Oh Wow

And so we have it...the news we have been so looking forward to!

McPherson baby #3 is a GIRL!

To say we are excited is an understatement!! We have been anticipating this moment for a couple days and have been positive it was going to be another girl, so the news was just what we were looking for:) Of course, maybe this is why Andy works at an all boy school...he gets his fill of boys all day and then can come home to our girlie chaos:)

Baby girl is doing wonderful. She is already so precious and quite the diva...every view of her face she had the back of her hand resting on her forehead like she was about to faint....such a Scarlett O'Hara thing;) Everything is looking good and we are hoping and praying for a normal pregnancy this time around!!

Weekend Away

This past weekend we traveled to Richmond to spend some quality time with Mimi and Papa. Okay, the real reason was because we had a baby shower for a really good friend on Saturday night, but we will use anything to make a trip to see Mimi and Papa;) We had an added bonus on this trip...Uncle John and Marion were in town as well...yeah, more playmates!;)

My parents were given some hand-me-down outdoor play equipment this past week and they set it up for Alley and Kendall to try out...oh boy was it a hit!! The girls just couldn't get enough of it. They are obsessed with being outside anyway, so this is perfect. Now we don't always have to travel up to "Papa's playground" at "Papa's church" to play outside...whew, we've been saved from the multiple daily trips up there;)

here are the girls when they first got outside...can you tell Kendall is lovin' it?!

this was just too hilarious to pass up:) She was trying to climb through the hole and fell in!

super happy and being goofy

Kendall is so proud of herself

peek-a-boo!

cheesy goodness...Andy was throwing her up in the air and catching her. This is right after he caught her:)

big girl going down the slide...she loved it

weeeeeeeeeeee....

help, I've fallen and I am stuck

I give up, I'm just going to lay here until someone comes to get me...literally, she waited for me to get her!

pausing for a snack break on their new picnic table

inside playing and getting a little education in;)

my job for the shower was to make cupcakes...yummy!

oh man, which one will I eat...I'm mean test....first

Kendall, John, Marion and Alley relaxing after church

Fun, fun weekend:) We are so happy Mimi and Papa can handle the craziness, that always seems to follow our family, and let us come for the weekend;) We had a blast and can't wait until next time...

Projects

Recently I've started sewing again. I learned how to sew, smock, knit, cook, etc. years ago from my wonderful Grandmother, but I never found time to keep up with it. Not that I have a lot of free time, but for some reason I have been really wanting to sew again. 

Back around Christmas, I embarked on the smocking journey. Granny and I worked on matching Christmas dresses for the girls (ok, lets be honest, Granny did most of the work, but I contributed a good amount!) that turned out so cute. We are now about to begin Easter dresses for the girls, and I am even going to make the dresses, as well as try to do most of the smocking myself (it's a pattern with butterflies on it...why do I always pick the hard stuff!?). I will keep you updated on how that all turns out;)

A week ago I found some adorable material while I was in Richmond, plus a fun pattern, and it inspired me to make the girls a dress. I thought it was neat because it was a reversible dress...it can't be hard right?? Okay, it didn't get hard until I decided to stray from the pattern and add some embellishments to the dresses myself...ha, not a good idea to do on the first dress you make all by yourself after years of being away from the sewing machine! All in all I think they turned out very well (just don't look too close please!). I already have new ideas for the next time I use this pattern...oh I can't wait to go to Richmond and buy more material!!!

Alley sporting her new dress 

(Disclaimer: IGNORE the wild hair! Yes, I brushed it and even wet it down...).

Kendall getting in on the action. Doesn't she look excited;)

Kendall got tired of getting her glamor shot and decided the toys were more interesting...notice who is excited to finally have the rocking chair;)

Watch out for more of my projects!! I found a slew of fun patterns for the girls and myself!!

ODAC Tournament

Yes, it's that time of year again! Basketball season is coming to a close and I feel my "single parent" days are wrapping up for the year (who am I kidding...spring football is right around the corner...just let me enjoy this moment please!). Okay, now let's be honest, the real reason I get excited about this time of year isn't because my husband will be home at a decent hour each night (even though I looove that!), it's because we get to spend a weekend in a hotel and eat Krispy Kreme doughnuts each morning! Oh yes, that is where my excitement comes from...the Hot sign that is always illuminated outside the Roanoke Krispy Kreme. We have such a love affair with these doughnuts that we even talked about how great it would be to open a Krispy Kreme store in our basement. It was a great idea until I realized I probably wouldn't be able to fit through the doorway because I would have "tested" too many doughnuts;) Maybe that wasn't such a good idea...Okay, all kidding aside (sort of!), we had a great weekend getting to spend time as a family of four and just enjoy being in a town bigger than Farmville:)

How can you go to Krispy Kreme and not document this monumental moment with pictures;) Oh yes, all you healthy eaters are probably going to want to stop reading this post now...you were warned...I feed my kids doughnuts. Not just any doughnut though, only the best for my babies! I will say they do share their parents love for Krispy Kreme doughnuts...they make me so proud (tear)...

Alley waiting for her doughnut to eat...can you see the excitement and anticipation in her eyes;)

Oh yes, she's a KK lover too...but she was only allowed three bites...see, you don't have to call child protective services quite yet;)!

future KK eaters:)

oh was it yummy!

We are sad that HSC lost, but we are thankful to have been able to go to Roanoke and support our beloved Tigers...by eating Krispy Kreme doughnuts;) 365 days til next visit...muahaha

late Valentine day wishes

Our church hosted a Valentine's Day dinner on Saturday night. Alley was asked to be the "ice princess" and help pass out the prizes to all the valentine games. Of course, you tell Alley there's going to be food, "a party", and she gets to be a princess, and she is completely on board;) Wayne and Patricia (a sweet couple from our church who ADORE Alley, they also cook all the fabulous meals our church has), brought the ice princess outfit for Alley to sport during the dinner.

doesn't she look cute as the Ice Princess

daddy and his princess

Alley helping draw names for the prize winners...she thought she was THE stuff;)

Alley and her buddy Sierra

Alley and "Mr. Wayne"...check out that squeeze she's got on him;)

Even though Alley had a late night, she still enjoyed herself and we are so glad she got to be apart of it! Happy Valentine's Day to all:)

Little Penguin

Let's cut to the chase here...we are adding another little puff-a-lump to our rowdy bunch. Yes, baby #3 is on it's way and will hopefully make it to it's due date in August!

I had a laugh out loud moment with Alley a few weeks ago when I told her I was pregnant. I told her that mommy had a baby in her belly and then showed her the ultrasound (I don't know why, maybe I thought she would understand with pictures!). She looked at the picture, then at my belly, then up to me and said (as serious as she could be), "mommy, that's a penguin. You have a penguin in your belly." Whaaaaat?

Well, let's just hope this little penguin stays safe and happy in it's little environment and I don't go through the craziness I went through last time!

Oh the fun we have...

...when no one is looking. 

Kendall wondered off while Alley and I were playing and after a few minutes I realized it was way to quiet. So, I started my search and this is what I found...

Kendall had gotten into our Sam's Club boxes and was just having a blast

check me out - I fit!

 relaxed and laidback

pushing the box around and trying to climb back in

I made it;) So proud of myself!

Again I wonder why we even buy toys?! Of course Sam's Club isn't that cheap either;)