Trick or Treat!

I guess we started a tradition last year with wearing themed family Halloween costumes. I don't know how long we will continue it, but it has been fun so far. Zach is recently enthralled with the Wizard of Oz, so we purchased used costumes for our ward's Trunk or Treat. Corey wasn't quite as thrilled to be the Tin Man as he was to be a Jedi last year, but he was a good sport for an hour or so! He made some great chili for the cook off also. Zach had a great time, and by the end of the evening, had mastered the phrases, "Trick or treat!" and "Thank you so much!" He even scored a bucket of candy for us to share!

 We were able to visit a couple of pumpkin patches here in Texas this year. This was a really small one at a church near our house. Zach was pumped about the wagon he found and the small pumpkin he was able to haul in it, as you can see!

 The Grapevine Mills outlet mall near our house had trick or treating on Saturday night, so I took Zach there since I didn't think trick or treating on Sunday was the best idea. It was pretty fun, and sure beats going from house to house to house.  I didn't wear my preggo-Dorothy dress there, but kind of wish I would have since there were so many adults dressed up there (as opposed to us being some of the very few adults dressed up at our church activity).

 "RAWR!!"

 Here he is opening a package he received from his Nana. He loved every bit of it--especially the toothbrush!

For our Trunk or Treat, we made this bean bag toss game for the kids, which ending up being a big hit even after we ran out of candy.

 The following photos were taken at the Flower Mound Pumpkin Patch, which is a free event with hay rides, games for the kids, and lots of pumpkins. It was a fun activity for us, and for the rest of the month, Zach kept talking about pumpkin patches whenever he would see a pumpkin.

We had a great October and Halloween, but missed seeing all our friends and nieces and nephews celebrating at our house as we have for the past few years.

Happy Birthday Corey!

My sweet husband is turning 34 today--WEIRD!!! We used to say things like, "Isn't it going to be weird when we're old and have been married for like 10 years, and then when we're 40?" So, yeah, we're getting closer and closer to those scary numbers (no offense if you're already there!)--YIKES!!

Here is a list of things I absolutely love about my husband, in no particular order:

1. He can fix just about anything. Mechanical, electronic, you break it, he can fix it--95% of the time.

2. Those eyes.... I think they are what first caught my attention.

3. He is extremely patient.

4. He is on time ALL the time- it doesn't matter if he says he'll be there to pick you up, meet you, or whatever. Being late makes him anxious. I don't know how we ended up together. :)

5. He is the world's best father.

6. Tall, dark, and extremely handsome, right?

7. He pitches in to keep things clean around the house.

8. He never complains about changing diapers.

9. He makes DELICIOUS cookies. Have you had one? Yum!

10. He doesn't gossip. Ever.

11. He is so freakin' smart. I won't even tell you his GPA, but it is HIGH!

12. He likes to keep the yard looking nice.

13. He's a super-good kisser. He doesn't do it quite as much since we tied the knot, but he sure used his skills to reel me in!

14. He is an Eagle Scout, and can, therefore, tie any knot necessary, pitch any tent, and all that other outdoor survival stuff.

15. His feet do not stink.

16. He never complains about getting me food or drinks in the night when I am pregnant.

17. He takes me to the temple.

18. He gets my jokes. Mostly.

19. His taste in music is endearing to me--he likes Dr. Hook and Barry White, and other than that, he's pretty normal. :)

20. He is good at sports--I can see him possibly coaching some little league-type teams in the future.

Now, I could do all 34 with ease, but I thought I'd open the floor to any other friends or family members that want to share what they love about this amazing guy.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY COREY!!!!

For the Grandparents

Here are some recent videos of Zach for his Grandparents (and other relatives) to watch. He really does some hilarious and clever stuff that I don't always catch on video, but I am trying.

This first one has him saying his letters and the sounds they make. He knows all the letters and most of the sounds, which I just realized today. I know this sounds so braggy but the grandparents get bragging rights too, and it will still be months until he gets to see them, so please don't think I'm a snot!

