/6)
025. Donate to Toys for Tots
026. Send a soldier a care pkg. (sent Xmas cards to troops)
Knowledge
027. Create a book list and keep up with it
028. Read 12 books on list each year
029. visit library once a month
030. Read Twilight Series (4/4)
031. finish Home Experience
032. read Bible in one year
033. have 15 min. quiet time once a wk.
Friends/Family
034. have a relaxing night once a month
035. send yearly xmas card on time (3/3)
036. Get a yearly family portrait (3/3)
037. Make 3 new friends (3/3)
038. find a church
Food/Drink
039. no fast food for a month
040. make homemade bread
041. cook 2x a week for a month
042. make freezer apple pies for 2
043. make xmas cookies w/kids ea. yr. (3/3)
044. make crockpot yogurt
045. bake/make teacher gifts for Easter, xmas and Vday
046. make 72 hour kits
047. take a Wilton class
048. visit Farmer's Market 6 times (6/6)
Around the House
049. stay on top of laundry
050. cut back on internet usage
051. get new bath towels for MB
052. get new kitchen towels
053. make bed everyday for 3 months (3/3)
054. organize recipes
055. keep top of dresser clean for 3 months (3/3)
056. keep up with filing of bills/receipts
057. give up 1 TV show-forever (giving up all CSIs)
058. get fresh flowers for table once a month -or centerpiece
Fun&Games
059. Do a Turkey Trot ea. yr. (3/3)
060. visit a pumpkin patch ea. yr. (3/3)
061. go apple picking ea. yr. (2/3) Couldn't year 2 b/c crops were bad or year 3 b/c didn't have enough apples
062. go cherry picking ea. yr. (1/3) crops bad
063. have a snowball fight
064. attend a Grizz game
065. attend a Cowboys game
066. attend an Osprey game
067. Santa pics ea. yr. (3/3)
068. Family movie night once a month (33/33)
069. have a monthly game night (33/33)
070. go on 6 picnics (3/6)
071. go to the playground 1x/wk for 3 months (12/12)
072. Fly a kite
073. make an awesome snowman
074. go play putt putt (putt putt place closed down, so we'll substitute bowling)
Creative/Crafts
075. catch up on scrapbooks
076. learn how to use my sewing machine
077. sew one thing for ea. kid (K, E, M, J, C)
078. make the girls a fleece scarf
079. make the kids matching shirts
080. make the kids big brother/sister gift
081. take the girls to a Michaels Sat. class or a Joanns class - Jude build & grow class
082. learn to make hair bows
083. take a knitting class
084. make 10 crafts (10/10)
Just For Me
085. update my blog
086. get a new wallet
087. get 10 pedicures (0/10)
088. keep up with prayer journal
089. create 2 Shutterfly albums (2/2)
090. take a Yoga class
091. go on a monthly date with my husband (33/33)
092. get a new DLSR camera
093. take a monthly bubble bath (33/33)
094. visit a MOPS group (or a Moms group) - Ladies Bible Study
095. make a Car Emergency kit
List Related
096. donate $5 for each item not completed
097. complete 101 things in 1001 days  (75/101)
098. Blog about this list
099. keep list updated on a monthly basis (33/33)
100. inspire 3 others to make a list (1/3)
101. celebrate the end of 1001 days

Ok, so there is my list. Now, it's time to make yours ;)

7 Day Challenge

Thanks to Tip Junkie I stumbled upon an Emergency Preparedness Web-Blog. It has a ton of great info and tips on how to be prepared for any emergency situation. I linked to the site on the left (under link)-it's labeled food storage. Jarrod and I have been discussing setting up our food stores just in case anything happens. We will be starting pretty soon and are thankful to have a Costco membership so that we can get some extra bulk items for the storage.
When I found the site, they were having a 7 Day Challenge. I happened upon it in the middle of the challenge, so I opted out since we were definitely not prepared. Here are the daily challenges and things I realized I need to get ready ASAP.

Day1- Natural Disaster- it's a flood
-def. need to get those food stock in order and set up 72 hr. packs
-need a good disaster kit (have some items just need to put it together)and a grab list ready to go

Day2-Pandemic- time for quarantine
-really need to get that food stocked and stock up on other storage items-batteries, flashlight, TP, paper towels, etc

Day3-Everyday Emergency- dinner guests
-need to have food around for quick easy meals for surprise/last minute visits

Day4-Economic Crisis-Money is Tight
this one wasn't too hard since we've sort of been there, done that, doing it now
-we have cut back on things and try not to do too much (not sure we do much of anything really that costs extra money) we've been doing free stuff to entertain the kids and we don't really eat out at all
-do need to learn how to make bread (find an easy recipe)
-need water stores (might finally get that rain barrel together)

Day5-Nat. Disaster-earthquake
-need car shovel (also want to get window breaker/seat belt cutter)
- need to stock freezer
- Need to back-up computers

Day6-Diet Disaster- healthy lifestyle
- we eat pretty healthy just need to cut back on sweets (will be hard since I LOVE to bake)

Day7-Everyday emergency- why didn't you ask for this sooner
- could probably make a quick treat with what we have on hand
-probably should get powdered eggs and some sort of shelf stable butter substitute (we usually have powdered milk- we keep it on hand for when we run out of milk in case it's not a grocery day yet)

Well, we are prepared in some ways, but we do need to work on the food/misc. storage- we would have a hard time making it with no food. So, that's where we will start. You should definitely check out the site. They have great info and links to things you may need. So, what are you waiting for, go check it out!

