Check out the little "Critter"!!!

We had the first ultra-sound on Friday and got to see our bundle! It's always so amazing to see for the first time! It's just different than knowing there's a life growing, but seeing, at 14 weeks little fingers and toes and everything is just crazy. It may be the overflow of hormones, but it's a bit emotional. Anyways, my official due date is June 13th. Summer seems like a good time! I'm only a few days apart from Moriah, again! Now, that's craziness! Well I'm going to see if the pictures of the ultrasound will make it. They were scanned and are sideways. If you tilt your head to the left you can see the baby's hands and head. Our little person was just laying there hanging out. We're praying for a more laid back child this time.....not that we don't love our energy-driven, doesn't ever stop talking, much less moving Althea! She's great!

Hope everyone out there is having a wonderful holiday season.

Merry Christmas!

Mandy

Christmas is just around the corner!!!

So the snow had been melting, but this morning we awoke to a fresh dusting! We're hoping it keeps up at least until Christmas! Everything is moving along as usual. We have all been variously sick. I'm trying to get over a cold that just keeps lagging on. The belly is starting to pop out, though! OH the joys of heartburn!! We go Friday for the first ultrasound to see how big this baby is and get a better date of delivery.
Last weekend we went to get our Christmas tree and that was an adventure! You know, if I had seen my parents pick out a tree like the one we got, I would have thought they were having issues and didn't know that Christmas trees should be big and full and thick!!! Ours is more like a large version of Charlie Brown's, but it fits. Althea is very excited about decorating the tree, especially with all the "ornaments" they have been making at school. She's also singing every Christmas song known to man!! We've had alot of Jingle Bells, Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, We Wish You a Merry Christmas, etc. The list does go on.... and on! We also did some sledding in our back yard, as we have an awesome hill complete with a bench at the top! Althea tried on her skiis for the first time and we helped her down the hill. She thought that was great!
Sandpoint is looking very festive, as they decorated the whole entire town with lights and big stars. It's really beautiful.
Rich is wrapping up the last few days of school before the break. You can tell everyone is ready to go!

Happy Stuff-Yourself With Turkey Day!!!

To all our family and friends, we wish you a Happy Thanksgiving & lots of good food!!

We will be spending Thanksgiving with some of the other teachers and their families. We had some snow this morning! Big, beautiful snowflakes!

In other news, the Charter School's Night of the Notables went very well! Rich's two bands played songs they wrote themselves and they were amazing. I saw talent!

Another One is Coming Next Summer!!!

A few weeks ago, we found out another Kallage is currently being molded for entry into this great world of ours! The approximate date of arrival is June 20th, 2006! I haven't been to my official first Dr. visit, which is scheduled for November 28, 2006, at which time we will find out a more realistic date. ( The first visit was for the pregnancy test.) We are excited. Althea has already decided that she is only going to accept a baby sister, but if it were a boy, I think she would still be just as happy. Rich has already picked a name if it is indeed a girl. I'm feeling pretty good concidering my stomach muscles are resisting the expansion effort taking place! There's not really morning sickness as much as there's afternoon sickness. After working all day, I'm pretty much out of order after 6 p.m. The cravings have already begun. Hamburgers are good! Althea is preparing her "mothering" skills for when the baby comes "next summer". She has been taking such good care of her baby bear, which gets the thorough treatment including diaper changes( Althea takes off with baby bear to the bathroom exclaiming,"Shooooweeee, baby bear, you got shooowee's?!), making sure baby bear is laying down (not to get up) and is fully covered. Baby bear occasionally gets in trouble and has to go to time out in it's box, as well as apologize to daddy or mommy for whatever baby bear may have done to offend either party!
She even tried to put baby bear back in my belly by putting him under my pajama bottoms I had on, saying " Get back in there, baby bear!" I hope she doesn't think it's that easy!
We are getting along pretty well. Rich is doing well with school, and his music classes. He has them making their own songs. The life of a teacher! I'll let him post his own items.
North Idaho is so beautiful, all year. On our way into town, coming across the lake every morning , everything just glows. The mountains are beginning to get some snow. It's looking to be another clear-sky day with great blue skies.