This next one proves he's all boy. He found a bamboo stick, and it is instantly a sword. At 22 months, he knows this, as well as the sound it makes. I asked Corey if he taught him that sound, and he said he didn't have to, it is inborn in all boys. So there.

And lastly, he started adding the phrase "so much" after saying "thank you." It is so sweet. He said it when I gave him something, and I was lamenting that I wanted him to say it for the camera, so he is here saying, "Thank you so much, Camera."

We love this little pumpkin "so much!"

More Random Wilhelmsen Moments

I have mentioned previously that Zach is a big fan of Mary Poppins. He especially loves the scene with the cartoon penguins dancing with Bert, and does his best to imitate them. He concentrates pretty carefully and tries to do exactly what they do with their hands and feet. It is so much fun to watch this little dancer! I suggested we put him in a dance class, but Corey is dead-set against it. Oh, well. If he can pick up this much just by watching, he probably doesn't need a class!

 We went on our first picnic at the park near our house. Zach liked it.

The other night Corey, Zach, and I went out to dinner in a shopping center nearby. We had to stop at Crazy 8, a fun children's clothing store, and they were having a summer clearance sale. I got most of these clothes for $2 apiece! I just hope they fit our girl at the right time of year. Since summer lasts so long here in Dallas, I think she should get some good wear out of them.

Here is my belly at 20.5 weeks--just over halfway through the pregnancy! It's not really easy to hide anymore, but no one at work has asked about it yet. Either they are just really polite, or my lab coat and discreet wardrobe choices cover a multitude of pounds! I am feeling her kicks getting stronger each day, and it is so much fun! Some days I am so impatient for her arrival, I can hardly wait! I just need a little baby to cuddle in my arms. Then I remember that this is the last time I'll only have one child (until they're grown), and to enjoy the few moments of solace while they last!

Oh, and about the pregnancy ticker saying "Glycerine," Corey has loved that name for a little girl since about the time he returned from his mission. He says it's perfect because no one else is named that. I think there's a reason you don't hear that name around.: ) I have always thought it would make a good name for a fish, but not a human. So we'll let him pretend her name is Glycerine for awhile, and who knows-- maybe it'll grow on me!!

How Crafty am I?

I have made several trips to the craft store as of late, and decided it was time I made my babies some blankets. I attempted to crochet a blanket for Zach before he was born, but it turned out kind of ugly. This time I bought cute, snugly fabric so my talent is less of a factor in how it turns out. It's been fun so far, but I still have a lot to do. (Can I say BINDING???!) Wanna come help?!

 Aren't these fabrics darling? I am so excited to see what I can make with them!

On Conference Sunday, I made beef brisket with potatoes and carrots, along with a new recipe for homemade rolls, all for the first time. Thankfully, they turned out pretty well! We had some friends from church over to share the meal with and had a lovely time. We need to do that more often!

Conference was, of course, wonderful. There are always such pearls of wisdom shared. We were able to watch almost all of every session, minus a little distraction from Little Z. But he was excited about seeing "the prophet" on the computer. He also repeated the prayer after us for the first time the other night. We have been praying with him for months, but he is finally realizing he can pray too. He also sings "I am a Child of God" and "Follow the Prophet," along with many Nursery songs. He absolutely adores Nursery, and was also enthralled with the Primary Program last week. He loved seeing kids on the stand, and was jamming his head to the music. He's our little sweetie!

Some Days in Our Life

Life is pretty normal around here. Zach is developing rapidly. He says new things every day. We have to start being more careful what we say, because it comes right back out of Zach's mouth.

He is a lot like his dad in that he loves to fix things. "I fick it," as Zach says. Here they are working on the lawnmower together. Both Zach and Corey are very gifted at figuring out how things work, taking them apart and putting them back together. Zach did this with a friend's toy the other day, and the parents were surprised because their older son hadn't yet figured out to do that to the toy.

 He found a comfy seat for watching Mary Poppins, or "Minnie Poffins," as he calls it.

