Weddings in 2014

2014 consisted of 5 weddings (including our own).


The wedding festivities began for us in April with my dear elementary friend in a beautiful conservatory with a glass gardenhouse on a rainy, happy day.

Kylie and I attended my coworker's sister's wedding in the gorgeous National Churchill Museum, with an outdoor pavilion reception that followed.

Mine and Keane's wedding came in June, on a rainy summer day, which turned out to be everything I could have hoped for.

Keane's nephew married his high school sweetheart in late September in a gorgeous setting of a hayfield field and a reception at a vineyard. 

My cousin married in early November on a beautiful sun-shining day that was joyous, family-filled, and lovely! 

Much love to all!

Christmas This Year

I love how the kids still believe, and I love Kylie's curious nature about it all.  She asks me, "How many things can you ask for when you're on Santa's lap?" and still, the, "How does he fit down a chimney when he's so big?"  I love the Christmas spirit.  I love all the twinkly lights, the music, the family time, and the happiness it all brings.  I love remembering, and teaching the kids about, the real Christmas story.  The one that happened many, many years ago, when a baby King was born in this world of ours, in a barn, and how the wise men and shepherds made their way to him to honor him with gifts and love. 

Keane and I took a vacation day the Monday before Christmas (which fell on Thursday).  Our original intent was to do a lot of bow hunting.  However, it was supposed to rain all day!  We slept in (so lovely) and lounged around the house until 11:00 when we decided to head to the stands until more rain came in. 

It was so nice to be in the woods.  It's so pretty and peaceful.  We didn't see anything, and then it started to drizzle.  Keane, my optimist hunter, said he thought it would break-up (which it did), but when I saw an entire storm heading our way on my weather app, I told him I wanted to get down.  When we were heading to the four wheeler, we spotted some turkeys.  Keane wanted to wait to see if he could get a shot on them, but they wandered off before he was able to. 

Like I said, the rain did stop, about the time we got to the four wheeler, but I was satisfied with the couple hours we attempted to hunt.  We spent the rest of the evening planning our basement (our winter/spring project to make room for the baby), wrapping presents, eating cookies our neighbors delivered, and spending quality time together.  It was perfect.

On Tuesday, I finished our shopping while Keane and a couple friends got together for their first annual "Friends Christmas." 

Christmas Eve, we spent with the kids.  As evening came, we got together and talked about Christmas Jars, I read them the real Christmas Story, and we all enjoyed watching The Christmas Story (which to the kids' surprise had nothing to do with the real Christmas Story).  Keane and I had to set out cookies and milk (and the photo Kylie drew for Santa) because they went to bed without setting them out.

We decided to let the kids open their big gifts on Christmas Eve so that they had a chance to play with them before they went to their mom's on Christmas morning.  Kaden got an Xbox 360 (special edition blue one) with two games, and Kylie got a Nabi (with headphones to go with it).  Keane and I each opened our "big" gifts, too.  Keane got a North Face coat and I got a tablet of my own.

Christmas morning we tried to let the kids sleep in a little before waking them, but little did we know they had been awake waiting on us to wake up!  They were so excited for all of their gifts, which made our Christmas morning lovely.  Some of Kylie's gifts were an 18" doll, camo hunting boots, a robe, Mystery cards, and sweatpants; some of Kaden's gifts were Transformer movie set, Walking with Dinosaurs DVD, painting canvases, and a Backyard Ballistics book; and both of them got insulated socks, calendars, Legos, blankets, and Monopoly.  Keane also got a hunting knife from Kaden, PJ pants from Kylie, and Hell on Wheels Season 1 (which Kylie accidently opened with much confusion!).  I got a stadium seat from Kaden, a vest coat from Kylie, and a venison recipe book from Keane!

On Christmas evening, Keane and I gathered with Keane's family for fried oysters, gifts, and visiting.  I made the oyster dressing this year -- something that I don't even eat.  After Christmas, we got together with Keane's parents and exchanged gifts.  They gave the kids a 3D Eiffel Tower puzzle and bouncy ball kit (for Kaden) and Apples to Apples and doll accessories (for Kylie).  They gave me a beautiful Willow Tree Angel of the Garden (to help my garden grow)!  Keane received a beautiful glass vase from his grandparents' cellar.  Donn bought Karen a beautiful ring to wear as a replacement for her wedding ring that has worn out, and Karen bought Donn a dehumidifier for his gun safe.  We gave them lots of oatmeal butterscotch cookies, Karen a picture frame with our wedding photos, and Donn got a Mighty Mug which is pretty nifty.  They also gave us an "Our Christmas 2014" ornament with a deer image in the back to represent our first Christmas married!

