Okay, Here's the recipe for "Green Stuff": (btw, it could also be pink stuff, or orange stuff, or whatever...depends on the jello you use)...

Jello, any flavor, but to make it "green stuff" we use lime flavored
1 20oz. container cottage cheese
1 can crushed pineapple, drained
1 tub defrosted cool whip

(*Note, all of the above can be substituted with sugar free/fat free/reduced fat whatever...it still turns out OK)

Make the jello per pkg. directions, but only let set in the fridge for 45min. or so. Then, add the pineapple, cottage cheese, and fold in the cool whip. Let it chill for a few hours or overnight...

VERY LIGHT & Fluffy & Refreshing...I'm not a huge cottage cheese person, but there's something about it, I just love this recipe, so if you're afraid of cottage cheese (like me!!), don't worry...it's not scary!! LOL Also, because I use lite/ff/sugar free everything, it's great for my G-diabetes right now...it's always good, though...and SUPER easy...

Okay, better get back to cleaning...Mom & Chelle are coming over later to help me sort out all the junk that's in Baby Boy's future room!! :)

Love you all!! Kelley, I hope this is all we've pumped it up to be for you!! LOL :)

I know, I know, it's been virtually forever!! :) I AM still alive, and, yes, STILL PREGNANT!! LOL :) I feel as though I've been pregnant forever...but the end is drawing near...and I'm getting a little nervous...

I've got a very yucky cold right now, that has me not feeling very good all over...I'm wondering, though, if it isn't more allergies than a cold...No fever or anything, but I feel achy & lots of sinus pressure...I know you all aren't my dr. so I'll stop giving you my symptoms!! LOL :) Just not a great week for me...

Anyways...I guess I didn't get here to share with you all about my wonderful Emmaus experience, huh? There are some things I just can't share with you (and even if I told you about it, I don't think you'd get the deepness of the experience) plus, if you ever go on an Emmaus walk yourself, I don't want to set your expectations up...We're all on different areas of our walk with Jesus, and what my experience meant to me might not necessarily be what you should/would experience, ya know? SO, I will just start by saying THANK YOU for your emails/cards, they were so sweet & unexpected, and thank you for your prayers...It was a truly humbling, yet very empowering experience for me...

I have to say, my 'tude probably wasn't what it should've been on Thursday night, because I was trying not to anticipate, but I hate not knowing some sort of schedule. That was a hard one for me, and not knowing what time it was & stuff...I never realized what a big time-freak I am...

I've shared a little bit with Missy & Jodi, that looking back over the past year, I can see where God's been gently and sweetly "wooing" me with His grace. Last year (about exactly that, now) we went to Women of Faith (maybe you remember?) and the theme of the Conference was "Infinite Grace." I can't begin to tell you some of the barriers I had up that he started chiseling away at during that pre-conference. Things that I needed to let go, and just realize that God loves me, and sometimes He takes away the things we want so badly out of His grace & mercy, not His anger...And, even broadening my perceptions a little bit about the people I love & their treatment of me. Their actions/reactions aren't always about me & our relationship with each other, but can stem from their previous relationships & their perceptions of themselves...Just like I do!! LOL It just gets trickier with the people we put on pedestals...

Even getting ready for the Women's Retreat last fall, where I spoke about low self-esteem, insecurities, anger, all of that was just a part of the journey of learning more about His grace & love. It forced me, in ways, to look at some things from my journey-my disappointments, my circumstances-and see where I had thought it was God's anger & disappointment in me, but was really His love & grace & mercy for me...

ANYWAYS, a great weekend, where I FELT loved & accepted; FELT His grace & mercy wash over me; and ate VERY WELL!! LOL :) These people don't make you go hungery, that's for sure!! LOL:)

