He has a NAME & we are HALFWAY THERE!!!!

Well folks, Jeremy and I have survived half of the pregnancy.  I am still so amazed that I had a wonderful first trimester with just a little nausea, and now my second trimester has been going so fabulously that I sometimes forget I'm preggo.  No, I don't forget to the point that I'm at the bar taking shots or chugging beers...lol. I can only hope and pray that the third trimester goes just as well and that of course the birth has no complications either.

In, other fun news, we have picked a name for our little man.  His name is Jacob Andrew Case.  Jeremy and I have always loved the name Jacob, and we love that it is a Biblical name as well.  Jeremy came up with the idea of Andrew, which was a name I honestly hadn't considered, but when he mentioned it I said "hmmmm Andrew... I really like it." We "slept on it" for a week or so, and then finally decided we kept coming back to Jacob and we really liked Andrew with it.  So we bit the bullet and said "yep, we LOVE it, that's his name." And so we are anxiously awaiting meeting our little Jacob Andrew.

So at 20 weeks, he is the length of a banana! Love it...haha! So we've gone from measuring general size of baby, to just comparing the length to fruit and veg. It was either the banana or a cantaloupe this week depending on the website you look at. Still cracks me up that they compare him to fruit...LOL.

I will upload the 17 week ultrasound pics sometime this week, and then get them posted.  We go to the doc again in 9 days....it just seems like time is FLYING! Dear time, Once he gets here feel free to sloooooow waaaaaay down please. Thanks, Jessie

Christmas Memories

The purpose of this post is to answer my friend Maria and her blog..."foods that hold special meaning for you, especially those related to Christmas. Write about your memories!"
So here I am writing about a very special Christmas memory...or rather memories as it happens every year.
While I have many things I love about Christmas and about Christmas with my ever growing family...My most favorite thing about Christmas with my family deals solely with peanut brittle.  You see the peanut brittle I so loving make for friends, co-workers, in-laws, etc... each year comes from a recipe passed down (NOT written down) from my great grandmother, Nanny. Even her measurements were from her specific teacup, the one with flowers or saucer....so it's all a big game of guesstimation.

She and several, and by several I mean 20 or more ladies from her church would spend hours in the church kitchen making brittle for a fundraiser at the church.  I know this story because my Mama (grandmother) and Mom have told it several times in my life in such amazing detail that I even know where the ladies went to buy the peanuts in bulk...Mama asked just this year "Wonder if they still sell those peanuts by the sackfull...?"  And so this tradition and loving memory gets carried on every year.  For us now it is always the day after Thanksgiving...known as Brittle Day...I'm working on making it an official holiday. ;-) When I say us, we have certainly kept up with that large amount of women in the kitchen...not quite 20 but close.  On Brittle Day, my Mama, my Mom, my Aunt, my Sister, my Cousin, my 4 cousin's Wives (we let them in only by marriage and "swearing in over their wooden spoon"), all converge on my mom's kitchen...soon enough we will have 5 children of cousins to join in when they are old enough to deal with hot syrup.  We come loaded down with our supplies, wooden spoon in hand, and proceed to fight over who gets to use Nanny's pot and spoon...they are worn in the best after all.  I love this day because we all laugh, talk, and generally just act silly as we sing Christmas songs for the first time that season.  All the men and children gather around the tv to watch movies, play Wii, read books, and eventually they sneak away for some sports and beer....but trust me they love being there too, they get the crumbly bits that get chipped away and of course they beg for us to "accidentally" break one.  My Mama and my cousin Sarah sit at the table and score, cool, and wrap pound after pound of brittle for hours while the rest of us slave away at the stove.  Sarah's only cost for wrapping and sorting everyone's brittle? You have to give her some of what you made. LOL

I can remember the smell of peanut brittle instantly when someone says the words.  I can hear my family laughing and complaining to open the back door b/c it's too hot in the kitchen.  I look forward to Brittle Day every year, so much so that I hate not getting all my brittle made with them...it's boring to do it by yourself.
I adore my family and I adore this tradition.  And even though I realized this year as I'm brittling away, that I wouldn't have a daughter (as of yet) to pass it down too (my son will still know how it's made...all the boys do, it's just the girl thing to make), I will someday have a wonderful woman my son will love as much as his daddy loves me.  And I will "swear her in with her wooden spoon" and teach her how to make brittle. I can't imagine anything better.

