Energy Star Rules!

I LOVE our "Energy Star" house!! The last few nights have gotten a bit chilly. We've gotten into the mid 40's outside, but our house keeps steady at 68! Then during the day it's been in the mid 70's, but we don't get over 71 inside!! I'm so excited for our next electric bill, I'm sure no one has ever said that before, but I can't wait to see how low we can get it, since we aren't using either our AC or our heater! The only thing that kinda stinks about not having to "bundle up", is that we have yet to have decent hot chocolate opportunities, you can't drink hot chocolate without a sweatshirt on, and that would make me too hot. We're really thinking October through December will be our favorite months down here! Thank you cellulose insulation!

Little Laugh

This last week a big topic in our house has been the concept of when we eat things they go down into our bellies... yesterday during sacrament Mariska made me laugh pretty good. She turns to me and tells me about Brynley being in my belly. Then she gets this perplexed look on her face and asks, "Did you eat Brynley?!" It was really hard to not laugh out loud during the meeting!

STIR CRAZY!

Okay, I'm a big whiner. But I am GOING CRAZY still being pregnant! I still have 8 weeks left!! I am more then ready to be done! Time is going so slowly. I'm so sick of the aches, pains, heartburn, headaches, nose bleeds, being out of breath, constant need to pee and most of all, the freakin fatigue! I am so drained. I remember being this tired when I was pregnant with Mariska, but I didn't have an almost 3 year old I should be entertaining. I feel like such a terrible mom because I just don't have ANY energy to play. Not to mention being all hormonal and exhausted makes me irritable and prone to over reacting. Just ask Brent.
I am so eager to not be pregnant anymore and to feel at least partially normal again. Sure I'll be tired from 3 AM feedings, but I'm up at 3 AM to pee anyway already, even without an infant. And no, I don't just go right back to sleep because I'm so uncomfortable. And I wake up several times in the night, not only to pee but because it hurts my muscles to even turn over and that wakes me up!
We are trying to induce on December 15th (4 days early) but it all depends on dilation and such... I could try for the 12th, but NO, Brent has an ALL DAY field trip he can't miss! UGH!
So anyway, sorry to whine and complain but I just can't wait to NOT be pregnant anymore!

Grandparents!!!

Over the last few weeks we've had visits from both our parents!! My parents were passing through over a weekend and there are a couple pictures with them. But Brent's parents came for almost a week! Of course both sets of parents got much better pictures, which I left on our computer at home... maybe I'll add them next time.Brent enjoyed a day with them at the JFK museum and then went to the BYU/TCU football game, where BYU was regrettably crushed. But they crashed a great tailgating party and got some great food out of it.

Then on Friday we spent the day at the Dallas Arboretum. They had some great gardens and Mariska loved the "splash fountains" and the hay maze.

On Saturday we went to a neat Midlothian (nearby town) Fall Festival. We got some free cotton candy, a bunch of advertisements and Mariska had a great time riding a train! She didn't have as much fun of riding the ponies as we would have liked to have gotten out of the 4 bucks it cost... but she had so much fun on the train I literally started crying! Lame huh? Then we headed to Fort Worth and walked around the Stockyards. We accidentally missed the cows being moved, again... but had fun in all the little shops. Mariska has such a great memory, as we're walking down the road she asks, "Where's Ryan?"... the last/only time we went there, Brent's brother Ryan was with us, isn't that amazing!?

Sunday was no biggie... church and then they took a drive around Waxahachie while I napped.

Monday they helped Brent plant a couple things in our garden and then spent the day in Dallas before their flight.

We had a great time with both sets of parents and really look forward to our next visits, whenever those might be!

In other news, things are moving along with the pregnancy. I am SO ready to be done! I have 8 weeks left and I'm so eager to see Brynley! Mariska is going to be such a great big sister. We can't go anywhere there might be a baby without having to stop to see it. If we're in the store and a baby cries 4 isles down, she says, "Baby is crying, I need to help. I better check" And I have to explain about how it's mother can take care of it.

Brent is doing well at work. This year, so far, hasn't been nearly as exhausting as last year! He's eager to get some things out of the garden before actual winter hits.

That's about it for us... I'll blog soon about our Halloween!

Awesome Party!!

Mariska's friend Maya had a great 3rd birthday party! (Thanks Amanda) They had a petting zoo, pony rides, face painting and a pinata! She was petting the guinea pigs most of the time. This goat was pretty resourceful, "can't reach the leaves, use the turtle as a stepping stool."

I HELD all 3 little piggies... I'm so proud!

I was waiting for her to start sneezing, since Brent and I both are allergic to cats, but she was fine!

She looked terrified the whole time, but LOVED it!
This cake was really good!!
She had the greatest time!! She CRASHED on the way home!! The only way we could get her to wake up was to break into her goodie bag and open the candy!! She was up in a flash!!

Just to compare...

Here are the pictures of me pregnant with Mariska at 27 weeks...