Nine Days And Counting...Basketball Anyone?

Hi folks!

It's nine days and counting.

And, is it just me...or does it look like I have an actual basketball under my sweater?

I think this shot is great!!

I love it!

Here's a few more...

This isn't actually a maternity sweater.

It's one of those stretchy ones that I just love.

Tw0-year-old Stavesacre is checking me out.

Little Miss Poser otherwise known as 6-year-old Iris Anna.

Me, dreaming about the baby...

ok...I admit, I'm just caught with my eyes closed.

Can you imagine our little baby boy just all curled up in there hanging out?

As comfortable as could be?

Today I told my husband that until we come up with a baby name for him we'll just call him "Flower #6".

Someone asked why we don't give out our children's actual names.

Quite frankly it's just a measure for us of trying to keep our privacy.

But I enjoy the concept of putting it in the scenario of us being in the garden of Eden with me as the Sunshine (Sunshine Mama), my husband as the rain (Daddy Rainmaker)...the two of us working together (the sun and the rain) to nourish and grow our little flowers.

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Well, I could show you loads of photos of some of the food we prepared this weekend, but instead I'll just give you a little list:

*Eight loaves of white bread

*Eight loaves of wheat bread

*enough whole wheat egg noodles to make nine, 10-cup batches of chicken noodle soup

(each batch contains eight ounces of egg noodles)

*three pounds of turkey meat, pre-browned.

*two pounds of sausage, pre-browned

*1 1/2 pounds of hamburger meat, pre-browned

*7 pounds of onions, pre-cut

*10 pounds of potatoes-pre-cut,

*four bunches of celery, pre-cut

*five pounds of carrots, pre-cut

*3-ten-pound bags of chicken quarters, cooked in the crock pot and de-boned to yield 18 cups of chicken, which is enough chicken for nine batches of chicken noodle soup.

All of the meat, pasta, bread and pre-cut veggies have been frozen so that all I have to do when I need to make a meal, is pull them out a few hours in advance and throw them in the pot to make dinner.

I had a nice long nap this afternoon, which felt great after all that work which 15-year-old Darling Rose, eight-year-old Dandy Lion and Daddy Rainmaker participated in.

There is still more food preparation that I want to do, but I will wait to do it this week. I still want to make another eight loaves of wheat bread to feel completely secure about the bread situation.

One thing I did not get accomplished this weekend was to pack all the kid's clothes for when they will spend a few days at grandma and grandpa's house.

I'm also thinking about getting my work-outs in early this week in case the baby decides to come as soon as this Thursday. I consider Thursday the day that I will be on "high alert" and when I want to be completely ready and completely packed.

After that...anything else I can get done around the house will be "bonus".

Well, I hope everyone has a great start to their work week. Now that I've gotten a few things done and a little more rest, I'm looking forward to visiting you all and seeing how you've all been doing.

Sincerely,

Sunshine Mama