Random Thoughts on a Tuesday

Random thought #1: I love Charlie Brown.  Charlie Brown Thanksgiving, Charlie Brown Voyage on the Mayflower, Charlie Brown Christmas (most fav), etc....

Random thought #2: I can't stop eating sugar.  Well not exactly sugar like out of the bag, but candy. Hard candy, soft candy, chocolate snacks, marshmallows (mmmmmmm....).  I keep thinking I'm eating pretty well and heathly and then I look down, & I'm holding three marshmallows. LOL

Random thought #3: Jeremy was just switching out the light switches in the garage with some you can program and time. Pretty awesome, and glad we knows what he's doing.  But I had to chuckle when I was out helping because a. he's in pj pants and a tshirt for all the neighbors to see and b. he was so tedious about getting the switches juuuuuust right with the face plate, he screwed in the first screw of said face plate only to push too hard and crack the entire top of the face plate. He now has to go to Lowe's and get a new one at a later time TBD.

Random thought #4: God is great, beer is good, and people are crazy. This about sums it up.

Random thought #5: I am so ready for some turkey, stuffing, potatoes, and sparkling apple cider! This baby can eat I'm telling ya!

Random thought #6: No obsessing, no stating...I've gained 5 lbs so far, and I'm ok with that.  Just want to keep exercising so I only gain 15-20 more. Obviously I won't starve myself or baby case, so don't flip out on me and tell me I should eat whatever I feel like. LOL ;-)

Random thought #7: Guinness is the most adorable dog....EVER! He's going to be a great big brother!

And drum roll please.......

We are having a lemon...oh no wait, that's how big HE is! It's a BOY!!!!!

We are so totally overjoyed and excited to be having a boy.  Our family is just sooooo sooooo happy, and now of course the buying begins.  I can just invision this influx of blue and boy everything.  I love blue but let's shoot for some variety in the color palette people! ;-)  I can't wait to get started on the mural for the baby's wall.  My awesome friend Meredith is going to help me tackle that project, and hopefully with two of us painting it will go quite quickly. 

Names? you ask... well as for names we have a couple we have always thought were nice, but as Jeremy pointed out he will have his name for his whole life and of course we don't want him to hate it.  So, we are going to think on it awhile.  I always thought whatever name I/we loved would just automatically be the kid's name, but neither of us can commit to that yet.  I think for two people who are always decision makers, this could be a toughy. LOL

All if well too with his heartbeat and the size.  Good steady beat...once she could get him to stay still long enough to get it...lol. And he is 7.55cm long from head to butt.  She got him to move about and put the ultrasound right on his bottom and then there are the legs and yep the boy business between them.  People are like "what?!?! you already know????" And I just keep picturing that shot, and say "yep it's totally all boy." I do think it was shocking to us that it would be so clear and easy to tell, but man are we glad to know!

Here's a link the baby's photo album. There are the unltrasound pics from 10 weeks and yesterday's 14 week visit. Enjoy!  http://picasaweb.google.com/jeremydcase/BabyCase?feat=email#
Well until next time.

Something great but a little sour!

Baby Case is now 13 weeks and one day (I say 14 weeks...it's easier that way!) I have had an amazing pregnancy so far. I of course have been tired and nauseous for the first month or so but now I'm feeling great! I'm trying to not jinx myself but I'm already loving being a mommy. I can't even really believe that a true statement...I'm a mommy...wow.......
This week the baby is the size of a lemon...hence the something a little sour. (I'm a dork I know.) Over the last three weeks it has been a lime, medium shrimp, & a lemon...in that order...my thought is a lime is not smaller than a medium shrimp. Also who measures a shrimp and claims it's medium sized? Which then brings us to a lemon...which I consider a smallish/medium fruit...so the lime must have been a key lime, but no specifics were given about the lime unlike the shrimp....go figure! Jeremy and I have had a good chuckle over the baby to fruit/veggie comparisons.
I will post pics of the belly and I promise I'll be more on the ball about posting!!!!