 I came home today to see the boys dressed in their Ohio State game day red t-shirts, and caved and let Corey open his birthday present early. I ordered father and son matching jerseys for them, and they couldn't be cuter! I also can't wait to dress our new babe in a tiny cheerleader outfit next season!

 We tried a dozen times to get a good family photo, but the lighting and focus kept turning out horrible with the auto-timer. Why? Ugh!

Zach and I recently attended a presentation by our local fire department.

He looks pretty somber in this photo, but he is giving the fire fighter a hug. Afterward, he kept saying, "Fireman, love." He's been talking a lot about firemen and trucks and giving loves ever since.

A couple of weeks ago we had some terrible rain and winds that led to tornadoes and floods nearby. This is the park where Zach and I like to take walks about a half mile from our house. I know the picture is hard to see, but the banks of the small lake/pond normally end to the left of the baseball field. It flooded at least 4 feet or so. It went back down within a few days, but it washed a lot of garbage up and smelled awful for awhile.

One fun part of the park flood was that we found this little guy on the sidewalk during our walk. He was just about 2 inches long and far from shore. We took him home for a few hours for Zach to see, and then back to the lake to find his family.

This was a few weeks ago--maybe at around 16 weeks pregnant. I feel bigger than I look, I guess. Some clothes really show it, and others don't. I'm trying to get in my last round of wearing as many normal clothes as possible before I have to put on my stretchy pants.

Yum. With Zach, I didn't crave too many sweets, but this baby girl loves her chocolate! I've been thriving on Cocoa Puffs for breakfast and other chocolate snacks like this lovely mini-cake. She's gonna be a sweetie!

I started another job 2 weeks ago. I am filling in during someone's maternity leave for the next 4 weeks or so. From there, I will probably try to find another more permanent 2 day a week job. I have enjoyed it a lot so far.

Corey is starting in on his first round of exams next week. We are hoping this trimester goes as well as the others have for him. I am so proud of my freakin' smart husband! He doesn't like for me to brag, but he's gotten better grades in chiropractic school than I ever got in dental school, in many of the same courses. And no thanks goes to me for helping him in any way--those are the courses I regurgitated for Boards and mostly blocked out afterwards! Not really. I remember the important stuff, of course. But I must admit the steps of the Citric Acid Cycle and the exact location of the recurrent laryngeal nerve are not at the forefront of my memory.

Bring on the pink, ruffles, frills, and polka-dots!

The verdict is in: Wednesday at my 17-week sonogram, the doctor announced that he was 90% certain that what he saw was a little girl! We are excited, but would have been just as delighted if it had been a boy. And with the 10% chance that it could still be a boy, I'm a little hesitant to start painting things pink, just in case! When I was expecting with Zach, I was pretty sure it was a girl. So sure, in fact, that I bought a complete, darling bedroom set that was a super deal that I couldn't pass up. That act totally jinxed me. It wasn't that I didn't want a boy--I was fine with it once we found out. I just really imagined I was having a girl, and kind of got my heart set on it. So with this one, I didn't let myself get worked up one way or the other, because it all comes down to statistics--there is ALWAYS a 50/50 chance that the child is going to be a boy. Or a girl. It doesn't matter if there have been only 2 out of 9 children on my side that are female, or 4 out of 12 on Corey's side, or even if I had already had 6 boys in a row! So, while I was really hoping for a little princess to dress in pink polka-dots and bows, I didn't get my hopes up at all, because I would hate to have been disappointed in any way if I had learned we were having another boy. I had already decided it would be perfect either way. So the sonogram was actually a little anti-climatic for me, since I didn't let myself get too emotionally attached to the idea of either a girl or boy beforehand. Also, there is still that slight chance that it was just not completely clear on the screen. I am still pretty early, and not planning on having another sonogram. We'll just have to see.

But now it is settling in and I am ready to go shopping.:) Hopefully I won't jinx anything this time (but I'll keep my receipts, just in case)!