My sister and nephew came home over the weekend when we celebrated Christmas with my family on Saturday morning.  I received a record player from my parents (which I had really wanted), a Bath & Body Works Gift Card, dress socks, a Ruler Growth Chart made by my mother, as well as a camo table runner and napkins made also by my mother!  My sister got me a new purse, and got some baby swaddlers for the new babe!  The kids got clothes, room décor, and other goodies, and Keane got insulated socks, a lantern, and a gift card (from my parents), and an MU shirt (from Kimberly).  My mom got red kitchen canisters, a photo frame with our wedding photos, a snowman bird feeder, and a mini pie/cake baker.  My dad got a shelf for his Little Giant Ladder, his must-haves (chocolate covered cherries), and some random tools. 

We enjoyed each other's company, and we even watched Maze Runner, a movie Kollin got for Christmas!  McCoy was all about opening the presents this year.  And when it was too hard for him to wait for his turn to open his next present, he asked to help whoever was opening their present.  I'm pretty sure he had a hand in every single unwrapping of gifts this year.  Next year he can open Baby's gifts!

Back to the record player -- my dad pulled out some old records of his, mom's, and my aunt Jan's possibly, and we were all enthralled by the way it worked and the way it sounded.  We all huddled together in a corner in my parents' kitchen and played record after record.  I learned how not to scratch the records, and all the necessary knowledge needed.  Some of my favorite moments were when I peeked in the kitchen later and saw my mom and sister having a dance party, or when my mom played her and dad's "song" and told us that it was a little "risky" back in their day, or when my very high-tech brother shared all of our amazement and excitement and said, "This is way cooler than the electronics we have now!"

(pet sweaters made by my momma!)

Next year we will have a baby to add to the mix, and presents for three children under the tree.  I cannot wait!  As ordinarily out-of-character this is for me, the very day after Christmas, I set out to clean.  And in cleaning my home, I took down our Christmas tree, and every Christmas decoration in sight.  I wanted needed it all cleaned up.  I usually want my tree and Christmas-y-ness to last at least until after New Year's, but this year was different. And I feel so much better!  The days surrounding Christmas were spent in complete vacation mode.  I didn't care what day it was, what time of day it was, or what exactly I looked like most of the time.  That is part of Christmas, too, isn't it? 

Merry Christmas to you and yours!

14 & 15 Weeks

Hallelujah!  I have entered the 2nd Trimester.  And, unless it's all in my head, I feel a lot better.  I don't have any queasiness.  I am still tired, however.  I tend to fall asleep easily while watching TV on the couch in the evenings, and I'm usually always ready for bed, when I used to want to stay up to make my evenings last longer.


My stomach feels a lot tighter (on the inside) and when I stretch my upper body I can feel the tightening.  My lower back really hurts when I sit on our couch, on the floor too long playing Monopoly for hours, or sit too long at work.  It feels like a sting, and it is nearly paralyzing.


My belly begins with a slight bump in the mornings, and by evening (after eating and drinking several times), it grows about three times, and I definitely look pregnant, just ask Keane!


I am really planning on picking up weekly photos -- I know it will be neat to look back on!  I am trying to arrange to have a birth photographer available around the time I am due.  A friend of mine will be on vacation on and around my due date, but if it's on a weekend, my sister may be home and would love to take birth photos.

Cravings: Sodas, sweets (sour gummy worms) -- it hasn't been the healthiest week for eating.  The other night I picked up Cool Ranch Doritos and White Queso Dip, and that evening I made myself a root beer float.

Aversions: Meat.

Symptoms: Sleeplessness - unless I am completely exhausted, I wake up several times throughout the night -- always to pee, and to toss and turn and try to go back to sleep.  I have a lot of vivid dreams, and I become aware of them often as I am in and out of sleep several times.  I am still very tired when the evening comes.  I am also still experiencing lower back pain.

Mood: Anxious to find out baby's gender, decide on names, and begin the process of finishing our downstairs and moving the kids' bedrooms around to make one for baby!

Excited for: Finding out the gender -- deciding a name.  Far from now, in May/June, I am excited to take maternity photos and have a baby shower!  I am really, really excited for summer.  I usually always am, but this year more than others.  One reason being the beautiful weather where we can spend our time outdoors, and of course, because that's when we'll get to meet baby!

Break-down: None!  No tears, no angry fits, no real emotional ups or downs lately.

Movement: I thought I may have felt my first flutter on Sunday (14 weeks, 2 days) while driving.  There were two bursts of "bubbles" that felt different than my stomach gurgling.  I have been trying to be aware of any movement and feeling inside there to see if I feel it again!

Jacky (5 months) and me (3.5 months).

Next Christmas we will have a 7.5-month-old and a 6-month-old!

Lenox-Scapes

13 Weeks

(Written December 16)

I sort of considered myself out of the first trimester after 12 weeks, especially since baby measured 4 days bigger at our first ultrasound.  However, I realize now that it is after 13 weeks you are technically in the second trimester, so I am days away.  Basically, I expected to wake up and feel so much better, with so much more energy.  I woke up last Saturday in the night with severe abdominal cramps, and couldn't get any sleep.  I ended up having a touch of a stomach bug, and it was miserable.  I called my mom first thing that morning, who reassured me with her nurse knowledge that what I was experiencing was a bug/flu and not pregnancy related. 

