If you take a husband..

If you take a husband to the zoo, he will want to see the turtles. If you take him to see the turtles, he'll decide he wants one, and you'll have to take him to the pet store. While at the pet store, he'll discover their turtles are a bit spendy, and your daughter will find the guinea pigs. Finding the guinea pigs will make him forget the turtle...and...you'll end up taking home a guinea pig and 2 beta fish...(the beta fish were the compromise for not getting 3 guinea pigs.) Upon arriving home, your husband will start reading about what social creatures guinea pigs are, and will want another.. And chances are...if he wants another...You'll have to take him back to the pet store. After naps of course!

So, yea... We have a guinea pig named Oreo. And Woody is going back to get another. Thank goodness I have a huge, tiled schoolroom! Here are a few pics of the zoo here in Montana (which I would not recommend!) and one of Oreo.. Who is kinda cute... Shhhh... Don't tell anyone I said anything!!

Even though I love it here...

Being without Woody has been tough. Even more so than I might have thought it would be. Mind you, I have several things playing against me:  hormones, a 2 1/2 year old who *still* won't sleep in his own bed all night, (he starts out there, then ends up in mine.. And I am too tired at 2 a.m. to get my hiney outta bed and put him in his own bed.) and a stomach bug that has caused my other son not to sleep well either. Plus.... I like my husband, and like having him around. Today, after a vomiting/not sleeping/wiggling around/ending up with 2 little boys in my bed fiasco, I have been in a particularly foul mood... So, I am trying to refocus on all that I am thankful for.. 

1. Church.. Even better church that is close. We went to our first Sunday this week. It was wonderful.  We have a nice little ward, and the kids loved their teachers!

2. My kids. I love these little people. They amaze me every day. They are smart, kind, funny and love me, their daddy and each other so much.

3. My home. We have so much more than so many. Our home is beautiful, warm and full of love.

4. Awesome neighbors. The people who live next to us are amazing. They are kind to me and my kids. They have one 8 year-old daughter, and her and Cierra became instant friends.

5. An amazing, hardworking husband. Nope, he is not perfect, but I adore him nonetheless.

6. A precious little girl growing inside of me. After 3 miscarriages, a healthy pregnancy is not something I am likely to take for granted ever again. I am feeling little nudges every day, and they never cease to make me smile. (By the way, her name is Adalyn MaKaye. We already call her Addy. Woody and I picked her first name, and Cierra picked her middle name.)

7. Prayer. Because I know my husband and I made the right decision, even though sometimes it is really tough!!!

8. Heavenly Father for listening to me whine, and always finding ways to remind me to be thankful because I am so very incredibly blessed!!!

9. Living in a regular city. I truly do love it here.

10. My phones navigation device... The only thing that allows me to venture out of The Heights. (The section of town I live in.. It is like its own little city.)

11. My phone. Seriously, when my Mother-in-law was visiting, she was telling me about my Father-in-law driving before cell phones...while raising 7 kids...5 of which were boys who were no strangers to the ER.   Talk about making ya thankful!!!!!!

What a blessed life I lead!!! I am so thankful!

Back to single parenting

The one downfall to moving to Billings was knowing that we would be without Woody for various periods of time, thus making me a single Mom. A pregnant single Mom. I am not, by any means, the only Mom I know who is doing this.
Woody wasn't supposed to leave until Monday, so he could go to Church with us once (we still weren't unpacked last week, so we were unable to go.) before he left... But as usual with the oil field, our plans were disrupted when the company we are leased to asked him to go back early because they are swamped and gave us the opportunity to run 2 trucks. (If you know anything about the oil field, this is not an opportunity you turn down!) so early Friday morning (like 2 a.m.) he left.
If you know me, you know I suffer from anxiety... Especially while pregnant.. To say the least, I was nervous about him leaving. However, we are surviving.. Even made a trip to the library,  (which is downtown, and you have to use parking meters... A first for this small town girl) and did grocery shopping... Small things that become huge when the idea of walking into a public building makes my chest tighten.
Anyway, even though we miss Woody, we don't regret this decision. Neither does he!

In other news, Cierra heads to Florida the 5th, and is sooo excited. (The girl is gonna be a professional fly-er by the time she is 10!) That weekend my midwife offers a weekend seminar full of birthing classes, and my Mother-in-law has agreed to come watch the boys during the day so I can attend. I am excited!!
We signed the older 2 up for tumbling/gymnastics and swimming lessons starting in November. Cierra is also going to do Girl Scouts, we are just waiting on the leaders to put troops together for this area.
I am learning the laws for homeschooling in MT, and they aren't awful. No standardized testing required, but I think starting this year, I will have her tested every couple of years to make sure we are on track.

HOME

I HEART BILLINGS!!
We are all moved in, and loving it here! We have met quite a few neighbors, and always have extra kids playing in our yard. Love it. The house is wonderful, spacious and quiet!!  We all love it here! 
Pictures are included! (Sorry for the sideways ones, I am posting from my phone!)
I met with my midwife Monday.. Have I mentioned how awesome she is?! I love her! On Friday,  we got an elective ultrasound to ensure Woody would be here when I found out. Adalyn MaKaye is due February 21, 2013. (A fact that was confirmed at an anatomy scan Monday.) We are all thrilled to be welcoming a Baby Sister. She is already lovingly referred to as AddyMac. 

2 1/2 more days!!