September Birthdays

Ok, so I wrote this awhile back and I'm posting it a little late. Will be updating later today with some pics of Bdays and other things (a big boy bed and what our room now looks like)



2 of the Fabulous Fanchers have September birthdays (Jarrod and E) and they turned 6 and 31 this year. I'll let you guess who turned what age. Since we don't know all that many people here, we just hung out as a family.
E opened her gifts the morning of her Bday and got a special Bday dinner of Spaghetti. I also made some yummy sandwich cookies(from Bakerella) for her Bday treat.
We made Jarrod a really cute card and I made him Chocolate Chipotle Cupcakes (courtesy of Bakerella). Yes, they were quite spicy, but the ice cream and chocolate chili ganache really helped cool it down.
We kept the parties small, but it was a lot of fun just getting to spend that special time as a family.

Ems,
Daddy and I love you so much. You have grown up to be such a big girl. You are a great helper and you have such a tender,sweet heart. You are our sweet little Emmabird and you always will be! Here are 6 things we love about you:
1. You are a great helper
2. You love everybody
3. You are an awesome kid and a great sister
4. You love school
5. You are so silly. You crack us up all the time.
6. You give the best hugs!
You are definitely a special gift from God that we will cherish forever. We love you Emmabird and are looking forward to watching you grow up and mature into the wonderful person we know you will be. Happy Birthday!

School Days

Well, the two oldest have finally started school. K started on 31st and E started on Sept. 1st.
They both ride the bus to and from school, so that has been an adjustment for all of us. They also moved the bus stop this year, so we walk the girls down for pick up and meet E in the afternoon for drop off. E and K ride the same bus to school, but end up on different buses coming home because their schools let out at different times.
K is in 5th grade this year and has a really nice teacher. She only changes classes for Reading and she like sthat a lot. She also had to choose between band and choir this year, so she picked band. We got her a clarinet the 2nd week of school. SO far she has only learned how to put it together. Hopefully tomorrow she will earn some notes. We'll post more on that later as she gets more into the year and practicing.
E started Kindergarten and absolutely loves it. The first few days were hard for her because she didn't know her way around, but now she's a pro. I was glad that they let K take her to her bldg and get her to the correct drop off room for the first 3 days of school. She loves riding the bus and her fave things at school are recess and snack.
E ready for Meet the Teacher

K first day of school

K first day pancake breakfast

E first day pancake breakfast

The Home

I have finally gotten around to re-starting/reading the book The Home Experience by Devi Titus. I am still on the 1st chapter b/c I went back to re-read it and highlight areas of importance. I am hopeful that this book will help me out with our "home". It does not feel like home, I am not relaxed in it and I would never want anyone to come over and see the hurricane I have let my children create b/c I'm just "blah" right now. So, I am hoping this will help me and my family create our "home".

Right now I am in the process of the 1st chapter pt.2. I am at the point where she talks about how Home is the basis for our society. I thought I'd share what I read b/c you may have never heard of this book or you may have but forgotten this part. I found it particularly interesting and pertinent to now.
So, here are some points from the book-
-One of the most widely read books of all time is "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire"
-Edward Gibbon gives 5 reasons why great civilizations die (I found these very pertinent to now)
- the reasons:
1. undermining of the dignity and sanctity of the home, which is the basis for human society
2. higher and higher taxes
3. the mad craze for pleasure: sports becoming more and more brutal and immoral
4. the decay of individual responsibility- building of great armaments when the enemy was within
5. The decay of religion; faith fading into mere form, losing touch with life, losing power to guide the people


I don't know about you, but reading that scared me. It seems like we have all 5 of those things going on and they've been going on for awhile. So, my first thought was "holy crap, how much longer do we have before our great civilization dies".

