Getting in the Christmas Mood

We had a very warm weekend (it almost felt like a Dallas winter weekend) so I convinced Ryan to hang our Christmas lights on the house. I am thrilled to finally have a house on which I can hang Christmas lights. Of course, I was there for moral support the whole time! It look a bit of work to figure out just how to use those lovely shingle and gutter clips, but we got it! How did my dad hang our Christmas lights each year without the clips?
Last Thursday it was very cold and we decided to do the "new to Wichita" thing and go to the mayor's Christmas tree lighting. My coat barely buttons closed, but we bundled up and went. They had a few minutes of entertainment, the official lighting of the tree, and then Santa drove by on a fire truck. It was fun. We probably won't do it again, but we can say we have done it. Here is a lovely picture in front of the tree. Can you tell we are shivering?
Finally, I have begun a little bit of work on Ben's room. There isn't much work to be done until we get some stuff in there, but I do want to fix up his closet. The walls in the closet were not finished, so I put some joint compound on them and am in the process of painting. What do you think about this pink of the joint compound? Do you think he will be ok with that color?
Actually, the finished product will be a bold red that is in his bedding. I have put two coats of red on so far, but it still needs more. Cross your fingers! After I paint it, we are going to put another clothes rail and some shelves. I have a few friends that have the best baby's closets, so I am trying to copy them. Hopefully it will turn out as good as I see it in my head.

24 week update

Check out that belly! It is really getting full of baby.

We had our 24 week doctor's appointment today. Everything looks great. Nothing even really to report. The doctor said I didn't gain much weight, my blood pressure looks good, and I will have my glucose test at our next appointment. We will go again on Dec 22nd, a little early, since we will be out of town after Christmas.

I have a little note to give all you "happy-to-shop-for-Ben" people out there. We know it is really, really tempting to just pick up little baby boy stuff at the store, but please take special note of his registry. He created his wish list just for you! Being first time parents, we don't have any baby stuff, so there are many, many things to choose from on the registry. If you want to buy Christmas gifts for him, please consider something from the registry. Here are the links.
Babies R Us - registry # 55656824 Almost everything is here!
Target - registry # 014194400000258 There isn't much here.

Here is another picture just to please those of you that like seeing me in maternity clothes :) My face looks like I am pained, but I'm not.

SNOW

I couldn't resist the temptation to show off our first sticking snow in Kansas. This picture is really blurry, but I wasn't going to stand outside in the cold in my pjs and coat forever.

It's Christmas Time

Christmas season is HERE!

As Ryan and I continue to make our own traditions, today I gave up one of my childhood traditions. We bought an artificial tree! Of course, my family doesn't buy live trees anymore now that we have all left the house, but we always had one as I grew up. I thought there was something wonderful about a live tree. After having four live trees of my own though, I have learned that they are a pain to clean up and they have to be watered and are just a mess in general. No matter how well I cleaned, we found pine needles in our Dallas apartment when we were moving out! So, I have come over to the artificial side. We bought a small one this year and I am hoping to get my grandma's artificial tree or do some after Christmas shopping this year for next year's tree. And then I will have two! Woohoo.

Here are some pictures of our Christmasy home.
Thanks for the new tree skirt, Grandma. I used the rest of my Christmas money because I could not resist!!! (And the bows are from my grandma's tree when I was growing up. She gave them to me a few years ago.)
This is our mantle this year. I am sad not to have a fireplace, but what can I do about it now?! That is Ben's stocking in the middle. I bought stuff to put our names on our stockings now. We will see how that goes. This is the best nativity scene! Each person has a scripture written near the bottom. And the silver angels on the side were gifts from Ryan's sister Kelly and her husband Michael last year. (Of course there is football on in my house right now, it is Saturday!)

We have a tradition of getting each other a new Christmas tree ornament each year. Although this is our fifth Christmas together, we can only find four sets of ornaments. Neither one of us can figure out how that happened. What happened in 2005? Here are the ornaments we bought each other this year. Ryan did the best, don't you think?
We go to the doctor on Monday to check up on this little bun in my oven! I will blog all about it and take my 24 week picture. Yikes. We are getting so close.

Merry Christmas!

