Cold, Cold Saturday

Thank the Lord we put plenty of wood in the fireplace last night...cause its COLD out there!!! Frost is currently covering the fields and parts of the yard. I don't know the exact temp but its in the low 30s. Glad I don't have to head out til later when it warms up a bit.

Not much happening around here. Same old story. We're heading to my Grandparent's house later on this morning to help them with some yard work. I've got a funny feeling that my Grandfather has already done most of the work, but we'll be there regardless. Don't have much planned for the rest of the weekend, just gonna keep cleaning/re-organizing my house and sewing in the studio. I still have a lot to do but it's slowly getting done.

I had a doctor's appointment last week and all is well. Baby Gabriella and I are both healthy and baby is right on track. Only 3 more weeks til my third trimester is here. I usually only refer to the one pregnancy book I have to check the development of the baby, but here lately I've had to make sure that all the
stuff I'm going through is normal too. All of a sudden the "typical" pregnancy symptoms have come back: heart burn, swollen feet, and my carpal tunnel is KILLING me!!! Then my entire pelvic bone started hurting really bad!! It hurts to walk and don't even ask me to lift my legs. I was told that everything is normal for my current stage. My doctor advised me that all the first trimester ails have a habit of showing themselves again in the third trimester. I guess only time will tell, I just wish the pelvic pain would go away...I can handle everything else.

I can't believe how fast time has gone by. I'm glad I still have the next couple of months to enjoy the pregnancy before its over. I've decided to hold off on worrying about the nursery until January. This will help me focus on all my non-nursery projects and give me more time to get all the nursery stuff together. Plus we won't have the crib until January anyways so it all works out. Now I don't feel so rushed, even though I do have a lot to finish. I have my sisters Christmas presents to finish, a T-shirt quilt for a good friend, and all of Baby Gabbie's nursery stuff, of which I've started all the big things. As soon as I get more done I'll start showing it off.

Well, I've got my cup o' coffee, the news is on, and the fireplace is pumping out the heat....Life is good. I think I'll sit here a while longer and then get ready for some yard work. I hope ya'll have a good weekend!!!

Almost Friday

So glad the week is almost over. Mabel is coming home this weekend, which I'm really looking forward to. Poppa and Step-Mommie are also coming down. It's going to be good seeing everyone.

Friday night we will be at my grandparents around a fire. This has been a weekly date for a while.now. Unfortunately we haven't been keeping up with it in the past several weeks, mainly because its been too hot. I told The Man that we really need to get back in the habit now that its cooling off at night.

Saturday is the Jack Daniels World Champion BBQ. Needless to say we will be heading to Lynchburg to partake in the good food. Last year we had a blast and this year will be even better.

It'll be a busy weekend but its worth it. Now I've got to head home and clean for all this company that's coming. I'll keep you posted on how the weekend goes. Yall have a good one.

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Gabriella Grace

I forgot to mention that The Man finally chose a name for the baby, Gabriella Grace. Although he is arguing with me on the middle name, I don't for see it changing!! I'm glad we finally have one, The Family has been waiting very patiently. Now I can get to embroidering some things!! It feels good to have her named, now she can really have an identity. Now all I have to do is be patient till she gets here!

Home Sweet Home

We made it home safely. I wasn't able to post last night because we didn't get back to the cabin til late. But I'm here now so without further ado....

First we stopped at a welcome center in the park. It was a really nice facility. They had a book/gift shop, a museum full of helpful info on the different species in the park, and they had several guides that would answer all kinds of questions and help plan hiking/camping routes. They had several nature trails there that we took.

I told The Man that, in a way, this was our first family vacation...although the baby hasn't been born yet, she technically was with us!







Then we headed further into the park. For those of you who've never been to the Great Smokey Mountain National Park, I highly recommend it. There is so much to see and do. There are all kinds of hiking trails and walks to take. There are also a TON of small pull-offs along the roads so you can pull over and take in the scenery. We basically just drove around the park and saw only a small portion of it. The portion we did see was beautiful.







After so much driving and site seeing, we headed back to the cabin for a small rest before we hit the town. The cabin was so cute and cozy, I loved it. It had everything we needed. The only issue was that it wasn't pregnant lady friendly...meaning that the bedroom was up stairs in the loft and the bathroom was down stairs. For someone who goes pee approximately 3 times a night...this was an issue. Other than that everything was great.



After a couple hours of rest, we headed out into Pigeon Forge and surrounding area for dinner. The Man wanted to go out to eat for our anniversary, which was the point of the whole trip. I didn't mind the eating out as much as I minded the god-awful traffic!!! It was ridiculous!!! But what can you do, right. While stuck in traffic I was able to get some shots of some of the local attractions.


These guys were outside Dolly's Dixie Stampede. They are life size and made out of straw!!


This building was built to look upside down. It was really weird seeing it..definitely made you stop and look. I think its a dinner theater.


I LOVE pumpkins and this HUGE one put an instant smile on my face!!! Its as big as the building behind it!!!