So, what are your thoughts?-those few of you that read this


*as some of you know school started and we had a Bday and another one coming. I will be updating on those soon. I promise

Our Summer

This summer has been pretty busy. Busier than I expected it to be....and hotter. If you look at the average temp for Missoula online, it's somewhere in the 80s. We didn't know to expect 100 degree days and hot nights. We also had no idea that we didn't have A/C- you'd think that the rental company would have to disclose that. So, even with the fans we bought, it has been extremely hot in this house and we have decided that we will be finding another rental for next year that has A/C.
June was a fairly slow month. Kaitlyn got out of school on the 10th and we just kind of vegged out at home until Poppie came for his visit. We took Poppie all over town. We went to see the Bison Range and we took him hiking up at Rattlesnake. Poppie also did a good job of entertaining himself since I wasn't feeling too good. We were very sad when Poppie left. Jude got pretty attached to him.
July was quite a bit busier. We went camping on the 3rd with the Kriegs and then went to their house to watch the fireworks on the 4th. Jarrod's parents came for 2 wks. on the 6th. I celebrated Bday #28 on the 9th with a Costco cake (yummy). We went up to Glacier National Park for the night on the 11th. We drove up Going to the Sun Road, hiked Avalanche Trail and the kids became Jr.Rangers. Jarrod's parents left on the 20th. We also met the new baby Dr. on the 30th and heard the baby's heartbeat.
August- well we're still in it. This month hasn't been that busy. Jarrod had a seminar in IA at the beginning of the month and he worked the fair the 11th-16th which kept him pretty busy. We had our first ultrasound on the 10th. IT'S A BOY! We did take the kids camping this past weekend as a last hurrah before school starts on the 31st. We went to Harper's Lake. It was fun, but extremely cold at night. We froze our hineys off both nights.
Jarrod went on 3 fly fishing excursions and he attempted to fly fish while we were camping this past weekend, but there weren't any biting in the lake and the stream was too shallow.
I will post pics later. Just wanted to quickly recap the summer.

Rub a Dub Dub....

I got Jude in the tub! Well, not for the first time, but it was the first time he was happy and not screaming and trying to jump back out. I guess I figured out a new way to get him excited about a bath. I was soaking in the tub relaxing and he was fully clothed standing outside the tub playing with his bath toys and splashing. Eventually after awhile he started taking the water and wiping his face and then he moved on to sticking a foot in the tub one foot at a time. So, I got him undressed and stood him up in the tub. He assessed the situation and went on playing with his toys and splashing me. He really enjoyed himself. Then, after a few minutes he went over to the soap, rubbed it with his hands and then washed his belly and face. He did it all on his own, no comment from Mommy> I did not wash his hair b/c I knew that would ruin the "happy bath". Yes, I have tried the whole bath thing with me before and this is definitely the first time he was happy and not crying. He has hated baths since birth. I am so excited that he enjoyed this one! But, it did give a little hint into what potty training may be like when it comes time to do that. He seems to be a little like Emma in the "I'll do it when I'm ready" attitude. Which could prove to be interesting.

Meet and Greet

Yesterday we got to meet my new Dr. to see if we liked her. We did, so we have our 1st visit on August 10th. She was very nice and very good with the kids which I found comforting. I really didn't want a Dr. that was bothered by my kids being around b/c guess what, they hang out with me all day and they'll always be around. So, it went well and since we got through it so fast she asked if we wanted to hear the heartbeat and of course we did. As we were leaving the office we saw a woman with her mother and new baby. I said , Emma look at that teeny tiny little baby. She goes it's cute, did they get it out yet? It was really funny b/c I'm standing there thinking she's either really confused/tired or she just insulted the grandma holding the baby by saying she looked very pregnant. But. we asked her about it and we think she was trying to ask if they just got it out. As a backstory Emma and Mia are obsessed with getting this newest Fancher Kid out, as soon as possible. So, the meet and greet went wel and I'm not really looking forward to the office visit the 10th b/c that's massive blood taking day and I HATE blood taking days (to the point I shake, lose all color and get nauseaus(sp?) when I get in the blood taking room-I don't even have to see the needle). I'm trying to get Jarrod to go, but he doesn't do well with it either. The last time he went with me on blood day was when I was pregnant with Mia. He had missed lunch due to seeing patients and the timing of the appt., so he ended up passing out in the hallway on the way to the front desk. This from the man that had to learn to take blood in school- I think it was the no food thing though. After that he never went on blood day- the girls have had to be hand holders for me. On the plus side, it's also ultrasound day and since I'm so far along for our first visit, we get to find out what this kid is going to be and we can stop calling it the new Fancher kid and baby. Hopefully Jarrod can make it. I want him to ask for the morning off, but I think he's using all his vacation days already. He's taking 3 off when his brother comes and he took off some when my Dad and his parents were here. But, I may ask Kevin for him. If he can't get the whole morning maybe he can atleast take the portion for the Ultrasound. Well, that's as up to date as we are on the new baby. I'll keep you uodated though.