Til I  am outta here!!!!! Woohoo! We will be heading to Billings first thing Thursday morning, and are thrilled! We have ordered the furniture we are replacing, (living toom.. Our current set is a nasty used set.. Perfect for the oilfield! Dining table.. We have out grown ours, and are fearful that it will not hold up for another move.. It is about 10 years old. We got it from my Mom who got it from my best friend...) super exciting stuff!! The kids and I have been counting down the days!!
In other news.. I am feeling the Wee One kicking more and more every day. I cannot wait to meet this baby, but at the same time, my pregnancy is going by much too quickly. 16 1/2 weeks today!!
Woody got more oil contracts, and while we are weary of the company, right now we aren't left with a lot of options. His dad, his mom, him and I have all been running around like chickens with our heads cut off to get all of the paperwork done, and training for our employees set up. (have I mentioned what a pain owning a business can be?? We are very blessed though!) with the new contracts, comes the need for more trucks.. Yay.
Well, for now, that is all there is.

Wowza!!

It has been sooo long since I updated this. My goodness!

Well, we have had a fun adventurous summer. We spent nearly 3 weeks in Idaho. We visited, we camped, we fished... We had a blast! And it was lovely to get away!!

The kids are doing well, and growing up so fast. Blayke turns 5 this month, and we are having a party for him and Woody. Cierra has been visiting her father in Florida regularly and loves it!! Konnor is no longer a baby... Every day he is more of a big kid.. Bittersweet for sure!

The business is doing very well. The only problem is, of course, housing. We have has our employees living in our basement. Now... This has created some issues, and has led Woody and I to an important decision. When you have a young, growing family, the last thing you want or need is 3 extra men living with you. The problem is, we need employees.. And if you are hire a driver, you have to have housing to go with it. Since there is nowhere here to put them, and Woody only works when his employees go on break, we have decided to turn this house into employee housing, and we are moving to Billings Mt. I am thrilled!! We found a nice house in a beautiful neighborhood! The best part?? Everything is right around the corner!! We move mid-September, and I cannot wait!

One of the things that is right around the corner is my midwife. I am 14 weeks pregnant tomorrow, and am so excited about this midwife! She is awesome. I met with her when we were traveling home from Idaho, and sh talked to me for 2 hours!! It wasn't an in and out rush.. I feel like she will get to know me. We talked some about what happens in case of emergency, and she said she is wry conservative, and will transport at the first sign of trouble. (which is good. I don't want a midwife who will risk me or my baby because she is too proud to admit danger.). We won't be finding out what the gender of this little one is, and I am pretty excited about that!  I am thrilled at the idea of another baby, and can't wait to hold the sweet little one in my arms!  

For now, I think that is all!!

To elaborate..Caution: Rant ahead!

"I know I post a lot about fitness, and I have even been told it is 'annoying'.  But when someone tells me I have inspired them to start building a better lifestyle all of the jerky people who are annoyed go out the window.  I will annoy a million people if it means I inspire one person to change their life.  So if you are annoyed, delete me, and go for a  run.  Chances are,  you are mad becauseyou have yet to commit and know you need to."  This is my Facebook status from this morning.  In the last week, I have gotten 3 private messages. The first, someone told me I 'inspired them'. The third was asking for fitness tips.  The second...The second one made me want to scream, and did make me cry.  The person, who I will leave anonymous, told me that my constant fitness posts were annoying.  That they were "tired of hearing about it."  They even went so far as to ask me, "Don't you worry about the impact this obsession will have on your children, most especially your daughter?"  Are. You. Freaking. Kidding. Me?! 
Let me start with the first part, about being annoying.  Have you ever inspired someone to do something?  Because lemme tell you, it is an amazing feeling. It is part of what drives me so hard. Have you ever set a goal, and not only reached it, but CRUSHED it?!  Knocked it out of the park?! DEMOLISHED IT?! Because, my friends, if you haven't..I strongly recommend it as #1 on your bucket list.  Don't just set the goal....Reach it. Then crush it.   THAT has brought me a feeling of power, confidence and self-acceptance that is beyond how I look. (Even though that is a nice side effect). This morning when I did a stiff legged dead lift with 70 pounds on my bar, knowing I could barely do 15 when I started...That makes me feel like a rockstar.  I **WANT EVERYONE** to feel like that!! So, annoy you I will. But if I am annoying you, look at YOUR life, and figure out why.  And if you can't start out with a run. IT may help you get it!
Now onto the part that I am absolutely furious about.  I am not trying to be mean. But obesity is an EPIDEMIC in this country. Fitness is not.  I dare bet it is uncommon to ask a person who struggles with weight if they are worried about the impact that their lifestyle will have on their children. Seriously. It is politically incorrect.   Here is what my daughter sees:  Her mom putting HEALTHY food into her body, CONSTANTLY fueling.  Her mom working hard to acheive a goal. Her mom having confidence.  Her mom having energy. Her mom NEVER using the words "fat" or "thin". (I have in the past, but these words are outlawed in my home). Opting instead to teach about strength, building muscle and endurance.  Using food as a fuel.  Making sure she knows ALL food is not the enemy. But some are, if you can't use moderation. Making sure she knows how to derive pleasure from things other than food.  Do I want my family to be obese? Heck. NO! Because it "looks bad"? Nope. Because it will kill them. In the words of Jamie Eason, (One of my inspirations), "Most diseases are caused by environment, genetics, and/or an unhealthy lifestyle.  You only really have control of one of those things. Take it." 

I am taking control. I am not losing weight or gaining muscle in an unhealthy manner. I have revamped how I view food, to a less common view, as fuel. Not my source of pleasure. (Except my cheat meals.)  But I eat all. the. time. 5 or 6 times a day. Seriously.  Now, because I don't gorge myself on pizza, chips and soda, I must be a fanatic. No. I am just someone who truly views my body as a TEMPLE.  That means taking care of the insde, as well as the outside. I am someone who wants to know that if illness comes along, I have done all I can to help fight it.  Oh, I also don't smoke, drink, and I *usually* get 7-8 hours of sleep a night. (assuming kids cooperate.) Sheesh, I really AM crazy.  How dare I teach my children a healthy lifestyle....