This is a replica of the Titanic. I guess its a museum. Just really funny driving through Pigeon Forge, TN and seeing half the Titanic on the side of the road complete with iceburg!!

All in all we had a great trip. We will definitely be doing that again!! Its good to be home though. We missed the girls or should I say The Man missed the girls. Makes me wonder if he's ever going to be able to leave the baby!!! I'm not looking forward to going back to work tomorrow. After a trip like that I almost need an extra day to catch up on sleep before heading back to work.

I should really unpack and head to bed. Besides, I don't have any more pictures to show off. I hope Ya'll have a great week!!

Day One

Well we arrived in Gatlinburg safe and sound. Our cabin is so cute. Just enough. The Man now wants to find a small lot up here and build a vacation cabin....wishful thinking. It would be nice though. There's so much to do up here.

We started our first day by sleeping in a bit. We woke up and drove through Gatlinburg's famous Arts and Crafts Community. Talk about some beautiful work. If only I had an extra couple grand laying around. After that we headed to the main strip and walked it. Too many people for my taste but The Man loves looking at all the little shops. Didn't really buy anything but that's ok. We did find a bakery called The Donut Friar. Oh my...the smell was heavenly. They only accepted cash though so we are gonna have to head back. I'll let u know how it goes. It was a very beautiful day...nice and cool but the sun was shinning with a slight breeze. Perfect in my book.

Tomorrow we are heading into the Smokey Mountain National Park. Needless to say I'll be posting a lot of pictures.

We are really having a good time. It was fun just walking around together and being in a different place. I'm really looking forward to seeing the park tomorrow. Hopefully we will come out with some really good pictures.

I'll be back tomorrow with a bunch of pictures and a recap of the day. Yall be good til then.

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Tuesday's Thoughts

I'm so ready for this weekend. Unfortunately I have to work tomorrow. It's gonna feel great not to have to go to work for two days!!! I'm so ready for a break.
I got a huge list together yesterday with all the things we'll be needing. The cabin has a full kitchen in it which I'm taking full advantage of. I have a very small list of things to get from the store before we head out. I'll start getting all that together tonight along with a small load of laundry. The Man is on fall break so he took care of the majority of laundry yesterday....God love him. That saves me a lot of time.

The Man has narrowed the baby name list down to 5 names: Evangeline, Daphne, Gabriella, Felicity, and Avery. I'm not sure about Daphne but the others I like. I'm hoping we will know definitely by the end of the weekend then I can really start making/shopping. My sewing machine has an embroidery attachment and I'll be putting her name and initials on EVERYTHING!!!

I thank God for giving, caring people. Today Mother was helping a family friend with some well needed purging. In return she gave us a TON of baby stuff, most of it is new or gently used. We got a highchair, stay and play playpen, Little Tykes outside swing and wagon, and a bunch of clothes. If people keep up like this we won't have to buy ANYTHING which would be a great blessing.

The Man and I have decided to really focus on eating healthy and exercising. At this point in time I can't really work out hard but I can go to the gym and walk, which I what I plan on doing starting next week. Our gym is a minute from work so I'm going to go on my lunch break, that way I don't cut into my personal time. The Man is going to head there after work which will be good for him. Then we will both get home about the same time.

I think I've rambled on enough for one day. Ya'll have a good one!

A Good Weekend!

I'm so sad to see the weekend come to a close but all things must come to an end. I had a really great weekend and I didn't do anything!!! I was in the studio all day Saturday and finished a couple projects including my diaper bag. Isn't it great?! Its nice and roomy and I love the fabric. There is a divider inside along with some pockets. I got the pattern from Anna Maria Horner's Handmade Beginnings. I love this woman, she is my idol! And I love this book. It would be a great gift for any mom to be.





I also tried out another recipe I found on Food Gawker, Apple Strudel. I was simple, easy, quick, and oh so good. The only thing I'll do different next time is to sprinkle some sugar on top of the pastry before baking. It would give a bit of extra sweetness. Other than that it was fabulous!!




I feel like I accomplished something this weekend besides cleaning. It probably would have been better if I'd have cleaned but I just wasn't in the mood. This coming weekend is our wedding anniversary and we are heading to Gatlinburg, TN for the weekend. The Man is really looking forward to this. It won't be as extravagant as originally planned but it will be great. We've been wanting to get away before the baby comes and now is really the only time we'll be able to. I know I'll be taking plenty of pictures and making several posts. We head out Thursday morning and come back Sunday evening. We have alot to pack up so I'll be busy. I'll keep you posted on the progress. Until then, Ya'll make it a good one!!!

I'm so thankful that it's Saturday. I was up early this morning and now I'm sitting here with my cup and my wonderful pumpkin scone getting the day started.



I was surfing through Food Gawker when I came across these Pumpkin Scones. I skimmed through the ingredients and preparation and decided it was easy enough for me to try. Let me tell you they are wonderful!!! Not to sweet and not to dry either!! I will definitely be making them again. I think next time I'm going to try a cream cheese icing along with the spice icing...The Man requested it. He loves the pumpkin/cream cheese combination.