Keane took the kids to Kaden's basketball games, and sent Kylie to stay with a friend for the evening (she ended up calling Keane at 10:30 that night asking to come home).  While I stayed home to suffer get better, my mommy came over to take care of me.  Luckily, with some water and 7up, rest, and her caretaking, I was better by that afternoon.  Not completely, but a whole lot better than I had been.  My mother is such a sweetheart, I tell you.  She rubbed her fingers through my hair, visited with me when I wanted to chat, sat quietly when I didn't, cleaned my kitchen, and prayed for me (and my sister, who, four hours away, was sick as well). 

I still feel queasy when I don't eat the "right" thing, and when I say "right" thing, I just mean whatever feels right after eating it.  I try to eat smaller meals, and snack regularly so I don't get an empty stomach, but I find that I am snacking more often, and I want to maintain a healthy weight gain so that isn't ideal.  I am still showing, continually, and it's starting to grow on me.  On my scale at home, I still haven't really gained any weight.  I just recently reached 110 pounds, 111 dressed.

Cravings: Salads, fruit, water, occasionally caffeine free sodas (7up, Rootbeer), milk.

Aversions: A lot of meat.

Symptoms: The pee-urge has begun.  I was a little concerned that I wasn't peeing often and urgently as I read was such a common pregnancy symptom.  But beginning this week, it happened.  I instantly feel like I have a full bladder (and usually I don't), and I need to go!  I wake up about twice each night to pee.  I've grown accustom to that by now. 

Also extremely tired.  Ready for bed early, yawning in the evenings, wanting naps mid-morning.

Mood: Good.  A little stressed with holiday-spending, but excited for all that is to come!  Not too emotional over here!


Body changes: I definitely have a "gut" right now.  I still fit into all my clothes, as I don't think I've gained any weight except right in my stomach, where it sticks out, especially after eating and/or drinking.

11 & 12 Weeks

(Written December 12)

Wow, I hadn't realized it has been weeks since I last updated about my pregnancy.  I'd say these last two weeks consisted of me trying to stabilize my appetite, attempting to prevent any "morning" sickness to arise, and get as much sleep as possible. 

This past week, my stomach has definitely started to stick out, and stay out.  I will try to resume my weekly photos, now that there's actually something to see.

Today I had an appointment with my doctor.  I heard (and recorded) your heart beat.  It was 148 bpm.  According to my doctor's charts, I have gained 4 lbs in the last four weeks.

Cravings: Dairy, chocolate milk, cold water, grapes.

Aversions: Meat. Sweets.

Symptoms: Ready for bed, all the time.

Mood: Very excited and very happy.  Ready to start growing more of a baby belly!

Break-down: So I've experienced a few more break-downs than usual.  Keane and I were planning on meeting for lunch, and I misunderstood and thought he was going to come to my work to warm up his food.  So when I hopped in the truck with him and noticed that he had his pizza warm and ready to eat, I broke down, feeling terrible that I hadn't warmed up my food to eat with him and didn't bring him a water he had requested since I thought he was going to come in.  I felt horrible, and I cried big, pregnant tears.

10 Weeks

(Written December 5)

We told everyone about you this week, baby!  Since Thursday was Thanksgiving, and a lot of family would be together (particularly my sister and brother-in-law), we decided to share the news!

On Wednesday night, our original plans of taking the kids out to eat and to a movie had to be rearranged since we had two turkeys to smoke for the Thanksgiving dinner.  So I made the kids each a "certificate" and had them framed and wrapped.  The kids both excitedly thanked us for them, but kept staring at them, re-reading them, trying to decipher what message we were trying to give them.  Finally, Kylie said, "Wait a minute -- I see "Big Sister" on here."  And Kaden asked, "Is Kristi pregnant?!" 

I had also made them booklets with a description of the baby each week for them to follow along.  They are quite excited for the news, and have been looking forward to it for quite some time.

Thanksgiving weekend was hectic to say the least.  After hosting dinner on Thursday with my dad's side of the family, playing poker until 2:30 a.m. at my parents', going on a doe hunt Friday, spending the evening at my cousin's visiting with my sister and cousin, Lindsay, who flew in from Arizona, and Saturday having a birthday party for Kylie with bowling and three extra kiddos spending the night, I was completely exhausted.  The following day I was a mess.  I literally cried that morning after getting to work, after work when Keane and I couldn't agree on a Christmas tree or fit a nice one in the car, when I got home that evening and spilled water on the counter, and then again that evening when getting on to my cat.  I woke up Tuesday and decided to take a much-needed sick day.  Sick I felt, and sleeping I did.

Cravings: Dairy: cheese, milk.

Aversions: Meats. Sweets.

Symptoms: Queasiness

Mood: Great.

Missing: My bed during the day, ha.