Moving on...Missy shared about Easter...it was pretty much the same with us, just not so many people @ Mom & Dad's house :) We went to church (Steve cooked a TON of bacon for our Sonrise service...) we ate breakfast at church, I taught my last Sunday School class, and was surprised with Mom, Dad, Chelle, & Katie walked through the door!! :) I thought they were going to the Vineyard (which is their church, now, I think, officially). We left & went to Mom & Dad's house, then to Grandma's, then BACK to Mom & Dad's...Oh, and I got addicted to "green stuff" at Grandma's house, btw...Aunt Diane made it, and since I've talked with my dietician, it's pretty much the best stuff I can have right now!! LOL (more on the dietician in a moment). I have CRAVED that stuff...Oh, and it was so great to see Eddie there!! :) I hope he didn't see the shocked look on my face when we were standing on the porch & I was taking inventory of who all was there!! LOL :) That was just so cool, and I hope it was the beginning of many more family things he comes to...OH, and I loved observing Jimmie with the girls!! LOL :) He was so sweet!! The first thing he said to Steve & I was, "I have seen more naked girls in the past week than I have in my whole life!" He was doing an AWESOME job!! :) I guess it was just neat to see him in a different role than Uncle...And, Jodi, as Missy said, I don't think anyone was really worried about how you'd do!! :) I just kept thinking, "Those girls have no idea how blessed they are..."

Okay, I mentioned the dietician...Is anyone REALLY surprised that I flunked the 3-hour glucose test, after having G-diabetes before? I didn't think so...Anyways, I had the test last week, and this past Tuesday we had another ultrasound & my consult with the dietician. They were concerned about my fasting numbers, because those are the least affected by diet, but after a few days of me really being on a good diabetic diet, that's even starting to go down. I have to check my sugar levels 4x's a day, and go back in 2 weeks to see them, and if they're not happy with my fasting numbers, I'll be put on a pill that's safe to take while pregnant...they try pill first, then insulin (PTL!! That was NOT the case 4 years ago when I had this with Abbey, but everything was diet-controlled then). So, we'll see what my body does... What'shisname (poor baby boy doesn't really have a name in stone, yet) was flashing us with the goods during the ultrasound, and there was NO mistaking that he is ALL BOY and that the other ultrasound lady was right!! LOL :) We're having a hard time deciding on a name...Mainly because we're not both around each other for long to have a good discussion about it...But tax season's almost over!! YAHOO!! :)

Oh, and I said I was starting to get nervous...there is just SO MUCH to do around here, and I can't do it by myself...And, unfortunately, it's not just his room, it's the WHOLE HOUSE, including our bedroom...I'm getting nervous about having everything ready & company ready (not that I expect the same traffic this time as with Abbey, but there will still be visitors, ya know), and KEEPING it that way...Flylady's helping, but my energy level is nill...

Okay, I'd better go...It's about time to check my sugar again...It was pretty good this morning...Actually, the lowest fasting number I've had so far...

Love you all & will try to catch up as fast as I can!! :)

My Princess Abbey is FOUR!! I can't believe how fast she's growing up!! Last Saturday was so much fun...First, we went to Sweet & Sassy (I think Missy's mentioned this place...it's a salon/spa-like place for girls, but it's really so much more than that...hard to explain...) Anyways, she got her hair cut (just shoulder-length) but it makes her look SO much older!! After we got done there, we went to CiCi's pizza to get a big enough section. I couldn't remember if that was the CiCi's with the party room or not, so we got there early to get the big back section by the video games. CiCi's was NOT busy, but their party room was full, even though the people left before any of our guests showed up. I had already started decorating a little (just because it's @ a pizza place doesn't mean we can't add a little pink!! LOL). It was fun!! :) I got a little overly confident with the time @ CiCi's (we met there around 4/4:30, and were supposed to be at Build-A-Bear around 6p.m.) So, I looked at my cell phone (I had it out so I could keep an eye on the time ::roll eyes::), and it was around 4:30, and we were all sitting down eating & I relaxed...then it was 5:20 & I freaked!! :) I felt bad, because we had to rush through her presents, but it was a definate time crunch. Somehow, I think because we didn't have to clean up, we made it to Build-A-Bear on time. The girls were SO cute!! :) They do this whole thing when they get the hearts for their bears, and they did so well!! The worst one of 'em was my daughter!! We were going with no nap, and she was DEFINATELY a Birthday Diva...I have no idea where she gets that from!! LOL She about slept the whole day away on Sunday...but MAN did she need it!! LOL :)