Happy Thanskgiving

The wonderful holiday season is officially here. Today is Thanksgiving. I can't believe it has come so quickly. For our first Thanksgiving in Kansas, we are staying home and being thankful for each other in a non-conventional way. We wont be having turkey and dressing or pumpkin pie. But, don't worry, we had a big traditional meal with our church family last Sunday, so we got our fill of all the Thanksgiving feast. And, we even have some leftovers still in the frig.

This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for (in random order):

1. A husband that has made my life so much more rich and makes me want to be a better wife every day. I can't wait to see him as a father to our son.
2. A warm house that I can make my own, no upstairs apartment neighbors, a driveway rather than parking lot, food in my refrigerator and pantry, the parade to entertain me while I blog :)
3. A job that I love and my husband loves filled with some absolutely wonderful people (two of which invited us to their family Thanksgivings, so kind).
   
4. The blessing of a son. We, of course, had our part in getting pregnant, but I am so thankful that God has allowed us to get pregnant so quickly and to have such an easy pregnancy so far. I am thankful for all the kicking and tumbling that it feels like Ben is doing in my tummy.
   
5. YOU! All our friends and family members that love and support us, pray for and support our calling in ministry, and love us so much.

Both Ryan and I wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving, wherever you are today.

This is a random picture from a while ago when Ryan got to go to the OU vs KU game in Norman, OK. Ryan is the second from the aisle in the gold circle. To the left of Ryan is Al, the Wichita city director, to Ryan's right is Daren, the Church plant director, and to Daren's right, Gary, a friend of the ministry that had the tickets. I was so jealous I wasn't invited to guys day!

Exciting News

Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you...

We can feel the baby moving. I think I must have been feeling him earlier than I knew. I didn't know it was him moving. Ryan felt him for the first time last Tuesday (a week ago). Tonight, as we sit on the couch just relaxing, it feels like Ben is doing somersaults in my tummy and Ryan can feel it all too.

So much FUN!

Catching Up

It has been a while since I gave you all an update on life in the Carter family. I have had tons of energy during my second trimester (for the most part) and therefore have been driven to continue all my projects before the baby comes. Most recently, I painted Ryan's office. I have dreamed of him having a "real" office for a long time and now it is finally a reality. We were able to buy a solid wood desk from a missionary that is retiring. It works perfectly in the office. Enjoy the pictures below of my hours of work.

Taping the wall to prep for painting.

The final product: I framed Craig Biggio's 3,000th hit from the Houston Chronicle.

The overall picture of the office. Do you see my little secretary desk in the back right corner? And, notice his gorgeous bookcases. I still need some window coverings and this room will be complete.In other news, we traveled this past weekend to Midland for my sister's bridal shower. I was so excited to go and be a part of her wedding planning. It is painful to be so far away. However, she did exhaust me! We shopped for a dress for me to wear in the wedding - it took all day. I did get to see her in her wedding gown. She looked gorgeous. I wish I could post a picture, but that isn't allowed until after the wedding. We also worked a lot on the computer as I am making her invitations and wedding day program. I can't post a picture of that either.

This is the table that the ladies prepared for Candice's bridal shower.

This is when Candice was opening the gift from me and Ryan and Priscilla and Ray (my college roommate and her husband). We bought her a pink Dyson vacuum - she believes she will vacuum more with a pink vacuum cleaner. Sounds like fun to me.

This is Candice posing with some flowers and one of the cakes after the shower. She loves flowers!
This picture is just to prove that I really am 22 weeks pregnant! I am standing on the left talking with my grandma's best friend, Lynda (middle), and my sister (on the right). Our good family friend, Cindy is looking on. Sorry I didn't get a better picture of me with my sister, but I was sitting writing all of her gifts for the majority of the shower.

Also, while in town, we got to bring home some gifts for Ben. Prepare to be jealous - my mom gave me the cradle that my uncle (my mom's little brother) made in shop class for me when I was born. I spent nine months in this cradle. Another uncle (my dad's sister's husband) refurbished it for us. It is gorgeous. I can't wait to lay Ben in this cradle.

Don't you love the baby-shaped bath towel? Thanks Grandma.