My friend Debbie

We were in Austin this past weekend for our baby shower and I got to steal a few minutes to see my great friend Debbie. You know, my friend Debbie with five kids. She's so great. She gave us a box full of goodies, an adorable diaper bag, mongrammed bloomers, and lots of ideas and tips!! Seriously, she is awesome and it was so great to see her!


Look how Miss Elizabeth has grown!! She looks like Daniel to me!


And the rest of the girls!! Daniel, you were missed but I hope you had fun at your friends house!


Ok, so have I mentioned that Debbie has 5 kids??? Well, she needs an award for organization, cleaning, and decorating. Yes, I am jealous. I love, love, love her house at Christmas. But her fall decorations were just as adorable. Here are a few.....

25 Weeks

Here is the 25 week porch pooch picture. Yes, I am big and from what I hear you double in size in the last few months. Oh dear. I can't believe it's the middle of September. December will be here in no time!!

Teaching Certificate

So I now have another teaching certificate!! I am officially allowed to teach in the state of Illinois. This process takes forever....although Texas was by far the longest and I have done this now in 4 different states. In Illinois, I can teach kindergarten through 9th grade. Again, too bad they aren't hiring. I still have to take two tests which (again) is way better than Texas, where I had to take 5!!! These tests are very expensive. Argh.



And sadly, this was the article in the paper. Poor Chicago Public Schools. They should hire me.

A Housewife

So school has officially started here and I am not in a classroom. Although hundreds and hundreds of teachers were let go last year and schools here are in pretty bad shape, it still at times doesn't make me feel any better. I miss the classroom and the cuties coming in with their backpacks on and the pancake syrup still covered all over their mouths. I even miss the annoying kids. And...they aren't taking substitute applications. Let me repeat. They are not taking substitute applications this year. They have too many displaced teachers (reread the second sentence). I can't even substitute. Geez. And although I have searched and applied to a bazillion jobs and they don't discriminate against pregnant women, no one seems to want to hire an oompa loompa. Jerks.


The positive of this post is that I love, love, love being a "housewife". When it comes to domestic stuff, I could have popped right out of 1952 (without the perfect hair and make-up). But I do love cleaning. In fact, I just cleaned the refrigerator...like CLEEEEAAAAANNNNNEEEDDD the refrigerator and now I feel all ooey gooey inside because I am going to do laundry next. I have my fall scented candles burning, the fall air through the open windows, the bed is made, and the vaccuum has already done its work this morning. And I am about to make a grocery list for some new recipes I want to cook. Really, I am a nerd when it comes to being a housewife. Burke would agree...about the nerd part. I do love it. I mean, I do love being in my pajamas all day too but cleaning and cooking and housewife-ish jobs do make me happy. So lucky for me, even though I do miss the classroom, I do love my new "job". (Additional note: Just because I love cleaning....doesn't mean I'm good at it...)

So now that you all know I am a freak....the other day I was blog stalking and came across this oh so fun "Fast and Furious Fall Cleaning". OooooOoOoOOOooooH! I am excited. I am not sure what this lady is going to post on her blog for the week of October 4-9 but I am in. This will be right after our last baby shower, so it will be perfect timing for some baby organization and cleaning. Plus, it probably will be getting colder here so I can switch out seasonal clothes. (Side note: I am so excited about cooler weather. And I am even more excited about snow. Happy about these seasons in Chicago.) I like Fall Cleaning. And Spring cleaning.

(Mother, cough cough, maybe you should do it with me, cough cough. :o)

24 Weeks

We had a doctor's appointment today and everything looks great. Marin is growing into her big head quite nicely. The ultrasound lady gave us 3D pictures this time. Of course, I think they can look a bit creepy but it was fun seeing her today. She was moving around and kept getting her hand in the way of the picture but she did get these pictures.

I know it is really hard to see the scanned pictures on here but in this picture I think Marin has Burke's mouth. She's gonna pop and look just like him I know it.


She looks rounder from this angle...so I can say she looks like me in this one. :o)


And whoever can figure out what this is will be the blog post winner?!?!?
(I have no idea what this is. I'm sure the lady told me but I have completely forgotten. Hoping you guys know....)