Today's my husband's 32nd birthday!! :) What an old man!! hehehe He actually has the day off of BOTH jobs & we've just kinda hung out this morning...It's been SO nice!! :) I love my husband...that's one of the good things about spending so much time apart, I guess, is the softening towards his faults that comes from not taking for granted who he is...Blah blah blah...I know that's not a new thing..."Distance makes the heart grow fonder..." but as Dr. Phil would say, there's a reason for those cliche sayings!! :)

Okay, I'd better go. I've got to move these two along...I'm thinking we need to take a trip to the mall before a party we're going to tonight. I didn't get Steve anything big for his birthday, yet, and want him to peruse Dick's Sporting Goods...Chick Fil-A sounds good, too!! hehehe

Love you all!! Take care!! :)

My foot's pretty much all better!! YAY!! What a week this has been!! LOL :) I ended up going to Dr. Frank by myself (!!WOOHOO!!), and Steve stayed home with both the girls, and it sounds like he had a great time!! Well, all except for Abbey's nap time, but I digress...

Dr. said that my foot looked great (and I did end up taking a shower that day, with a Wal-Mart bag over my foot...the bandage got a little wet, but...wah, I was stinky!!LOL), everything's healing nicely, and there's no infection, so that's awesome. I'm allowed to walk, now, too!! :)

What a weird week. I didn't share, either, that my parents are gone this week on their cruise...I'm sure they're having a great time, but it's been weird all the things that've gone wrong this week without them...

Besides my foot (which they couldn't really do anything about anyway, but, they missed the drama), Steve just happened to be at their house eating his lunch today (and he gets their mail & stuff, too) when the phone rang (he let the machine answer), and it was their renters...their furnace went out!! So, Steve felt obligated (absolutely, this is NOT the weekend for a furnace to go out, ya know?!?! They're forcasting 0's this weekend overnight) to take care of it for Dad. Well, he called the furnace people & they got it rigged to work, but it definately needs to be replaced soon...we just hope it lasts thru the weekend so we don't have to deal with it!! LOL Matt (my bil) said, "They should just leave some blank checks for emergencies when they go on a vacation"...inevitably something goes wrong, or someone dies, it's kinda weird...

I've just booked Abbey's Birthday party!! We're only doing a girl party this year...we might do another big family party when she turns 5 or something, but for now, I think she'll like just having her girls to celebrate with. We're hosting a "Build-A-Bear" party for her, then pizza & cake at Ci-Ci's Pizza (besides Fazoli's, that's her absolute favorite place to eat!! LOL) So, I'm excited. I think she'll like it, and I think the other girls will, too!! :) It's cool, too, because it's actually ON her Birthday this year...We might take her to Chuck E. Cheese's another night because she likes it so much, but her actual party's at Build-A-Bear...Since we're not having a big party, we can afford to get a little more for each child, too, ya know?

Anyways...that's done, and the invitations are bought (yeah, right, I've mailed them!! LOL), and cake plates & napkins, and a few party bag things...I always love looking at all that stuff!! :) So much cool stuff...

Okay, better go...I need to get Princess Abbey ready for bed...She's been pretty good today, except for a couple of time out's...She's really testing me, I think...Okay, she's testing everybody, right now...

Talk to ya'll later!! :) Love ya!! :)

So, last week I broke one of our glasses. I picked it up, swiffer vacked the area, and thought that was the end of it...

Until Monday...

What happened Monday, you ask? I found the last tiny piece of glass that the swiffer missed...with the left heel of my foot!! I had Katie, Monday, too, and Abbey had been walking around barefoot, so, I was VERY RELIEVED that it was me, and not one of the girls...But, it gets worse...

I tried to work on it all Monday afternoon, even called Steve to come home & help with the girls because the only place I could get anywhere to a good look at it was sitting on my bed (remember, I'm 22 weeks pregnant this week, and baby's get big!!LOL)...Anyways, he comes home, looks at it, and says, "You're gonna have to get someone to get that out for you." I scoffed at him, "Nope, almost got it..." well, okay maybe a stretch...LOL :) There wasn't anything sticking out that I could grab hold of to pull it out, ya know?

So, finally, around 5p.m. (Katie had been picked up, and Steve & Abbey had taken a nap, and I was getting worried about missing Bible study) I decided that this was, actually, a time I could use some medical attention...so off to Urgent Care I went...

