December...part 2

The day before Christmas Eve (we call it Christmas Adam) we usually go spend the night with my family and have breakfast the next morning with Chris, Tammy and the girls. (That is my brother, sister-in-law and nieces, just in case you didn't know) This year we went to IHOP and then back to their house to open presents with them. Chris was the guest of honor that day because we had sent his picture of "scared of santa" into the Knoxville News Sentinel and he was picked as their #1. Here is the winning picture:

This made our day so much better, you just have to know Chris and how excited he gets over things like this.

Back to White Pine for Christmas Eve tradition with the Samples and Lane families. The menu for the night is Sea Food. That is such a cool tradition they have but too bad I hate sea food! I always make my own food to take and share with my sister-in-laws who don't eat that food either. Another tradition is you have to spend the night with them. We always get the basement and it makes for some good rest! We got lots of great things this year and you can tell Baby Lane will be the first girl in many years by all the presents she received. We loved everything they got her but the 2 that stick out in my mind is her pink daisy BB gun that Aunt D and Uncle Rickey got her and a baby doll all the way from England that Jared's mom and dad have been saving for a little girl for 31 years!! Hopefully pictures will come soon!

Christmas morning we go back to Mascot to my family again and that's when we open our Santa presents! Again, Lots of great things - too many to name. The rest of the family comes up to momma and daddys for lunch and presents. I think they counted a total of 33 of us there this year! I love every minute of it!! We spent the night with them until Sunday and came home a bit early when Jared caught the stomach flu that's been going around. Praise the Lord I have stayed away from it this long and we continue to pray I don't get it!

Tonight we are planning on going to Brian and Amy's new house to be with family and friends and ring in the new year. Off to momma's tomorrow for black eyed peas, hog jaw and greens. It is our tradition to eat that for luck and money. lol I promise to take some pictures tonight and have some to post soon; The entire christmas holiday I did not take the first one! Again, I am horrible and will do better!!

December...

It has been such a crazy month for us. Baby Lane isn't even here yet and it seems like I have no time to do anything! Just wait until next year!

Let me go back December 19th, Jared and I went to Litton's to eat with my mom, dad and Adam before our dermatologist appointment in West Knoxville. Litton's is Jared's new favorite place to eat and I believe it has become mine too!

So, we head off to the dermatologist. I had a cyst on my arm that had grown 2 mm. since July so she wanted to take that off because of my past history with bad moles and my dad's history with cancer. Turns out mine was just scar tissue, could have been from a bug bite, an ingrown/infected hair follicle or anything crazy like that. I am sure no one eles's body would produce a scar from something like that - but leave it to me! Jared on the other hand - he would have some bumps come up on his head, he would loose all hair in that area, it would be sore and about 4 months later that hair would grow back and the little spot would move to another location. WEIRD She took a biopsy of one spot and sent it off. (so that leaves Jared and I both with stitches) His diagnosis was a mild case of Dissective Cellulousis - I have no idea how to spell it or what it really means. All I know it is treatable, and we go back in about 2 weeks to get treatment. We are just thankful it wasn't anything more serious.

Now on to the good part... Jared planned for a surprise weekend away for me! We left the Dr. and headed to Abingdon, Virginia to stay at the Martha Washington Inn. It was beautiful and everyone should experience it at least once! The next morning, we went to breakfast at the Inn and then to our couples massage appointments! It was wonderful and I could have laid there forever. We went and walked through Abingdon and stopped at Pop Ellis' Soda Shop for lunch. Awesome food (Obama ate there on his campaign trail and they had pictures of him everywhere) Besides that, it was great :)

We then went back to the Inn and I took a nap until it was time to go to dinner at the Inn and then to the Barter Theatre for "Another Night Before Christmas" it was a wonderful play and kept us laughing the entire time. I highly suggest visiting the Barter Theatre sometime! You won't believe it but... I did not take one single picture the entire weekend! I am horrible!

Progress is being made!!

Thank you Aunt Candy for the new ornament!

That's correct we are making progress on our house! Jared has done a wonderful job arranging/cleaning the garage and me and momma have knocked out the basement. Doug (Jared's dad) came to look at the living room tonight to see what supplies etc. are needed to put up the wall. I am not sure if I have explained what we will be doing to the house, so let me now...
When Jared built the house he made it a 2 bedroom with a spacious living room and computer room. He was smart enough to think ahead and make all the needed plans to easily add a third bedroom and that is what we are doing now. One wall will be put up and a door cut in the hallway area and we will have the 3rd bedroom. This room will be the guest room with all my pre-marriage furniture. The babies room will be across from ours, what is now the guest room. I think they are planning on starting the room tomorrow and before we know it, that room will be empty and it will be time to start on Baby Lane's room!!

We finally took some christmas pictures together on Sunday (as you can see above) Hopefully Jared will have time to edit them and I can have them out in time for Christmas cards. If not, I could always do Happy New Year Cards :)

Thanks again for all the prayers with my sickness. I am over that - for now - but I have terrible side pain. The Dr. says it is just stretching/pulling of the tendons and muscles around my rib area. I am basically useless unless I have constant heat on it. So if you could pray about that, I would really appreciate it.

I had no idea how many of my friends and loved ones read my blog. That makes me so happy! You keep reading, and I will keep writing! Love you all!!!!

Me & Baby Lane at 25 weeks - 6 months and 1 week

24 week Check-up

Can you all believe I am 6 months along already!?! I sure can't! It is starting to become real to me and I am getting excited. Great news... we found some furniture we really liked at Brown Squirrel but there was just no way we were willing to pay that amount for it. So, Jared emailed the lady and made an offer and they accepted!! We went and picked it up yesterday, so now our baby girl has furniture!!

I had my 24 week check-up today and everything went really well. I have gained a total of 10 pounds for the entire pregnancy and the nurse assured me that was great considering I am over half way there!! Baby Lane sure was moving a lot and her Nanna got to feel her kick several times!! Dr. Moffet did not get an exact number for her heartbeat b/c she was moving so much, but she said it was in the 160's. The pain in my sides and the numbness in my leg is normal (if she says so!) and I just have to deal with it. (not what I want to hear) She did give me a z-pack to help me get over this cold I have been battling. My next visit is in January and I have to do the sugar test then. My February visit is when they will do another ultrasound and check her little kidneys out. Ah, I forgot to mention, I have dreamed that 'she' is really a boy and Jared's dad still believes it's a boy. Ohh my! I will defiantly have my answer at the next ultrasound, I hope! I will get some updated pictures uploaded of this growing belly soon! Until then, Have a great day! :)

*Still no name for this child yet, any suggestions!?*

I have been tagged again.

This time Laura tagged me so I will post my 4th picture from my 4th folder for you to see. I am on Jared's computer so my picture supply is limited.

This is me and my sister-in-laws. Amy (7 months pregnant with Hudson) and Hannah. This is Hannah and Darin's rehearsal dinner. I now tag... Lucrisha!