Fancher Kid 5

Well, it looks like next Jan. we will be welcoming the 5th Fancher kid. We have not been to the Dr. yet (we are waiting for Jarrod's new ins. to kick in). I took a test 2 Sun. ago b/c I hadn't been feeling well and it said pregnant. It was a shock to say the least. No, we didn't plan it, but somebody did. I had been going back and forth between wanting more and being done and Jarrod wanted to wait some. Then, a few weeks ago we were outside with the kids and he said he kept getting this weird feeling that somebody was missing, but we were all there. I told him he was crazy. So, this is where we are at right now- I feel like a big pile of poo, I'm breaking out like a 13 yr. old and I'm extra moody. Right now we are just praying and hoping that we make it through the 1st trimester this time. So, if you could pray for a healthy little bundle of joy and my health and sanity I would greatly appreciate it. My stress level is high and now that school's out I ave some restless kiddos at home while I feel awful. Plus, we have family coming up which is always stressful. So, please pray.

Notice anything new?

Well, I added something to the blog. Did you see it? I'll give you guys awhile (the few of you there are). I'll be back to explain in a few days.

Friday Five

1. We are headed to Emma's Meet the Teachers this morning (they won't decide her teacher until the last day of this school year) We got her K readiness test scores in the mail and she did great. She measured as Above Average -we all know she's way above average =) (sorry that's just a proud mama talking)

2. We went outside and did sidewalk chalk for awhile. It was nice to just hang out on the back porch last night.

3. We went to the library and got I few good books. I'll tell you more about the one I got when I finish it.

4. We are going to just hang out this weekend. The girls HAVE to clean up their closets- you can't even move in them.

5. I entered a Friday giveaway on my friend Bertie's Fitness Blog (check out the sidebar). It's a great site. Every Friday she has a giveaway. She posts recipes and fitness routines. I have done the Plyo one and it about killed me- I am going to make an effort to keep doing it. I also made the protein packed chili she posted and Jarrod and Jude wolfed it down. It was great. You should definitely check it out. Most of the fitness stuff does not require and weights or anything, just you and I really like that a lot. It is not in our budget right now to go pay for a gym membership or a bunch of fitness equipment so just me is a good thing.

My Garden

I realized I forgot to post pics of our garden. I planted lunchbox tomatoes, strawberries, eggplant, broccoli, green leaf lettuce, lemon thyme, pineapple mint and lavender. We planted a container garden since we are renting this house and can't dig up what small amount of yard we have. So here are our plants:

Tomatoes


Strawberries


Eggplant


Broccoli


Lettuce


Lavender


Thyme


Mint


Everything is doing really well. The strawberries and tomatoes are flowering. You can see little bits of broccoli starting to grow and the eggplant has a bud on it. We get to pick the lettuce weekly and it's yummy.

Funniest AFV video ever

Memorial Weekend Festivities

Well here is what we did this weekend.
Friday- Family Movie Night
We watched Bedtime Stories. It was great! We all loved the movie and would recommend it to anybody. It was definitely family friendly.

Saturday- Holland Lake
We went to Holland Lake and checked out the lodge, lake and waterfall.First we checked out the lodge and then we went and had a picnic lunch by the lake. All 6 of us hiked up a mountain to Holland Falls. Part of the time Jude rode on my back, then he rode on Jarrod's shoulders and sometimes he walked. It was beautiful, but a long way up. Mia got really tired of walking and on the way down cried the whole way. Then, we went back to the lodge and rented a canoe for an hour and Jarrod and I took turns with the kids. He got Mia and I got Kaitlyn and Emma. It was a really nice day and we had lots of fun.







Sunday- We went to Fort Missoula. It was pretty interesting. It started out in 1877 as an open Fort b/c the Missoulians were afraid of the Western MT Indian Tribes. Then during WWI it became in internment camp for Italians (or as the lady at the front desk called them "those eye-talians") and then during WWII it was a part-time internment camp for Japanese-Americans. When they opened it up for tours they brought in an old schoolhouse, a church and a train. They also had a sawmill that they give demonstrations on sometimes. They also had old barracks and a lookout tower (which Jarrod and the girls climbed up into -waaaay too high for me). Then we went and got drinks at the gas station (I really miss my QT drinks, but these were good).



Monday- Jarrod mowed the lawn. I changed our sheets out to regular cotton (no more flannel until winter-maybe fall) and I also swapped out the kid's winter clothes for short sleeves and shorts. Then, Jarrod and I made chili in the crockpot so it could simmer all day (got the recipe from Bertie's fitness blog-link on the right). We went to Rattlesnake and hiked a new trail. Jarrod and the girls played frisbee. Then, we went to the old trail and hung out at the spot where we like to skip rocks. The water run-off is crazy and there was no little beach area anymore, so we let them get their feet wet in the shallowest part. Since it is glacial runoff, it was freezing!! Then, we came home and boy did our house smell good from the chili!! I made some potato salad and for dinner we will have chili, potato salad and watermelon. It's been a fun weeekend.