T-Shirts

We decided to make our announcement via T-shirt as we headed home to see our families. We thought the indication was pretty obvious, but only a few people caught on immediately. For most, we had to ask how they liked Zach's shirt, or otherwise hint around until they caught the drift. : ) We seriously thought about not telling anyone until I came home from Christmas, as big as a house, but I thought that might be a little mean. Knowing a family member is expecting gives me something to look forward to, and extra prayers from friends and family are always helpful. Also, then I would have had no one but Corey to whine to about my pregnancy woes--I mean, share in the joy! (BTW, I have had a pretty easy time of it so far, compared to many women. I have had the usual, neverending fatigue and nausea, but no actual throwing up or anything serious. Thanks for the good prego genes, Mom!)

We are so happy to be welcoming another little one into our family at the end of February. Zach, of course, doesn't quite comprehend that he'll soon have company, but I'm sure he'll catch on soon enough! When I point to my belly and say baby, he thinks I am talking about/nicknaming the mole next to my navel. So now when I ask where the baby is, he points to the mole. (Don't worry about the gross mole talk--it's a sexy mole, not a haggard one. And it will only become more attractive as it stretches with my growing abdomen.; ))

With our announcement theme being in the T-shirt arena, I found some winners that I liked in the Mommy Division (though I'm not certain I'd actually wear one). Sorry for the poor image quality on some. I'll annotate the captions so you can tell what they say:

I'm so crafty I make people

I'm pregnant. What's your excuse?

Birth control is for sissies

And my all-time favorite, because

 it's true:

All I wanted was a backrub

*Just kidding--I've wanted another baby for awhile now : )

Trip to Northern Idaho

Sorry for the crooked picture-it was taken from a moving vehicle. But isn't it lovely?! The entire golf course was covered in fog, and once we drove out of it, it was cool to see how localized it was.

After spending one short night in Idaho Falls, we got in the truck with Corey's parents and started the 8 hour trek up to Blanchard, which is about 40 minutes past Coeur d'Alene and 45 minutes from Spokane. I have never been on this drive before, and had heard good things about it. It was lovely, but LONG! Zach only slept 1 hour of the time, which meant I didn't get much rest either. We were excited to finally arrive and see our relatives we hadn't seen since Christmas.

 Zach had so much fun over the break with all his newfound cousins! Needless to say, they found plenty of trouble together as they raided the pantry and garage every time I turned my back!

Zach loved stealing attention from "Nanny."

And had lots of loves for Papa, too.

So while I thought this was more of a family reunion, the boys organized their annual golf tournament during this time. This left us women alone with 7 children for 5+ rounds of golf over 3 days, plus even a few more rounds after that. It wasn't exactly how I had planned to spend such a big part of my vacation, but on a couple of occasions, the ladies were able to get out on the course also. I have played less than a dozen rounds of golf in my life, and most of those were only 9 holes. I haven't golfed at all since last year's reunion, but I actually had some pretty good drives. My short game was another story, but we had fun. Until the next day, that is, when I contracted a killer cold and the lactic acid started pooling in muscles I had entirely forgotten about. It was a miserable couple of days while I recovered, but I was able to read a few entertaining books during that time.

Cherlyn, Cheryl, and Rachelle on the green.

Look at the daring pro! I loved this shot!

My awesome swing.

Corey made up all the time he was gone golfing by watching all 7 kids (James almost gets an honorable mention for helping:)) while us girls went to Spokane for a temple trip, some shopping, and lunch. He also took me to lunch in Coeur d'Alene for our anniversary.

Did I mention it was FREEZING there? I was craving some cooler weather after sweltering in Dallas all summer, but going from 100 degrees to the 60s was crazy. Some days it even dipped into the 50s. I did not bring nearly enough warm clothes for us, and we ended up wearing the same things for days in a row. Yay for my warm and comfy green hiking socks.

Other highlights: Zach LOVED riding on the golf carts,

he warmed up to his cousin Michael after a day or two, and can't stop talking about him now,

he also adored Kaysha and had fun with the other cousins,

we got to see LOTS of pine trees, mountains, and rivers.

We enjoyed and sincerely appreciated all the time spent with family,

and now I think we're caught up on cold weather and rural living for a bit!