By the time I got there (around 6p.m.ish), I decided I should just give up on Bible study because there wasn't any way I was getting there on time, and who knows what they would end up doing to my foot...

SO!! I was right, I wasn't even called back until 6:30/45ish, they took my blood pressure (and the nurse was a weirdo, I think, and didn't have the cuff on the right place because it has never hurt THAT bad taking my blood pressure, and so the sky-high reading she got, I pretty much dismissed because it wasn't anywhere near that the next day...but I'm getting ahead of myself...) took my temp, then I waited a few minutes for the dr. He looked at it, and said he wouldn't dig around too much, if he couldn't get it out he would refer me to podiatry. This, of course, freaked me out a little, because I've always thought of podiatrists, especially in relation to taking things out of a foot, as painful...So, Dr. Urgent Care, or as I like to refer to him now, Dr. Foot Torture, started working on my foot. It was the most painful thing I've ever experienced, and I've given birth, people!!

So, he did numb my foot, but not good enough because I still felt almost everything. Because I'm pregnant, I couldn't lay down on the gurney, so it was an awkward angle, etc...I left Urgent Care with a big honken bandage on my foot (and Monday night it was snowing & a little on the slick side, if you locals remember), glass still in there, a prescription for some antibiotics, and a "promise" that they would call me the next day with an appointment time to see a podiatrist. Oh, I was also told to take some Tylenol when I got home, too.

So, Steve came home early (with Abbey...he had dropped her off at Chelle's because that was our original plan for Bible study), I was bawling like a baby, because, daggone, my foot hurt!! and I was hungry, and I could only limp around on my tiptoes, plus being pregnant, so graceful I am not!! LOL So, Steve came home & brought me Subway (bless his heart!!), and some gummy bears (one of my favorites!!), some Tylenol (yes, we were out!!LOL), and my baby girl looked so scared for Mommy, she kept trying to feed me cookies and stuff. I had a fitful night of sleep that night, and was anticipating more torture at the podiatrist the next day...

So, yesterday (I didn't have Katie), Steve went to work (which I had issues with, because he knew I couldn't get up & around much...very awkward, and I was supposed to stay off of my foot as much as possible...but whatever...), and I waited & waited on a phone call from Urgent Care, so by noon I called them...

This is where I got pretty upset with them. I called the front desk & got sent to a nurse, where the nurse told me that I could make my own podiatry apt. Yes, I said, but my paper said that I would get a call from you all with an appointment time. The nurse said, "Oh, yes, I see that now, but really with a podiatry apt. you can call and make your own." Um, that wasn't the point. The point is, my directions said that you all would make it for me, and that you would call me!! That is seriously, ver batim, what my instructional paper said. Is it me, or was that a bad business deal? HELLO?!?! Because I was waiting on you all honken day, I DIDN'T make an apt!! So stupid...and very frustrating...

So, I called the podiatrist (who Steve has seen in the last few weeks, well, a dr. from the same practice, anyway), and they fit me in at 3p.m. yesterday.

Now, I have to tell you, my previous perception of podiatrists has been totally blown out of the water, because Dr. Frank was very gentle, and looked surprised that the guy at Urgent Care caused me so much pain. Yes, the initial numbing shot hurt, but he knew how to do it, girls. I didn't feel a thing!! And, without working for so honken long as the Urgent Care guy did, he got it out!! They didn't make me feel like a freak & inconvenience, either, for being pregnant (the guy at UC did, btw), and his whole staff was very friendly & very funny. I left there feeling no pain, and I slept a lot better last night. Now, granted, I knew the glass was out, but still...I can't relay to you the night & day difference of the podiatrist...

So, I'm taking it easy today...Steve stayed home a little later this morning, and went in to work late (he also works at H&R tonight, so I won't see him until 9p.m. or after). But I go back to see Dr. Frank tomorrow afternoon (and Steve's coming, because I'll have Katie tomorrow, too!!). Oh, but I'm not supposed to get this foot wet (I've got a HUGE banage on it), and I'm not supposed to walk overly much...

But, anyways, that's been my story the last few days...Drama drama drama!! LOL

Love you all!! Hope your week was foot-glass-free!! :)