THE TRAVELING GARDNERS

So, we are down to single digit days until Zach and Dan are here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am slowly, but surely completing my "to do list" before the guys arrive. Ben has been such a big helper. He picks anything up off the floor that I can't reach. :) He also helps put laundry into the washing machine. And, helps throw away trash. He is going to be the greatest big brother. On Saturday, my friend Marion has offered to come over and help me tidy up our bathrooms and vacuum! I am so grateful for all of the love and support we have received while Dan has been deployed. We have made a chain link to countdown the days until Daddy returns. Ben keeps saying, "My friend Daddy coming home soon!" Ben is excited to play football with Daddy, and all of the other "manly stuff" that Mommy just doesn't compare to Daddy's skills! A few days until I kiss my sweet pea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YAHHHHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

I voted with my absentee mail in ballot. I was a early voter last week. I am still a registered California voter. :) I was happy to be able to vote on prop 8, as I have strong feelings on this issue. Did you vote????? So currently McCain is ahead in popular votes by 10%. This was surprising to me as all of the polls in past weeks have shown him behind. Time will tell............. EDIT: Learn something new every day.......I learned this election, that even though you might have a lot of popular votes..........it all comes down to the electoral votes.

With our "family carver" out of country this Halloween, we decided to take a different spin on pumpkins this year. I painted Baby Zach a pumpkin. And little "Picasso to be" painted his own. Every time I asked him to look at the camera, without looking up once or pausing from his master piece......he would say, "Mom, I'm painting a pumpkin!" How is it possible that our little munchkin gets cuter every day????? Not the greatest for painting pumpkins. But they came in handy for our secret project for Daddy! The greatest invention ever! Do you mind Mom? I am working on my art........ All I see in this picture is a character from "Lord of the flies" or a lost boy from Peter Pan..... He kept pointing to his creation and saying, "MY PUMPKIN!" He had so much fun. After everything was painted, little monkey was taking a bubble bath. I asked him if he had a fun time painting. He said, "Yah Mommy, you had fun too?" Yah lit...

HAPPY HALLOWEEN FROM THE GHOULY GARDNER'S! First pictures are around our house on Halloween ~ Halloween lunch time....yup, still in our pj's........ :) Ben could watch this movie 4 times a day if he had his way! Today we watched it twice! Ghouly green broccoli and orange cheesy macaroni ~ TRUNK OR TREAT ~ Our church Hallowen party. First we had a chili and soup dinner. Benjamin was clapping with some music that was playing in the background. His favorite Halloween song is, The witch Doctor sung by David Seville and The Chipmunks. Mr Incredible, Horsey, and Penguin ~ Benjamin with his buddies Brycen and Kael ~ Ben enjoyed handing out candy and popcorn balls more than trick or treating ~ Benjamin with his favorite babysitter Natalie ~ BACK AT HOME - CANDY TIME! Time to dump his Thomas the train candy holder and see what he got! Yummy! His favorite...dum dum lollipops! Airheads rule! While sorting the candy, we watched a classic Halloween movie ~ My attempt at getti...

So, for the 4th time this pregnancy......... I got food poisoning! This time was from Panda Express. I thought healthy steamed veggies and grilled chicken was a good choice for little monkey. And although he didn't get sick, my choice of Tai cashew chicken, fried rice, and cream cheese Rangoon's were not as kind to me. I have decided that because we are eating out so often, I have a higher percentage than other people to get sick. But seriously people....4 times in one pregnancy!?!?!?!! Even if it is more convenient with being 9 months prego and taking care of a toddler with hubby on deployment.........I will not be frequenting ANY take out for the rest of this pregnancy! Only 13 days to go. So, I don't think this will be too big of a feat to accomplish........ The one good thing about getting sick from these restaurants? It will make my post pregnancy weight loss easier. I will not be visiting Panda Express or Cafe Rio for a VERY long time, if ever!

In the mean time.....while trying to prevent pre term labor.....we have been taking it easy...... Having fun with dress up and props..... Making my vote count! Absentee ballot from California......... Cleaning and organizing new and old clothes. This adorable new outfit provided by Ocean Grandma...... And shopping and preparing for the cold weather to come....... Oh yah and drinking lots of water, putting my feet up whenever possible, and catching up on movies and books.

I can't help but look at the pregnancy countdown and think Ben was born at 38 weeks. I am so anxious for Dan to be here. And, I am super anxious that Baby Zach will arrive before Dan gets here. Stay in my tummy Zach!!!!!! And Dan...... get home!!!!! Only, 14 days until the scheduled c-section!!!!!!!!! AUGHHHHHHHHHHH! It's becoming very real!

At my Mom's suggestion and request, we headed up to Sundance. It was one of my favorite memories of my Mom's visit! Sadly, I forgot the digital camera. Thank goodness for our camera phone though! Ben was such a good little monkey. Everyone kept commenting on what a well behaved little man he was. Ben loves to snuggle with Ocean Grandma ~ Ben REALLY loved the cheese puffs ~ I highly recommend the Sundance buffet to any prego out there! It was a pregnancy craving dream come true! I don't remember the last time I was this relaxed. I love the mountains! The bubbling creek in the background that Ben wanted to jump in! I rested my feet while Grandma and Ben went and checked out an Art Studio. The last pictures before leaving Sundance. Ben was sad to leave because he wanted to stare at the water a little bit longer. He was happy though when he got to bring home a leaf. Whewww was I full?!?! After Sundance, we drove up the road to visit Nana and Opa! Benjamin loves visiting...

Zach's baby shower! My Momma and Amber were amazing and threw me a wonderful baby shower. I truly feel blessed. ~ The presents before opening ~ My Mom got Ben this great iron on for a shirt. Kael and Ben playing in the back yard ~ Brycen, Kael, and Benjamin ~ My Mom made these fabulous little candy molds out of "blue" white chocolate ~ Baby shower games! Guess that baby picture ~ Brave Anna testing the baby food! Baby food test tasting game samples ~ Nothing Bundt Cakes~ AKA: HEAVEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cutting the cake ~ Partaking of the delicious cake ~ Cheese! Check out my super cool "It's a boy" button that my Mom got me to wear at the shower! Emily with her adorable 8 week old cutie Samuel. Emily(who also has a toddler and newborn) has a husband who is also deployed. Our hubbies come back the same month!! ~ Grandma Sue sent this super soft Winnie the Pooh sleeper ~ Peek a Boo ~ Mr Roboto? Nope! Leah doing the "I feel like a house" ...