Let the adventure begin:

Well my family is starting off on a new adventure.  We are having a baby! I am in my 11th week this week, and the baby is apparently the size of a fig or a prune depending on which website you look at. Not really sure why we compare baby's to fruit and veggies, but Jeremy and I think it's great fun!  I've been feeling great and we can't wait for the new adventures!

Shameless plugging for my jobs:

As I'm sure you know I sell Creative Memories (what was scrapbook products) photo solutions, and you can now find my facebook updates for my business to the right hand side of the blog. We have an awesome digital sale starting tomorrow through the 21st.  30% off digital artwork for your Storybook software...still need the software? I can hook you up with that too! And...just because you may not be interested doesn't mean you don't have people in your life that would...please pass on my info!

And of course my teaching job...I have a current project on donorschoose.org and you can go to www.limeadesforlearning.com and vote for my project under 'find a project' keyword 'high tech reading'.  I'm Mrs. C obviously. =) I would LOVE for you to vote everyday!  And even better if you'd like to give to my project you can find it at www.donorschoose.org/mrscase

Thanks, love to you all!

Crazy Day, ending with fun News

Totally crazy day of my blind student having major meltdowns throughout the day. The "best" one coming as we were leaving, why I don't know.... I'm talking yelling, crying, screaming, hitting and pounding on my classroom door...it was my breaking point and apparently hers....  Sent the aide to retrieve her adult and buzzed for the "tall one" (principal).  I am working so hard to have her be a typical student and my braille is coming along.  I just don't like days like today where we don't have any progress, or so it feels like. Oh well, tomorrow is another day. And hopefully a better one.
On my fun news note, I just found out a wonderful Kappa sister is preggo with TWINS! I'm honestly in shock, especially considering I just saw her last week and it wasn't even on the radar.  So excited for her, and it will be an amazing adventure for her, her hubby, and their little girl. Made me smile at the end of my veeeeeerrrrrry LONG day!

First Week Back at School!

I had a wonderful first week back at school.  I'm glad to be back doing what I love to do...teach children! By the time May rolls around, believe me I'm ready for a break, but now I'm ready to get to it! (remind me of this in a couple of months....) I have a class of 16, yes shockingly small, I was expecting at least 22.  But I'm am 110% thankful for a wonderful boss that knows how important it is to have small class sizes for the little people of the world to learn to read. Also, because of my class, or rather one student, I am now teaching myself/learning braille. Yep you heard right, I said braille.  I have a student that is blind in my class this year, and man let me tell you it's one big a$$ adventure already.  I currently know the braille letters a-m and the braille for a number sign. I will let you know how I am progressing in what I consider a whole 'nother language...and by far the hardest language I've ever learned. Who would have ever thought my Spanish and Italian wouldn't be handy as a teacher, no....I have to learn braille. LOL! Oh well, I'm excited for the adventure and as you know I NEVER turn down a challenge.
On a more weekendy note, my cousin Tyler, wife Jennifer, and two little cousins are coming tomorrow for a short weekend trip.  I love them so much, and Jeremy and I are so happy they are coming to spend time with us.  Guinness is happy too. He just won't know it till they arrive.  Little cousins, Cale (7) and Natalie (3), are going to be whisked away on a fabulous excursion to the aquarium, which they are soooooo looking forward to! Followed by an evening of one of three options...case tacos at home, dinner on the riverwalk, or box seats at the Dillers...whichever the kiddos choose! And of course Sunday mng breakfast with chocolate chip pancakes....delicious! I love planning stuff for kids...their faces just light up...guess that's another reason I love being a teacher.
Well I better get some sleep if I'm going to keep up tomorrow. Goodnite!

Momma's Boy

Momma's boy...yes I'm speaking of my lovely dog. He has been basically attached to me for about four days. Four. There are no storms or pressure systems. There's no extreme need to do his business outside. There is no dying of thirst or hunger. He simply wants my attention constantly.

His thoughts (in my opinion): Just pet me. Wait pet me again. I'll sit on the couch so you can pet me. Now I think I'll stand and bark in your face. Ohhh pet me.

Repeat. For four days. This is ridiculous people. He must have some sort of special radar that I'm leaving him next week. Not going somewhere fabulous or far away this time. It's time to go back to school. He must just want some extra Momma love and attention. I should appreciate the boy dog love and cuddles. At least that's what I'm telling myself as he is currently grumbling in my face. Again.