Not much planned today. I think The Man is going to go fishing which will leave me to my own devices. I'm debating on whether or not to sew all day long or actually use my time wisely and get some well needed cleaning/organizing done. I'm completely torn so I'll have to get back to you on that one. I really wish I had a week off BEFORE the baby comes to get all the cleaning, reorganizing, and redecorating done. For me its things like a messy pantry and dusty baseboards that drive me CRAZY!!! Usually this time of year I'm going through all the closets getting rid of stuff we don't use. I've already gone through some of the closets but I know there is a TON of stuff in this house that doesn't get used and could get donated/sold.

Well The Man is finally awake and making his way to the coffee pot. I guess I'll stop here and refill my cup as well. I hope you all have a GREAT day. Until next time...Ya'll be good!!!

Getting a Kick Out of My Daughter

The last ultrasound left us with a disc of pictures and a couple, short video clips. One of the pictures captured her leg beautifully. It is one of the most clear pictures we got.



Today I felt those little legs full force. She as been so active the past 24 hours its not funny. Now I know that this is only the beginning but I can't imagine what it is going to feel like in a month or so. I mean really, I could tell when she was sleeping because I wouldn't feel anything for 20-30 minutes. Then, almost like clock work, she would start up again. It was truly amazing!

Mabel called me twice today and both times she went NUTS!!!! As soon as I started talking about her to Mabel she was kicking like crazy! I say kicking but I'm not sure exactly what body part I'm feeling. Most likely its a leg...hopefully. If not then she doesn't get that right hook from me! Even though I've felt it all day, it's still so weird and involuntary. I can't wait til The Man is able to feel her. I think he'll get a kick out of that...pardon the pun.

On a more serious note, I woke up this morning and something was seriously wrong. My father wasn't here. Now, I know that everything happens for a reason and that change is for the better but I can't help but feel sad. I got so used to having him and Step-Mommie around. It even got to the point that it felt weird when they weren't here. Now all of that is gone. I know they'll be down to visit but it won't be the same. Hell, even the driveway looks empty without the Airstream parked in it.

I know I'll get over it but part of me doesn't want to. After years of not being around my Poppa, I truly loved having him around all the time. I'm very thankful for the time that we did get. I know that I'll think of him and Step-Mommie every morning while making the coffee, especially on the weekends! I know that they will do well in Ohio and that we will be visiting!! I wish them both the best and a reminder that they always have a home down here at The Farm.

Side note: We still haven't picked out a name for the baby. We've been compiling a list and will hopefully have one narrowed down in the next week or so....at least I'm praying that we do!!! We are going to Gatlinburg next weekend for our anniversary and I'm hoping we chose a name then, if we haven't before that. Say a prayer that it's not too painful!!! I'll let you know what we come up with. Until then Ya'll have a good one!

It's Been A While

WOW!! Didn't realize that I've been gone a while! Sorry about that. There have been a couple developments over the past week or so. Firstly, Poppa and Step-Mommie are moving to southern Ohio. I'm very happy that Poppa finally found work and that they are both happy. Their new home is close to us which is VERY good! It will be fun to go somewhere new to visit them and see, taste, do new things. This also means that I will have to start blogging more often to keep them up with The Farm News. This will be good for me cause I've been on myself to blog more, regardless if anyone out there is reading!

The Man and I took a fishing trip last weekend. Just went to a local lake but had a BLAST!!! Didn't talk much just enjoyed the scenery and caught a couple fish. I didn't do much fishing. I caught a turtle and said "Okay I'm done." I've been obsessed with the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan. I'm on book 4 now and let me tell you....it's amazing. I highly recommend this series! These are some of the scenery pics I took while fishing. I truly love Tennessee...every mile is beautiful!




After we got home from our trip, the dogs got to run. I have to give you some background info first. This summer was HOT here!!! Step-Mommie went and bought a kiddie pool for the girls to cool off in. Unfortunately they wanted nothing to do with it. So it sat there and collected nasty water and dirt. Fast forward...we let the girls out to run and Bly decides to cool off in the NASTY water!!! It was hysterical!! Isn't she cute!!!




This weekend we've been working on the fireplace/ Project Redo House. It finally got cool enough out to start curing the new fireplace, which involves a series of 6 fires, each getting hotter and bigger. With the fireplace up and working the dining room table has to be moved. We are going to replace it with 2 wing back chairs to make a little sitting area. Now I'll be able to read Percy Jackson in front of the fire!! YIPPY!!!!





When everything is nice and set up I'll post some pictures!!! I know Poppa and Step-Mommie will want to see the final project. Today we're gonna get them all packed up and ready to hit the road and get some small projects done in the house. I'll be busy getting the dining room moved and all that stuff. It should prove a busy day.

I hope that you have had a great couple weeks and I promise to keep up with you all a bit better from now on!!! Until then, Ya'll make it a good one!!