Long overdue -- the post not me

I've finally added something new to our family blog. This is the part of the post where I expound upon how difficult it has been to be pregnant, balance the end of another semester of school, 4 kids, a household...followed both various other excuses for not blogging sooner, but I digress. Suffice it to say, I'm just happy to finally be posting something new to our blog.

We've had one of the busiest summers on record for our family. The pictures in our slideshows won't show even a tenth of the things we have seen and done but we're happy to have a little something to share with everyone.

In June we travelled to Utah and Idaho to visit our beloved family. We were able to stay with Stephanie, Jeff and their adorable children for a short time. We loved every minute of it. We were also blessed to be able to take the kids to the Oquirrh Mountain temple open house. This was an amazing experience for our family. The Temple was breathtaking and the spirit was powerful. Definitely a day to remember.

To make things even sweeter, Krystell was able to spend our entire visit with us. It was awesome to have her join us on all our little adventures this summer. We always have so much fun with her.

We then drove to Idaho to visit Mom & Dad. It was so good to see them again. All of the kids did what they could to get Grandma's attention every moment they could. We had a special treat this visit in that Grandpa was home to visit nearly every minute of our stay. We wish that he wouldn't have been home recovering from a serious set of breaks in his right leg, but we certainly enjoyed having more time with him. Stephanie, Jeff and their kids joined us for most of our stay in Idaho which was wonderful. All of the kids enjoyed spending as much time as possible with their cousins. We played games, went to the park, laughed, celebrated Father's Day and had a great time. The crowning jewel was our annual fishing trip. Thank you to Grandpa for making it possible again this year. Our family was so excited that we could be there for it this year. It was an awesome trip. We can't wait to visit again soon.

Confucious say...

To answer a question several people have asked, I am posting the following link http://parenting.ivillage.com/ttc/ttcsigns/0,,j736,00.html. You can find the Chinese Fertility (Gender) Calendar here.

My clinical instructor for OB this semester said this was the only thing that she would ever put any stock in when trying to predict the sex of the baby prior to ultrasound. I tested the calendar for myself and it was 100% accurate. Kind of spooky, but accurate.

Oh, by the way, Confucious will not be on the short list for the baby's name.

Boy Crazy

Yep, you guessed it, in true Hebdon fashion we are officially expecting another boy! Everyone is excited -- even Beth. (Of course she is excited. She will retain the privilege of her private room.) I am personally delighted that my original prediction has been proven correct. Thank you Chinese Fertility Calendar!

We are so grateful that everything looked as it should on the ultrasound -- what a relief and a blessing. Now all we have to do is figure out what to name this little guy. Any suggestions?

How can the shortest month of the year be so busy?

It's hard to believe that we are already half way through February. It seemed like January was never going to end -- I guess morning sickness has that effect on you. February has picked up speed, however, I find myself scrambling to keep up.

Jake will be turning 11 next week -- WOW! Time passes so quickly when you are looking back on things. Jake is looking forward to registering for spring baseball and continuing to do well in school. Fifth grade has proven to be a good year for him.

Beth participated in an Honor Band experience earlier this month which was very exciting for her. She did well, learned a lot and is looking forward to auditioning for next year.

Adam seems to be the king of birthday parties this school year. In all he has been invited to 8 and was able to attend 5. Wouldn't you know it, he came home with another birthday party invitation from church today. He certainly is a social butterfly.

Ben is currently focused on the new baby. When he isn't coming up with creative name options like Mario, Luigi and Chancho (for a boy) or Princess Peach, Princess Toadstool, and Maggie (for a girl) he is busy inquiring how a baby comes out and wondering whether or not he will get to see it. Never a dull moment.

Kevin is continuing to get leads on finish carpentry work and other projects (for which we are grateful given the current economic conditions). He is also looking to add a full-time job on top of it all. He is one amazing husband.

I am trudging along with school this semester and starting to gear up for mid-terms in a few weeks (already?). Add my bittersweet resignation at the hospital (I loved my job but need to prioritize right now with the pregnancy)to the mix and it has turned out to be a rather busy month already.

We are grateful every day for our blessings and thank the Lord that He sees fit to bless us with so much!

Love is in the air

Shamefully overdue as this post is (let's face it, I haven't posted anything for more than 2 months)I wanted to officially let everyone know that the Hebdon household will be increasing this year. That's right, Kevin & I recently found out that we are expecting baby number 5! Though this is a little bit of a surprise, it is a pleasant one. The whole family is excited!

Love birds, vampires and werewolves, oh my!

Okay, okay I have finally come to grips with my addiction and as a part of my 12 step program I am openly admitting my problem to the world. I have become addicted to the Twilight series. I picked up a copy of Twilight last Monday and now find myself in the middle of book three, Eclipse. Now for many a die hard fan the fact that an entire week has lapsed without my ability to read the four book series in its entirety may deem me a wannabe fan, not a true fan. But in the interest of full disclosure I remind those die hards that I have managed to read Twilight, New Moon and the first half of Eclipse in under two weeks while attending nursing school full-time, working part-time and raising a family with four children. (Hopefully that will give me a little wiggle room)

Needless to say, it is my goal to finish the remainder of the series before watching the movie next weekend. Though I am very excited to see Edward & Bella's unconventional love on the big screen, part of me is trying to prepare for a little disappointment. I realize that the movie is not likely to live up to the book, but I'm still willing to pay my $ 9.50 to take my chances.