My Plate is FULL!

Well, life is chaotic. Not a bad chaos, but way too many things happening all at once- that is for sure. The past 2 months have been BUSY!!! So the blog went guiltily undone. At least the kids got fed...well most of the time...

First: For those who don't know yet (I haven't told many people besides family) Spencer and I are expecting an addition to the family in April. I am pregnant! 17 weeks into this pregnancy and I'm finally getting over the morning/daytime/evening/nighttime sickness. I really didn't loose my food all that much, I was just nauseous ALL the time. Tired and Grumpy too. I am hoping to get one of those cute pregnancy trackers up on the blog soon.

Second: Spencer had a TDY (away assignment/training) in Florida for 5 weeks. He was gone from Oct 5th - Nov 7th. It is hard when he misses birthdays, Christmas, anniversaries, and ballet recitals, but HALLOWEEN!!!! He was not excited about missing Halloween. He really liked his training, and that made it easier for him to be away from the family. Come on though.... how hard is it to enjoy a white sandy beach-side hotel, weekends off, and no kids? Training or Vacation? Hard to tell. While he was gone he decided to grow a mustache (because there is nothing else to do in sunny Florida?) to show his father.

Aidan and Abby at Apple Annie's Orchard

Aidan and Kate with their Pumkins from the patch

Wow! Aidan is getting BIG!


Third: I got a new job. I am still working at Carondelet St Joseph's Hospital, but I switched departments. I went from working in the ICU to working in the ED (I like the floors with acronyms) The Emergency Department has been a fun change.... very interesting things to deal with and I walk my butt off. I come home with sore legs most nights. Maybe it will help keep some of the pregnancy weight off? One can only hope. I started in September and wasn't able to take the 5 weeks off while Spencer was in Florida. My friend Becky stepped in (bless her soul...she's pregnant too) and watched my kids 3 days/nights a week while I went to work the night shift (7pm-7am).

Fourth: A lady in our ward needed a place to live for 2 weeks before her job transferred her out of town. We have an extra room, so I said "yes" to our Bishop's request. She was a sweet lady and an easy roommate to live with... Her household chore while she stayed was keeping the dishes washed. What a blessing! It really helped the house stay sane and orderly that is for sure. My kids called her "Grandma", but soon found out she wasn't as willing to play the part as their real Grandmas.

The kid's grandma Brown came the week of Halloween and spoiled the kids rotten. If it weren't for my mom's help the kids costumes wouldn't have gotten done! We had lots of fun with my mom here. It was a needed break from my hectic schedule. We made costumes, carved pumpkins, trick-or-treated, went to a movie, went shopping for maternity clothes, and watched Abby at her last day of swim lessons. She even helped me clean up Aidan's puke off the floor the day he had the stomach flu..... now that is a real grandma!!!

Abby and her Grandma Brown decorating a pumkin

Aidan in his Dinosoar/Dragon costume

Abby as princess Cinderella

Spencer came home the 7th of November only to play Mr Mom for 4 days while I worked extra shifts (I have a commitment to work 4 shifts per pay period). I squeezed in the extra shifts so we could go to Louisiana to see Spencer's Step-Sister get married.

Well, as I said... my plate is full, but I think I found a small space to slide in a "blog salad".