Pull Up A Chair....

....and listen to a story of a phenomenal woman that I had the honor of knowing.

My Gramma, Oleta Marie Herndon, went to rock babies in heaven this week. I know this is what she is doing. Because it is what she did while we had her here on earth with us.

This woman, My Gramma, is the one who knew how to love unconditionally. She never seemed to judge. She loved her family fiercely. And boy did she love to rock babies and sing to them.

I spent a good deal of time with Gramma growing up. She was always up for playing games. Watching me run and swing in the yard. And rocking me and singing softly to me in her chair.

I am sure we all process grief differently. I am sure we all look back with possibly a few regrets and with memories that stick out to us. I am sure this is unique to each person.

I regret that I did not get over to see Gramma much in recent years. I always thought there was tomorrow. Even once we knew she was sick with Alzheimer's, I always thought there was next week. You always think there will be one more day.

I regret not taking Elodie over soon after she was born. While Elodie did meet Gramma, it was once she was in hospice and not awake often. I know Gramma knows we were there. And Elodie will know Gramma because I will tell her. But I wish I had taken her sooner.

I try to not to focus on those things. As there is nothing I can do about them now. What I can do is make sure I make the most of each day now. With those that are still here. And not wait for tomorrow.

I remember many things about Gramma. Many sweet, precious memories are floating about in my head. Ones that I will never lose or let go of. Memories that I will carry in my heart forever.

It is overwhelming to think of it all at times. When have known of a love that comes from a woman such as my Gramma......you cling to it always.

Words escape me at times as there seem to be no fitting words to accurately describe this woman. Maybe that is it....she is indescribable. To know her was to love her.


To Gramma,

I know you are watching over all of us now. I know you are smiling down from the heavens. I know you are resting when you are not rocking those babies.

It was a blessing to have you as my Gramma. I have never known a kinder, gentler soul. You had an amazing ability to love unconditionally and I thank you for that.

I will forever remember you. I see you in my mind....sitting in your chair. Always smiling and eyes lighting up at the sight of children.


I miss you. And I love you. You will never be forgotten.

All my love,

Your Granddaughter Abby

Gramma with Alexander.

'Tis The Season....

to run around like a chicken with your head cut off. Or maybe that is only those of us who procrastinate?

Since the arrival of little Elodie, we have been busy. Mostly surviving. She is growing, growing though. As you can see....

Elodie at one month....
Elodie at two months....
Miss Chubby Cheekers.....with blue eyes.

The three (!) bigger kids are adjusting well. At this point none of us remember life without the newest Princess.

Xander turned two in November. Complete with a Yo Gabba Gabba party.

Elodie also gave us her first smile.

Kiki and little Kiki

November passed and we hit the ground running in December. We spent the first weekend making tamales.

The kids and I decorated aprons and made gingerbread houses. Though I could not let them decorate it. Next year: a small village where each child decorates a little house of their own. Oh yes.

Front of house....gingerbread is not the easiest to work with.
side view

And that brings us to today. Finishing up Christmas preparations. Watching the babies experience the world, trying to see life through the eyes of a child as much as possible.

Beautiful Princesses
A mama and her girls

With that.....

We wish you a very Merry Christmas! From our house to yours.....

And One More Makes Four.....

So I am a bit behind......please excuse me. I was having a baby.

Elodie Bella joined us two weeks ago. She is beautiful and perfect. She has been a wonderful baby. We are all settling in to our new family of six.

Here are a few pictures of Miss Elodie.


Until next time.....

Down To The Wire

Oh my......just under two weeks to go.

The nesting has begun. The freak outs are coming. In no time we will be a family of six.....wow.

I am trying to get some small things done around the house. I find it amazing how God shoots you with a burst of energy in the final moment before you bring a new life home. Just little odds and ends to take care of.

I have also found it funny how I worry at times about the kids sharing rooms. Yet, due to a mother in law who is kind enough to come and clean and organize our house, the kids all slept in Xanders room because of the smell of the cleaner. They only needed to sleep there Friday night. Three days later......they are still sleeping in there. I think it is great that the kids seem to love to be together that way. I hope it is something they never really outgrow. That closeness.

Our family will have an exciting few months coming up. Not only bebe number 4, many holidays, birthdays......but some special things for my oldest kids. We have truly been blessed with a family that loves and cares for our kids in a way that is indescribable. And it is not so much that it takes a village, but it is heartwarming to know that they have that village there for them. What a great deal of peace it gives me as their mom to know that they are surrounded by people who go above and beyond....because they want to. My kids will be afforded experiences and opportunities as a result of such loving aunts, uncles, tias, and Nanas. Amazing....

As we wind down to the end of this pregnancy journey, I am often reminded to savor the little things. Be thankful for all things. And of how blessed we are.

I Am Growing A Life....Cut Me Some Slack

Still here. Five weeks to go. Growing a life is hard work. Or maybe I am a whiner.

So, instead of writing a ton of nonsense, because honestly at this point I think that is what it would be (sleep is not my friend right now.) I will post some pictures of what has been going on here at our house.

First, here is the most current pregnancy shot. I look...beat down. I am aware. This is 33 weeks.

I have also kept myself busy (!) with knitting. Here are the the finished projects. Small knit pants for the baby. The top pair are knit in a yarn called O is for Owl. The bottom pair are knit with yarn inspired by the book Guess How Much I Love You.

Here are the one pair I have finished for Xander. I have another pair on the needles, hoping to finish them up this week. This pair in knit with yarn inspired by the book Goodnight Moon. Which happens to be Xander's favorite book right now.



Here is Xander wearing them. Turns out I need to knit pants for him the next size up. Boy has some thighs....
We have the babies room arranged and ready for a new little one to join his/her big brother. A new infant car seat arrived a couple weeks ago and a new stroller arrived last week. I have all the newborn diapers, but I need to wash them all still. We got new glass bottles for bebe as well as the rubber things to put on said bottles to help keep them from breaking should they get thrown.

We need to dig out all the other baby gear and clothes that have been stored in the attic. Sort it out and get it all cleaned up.

We have arrangements made for all three big kids while we are in the hospital. It is almost go time.

Emma has been signed up for horseback riding lessons. She will first take a Basic Horsemanship class, learning the basics of horse care and handling. Then she will be able to take beginning riding lessons before they close for the winter. She seems to be looking forward to the adventure.

Davis is playing soccer. After season is over (mid October) we will look for music and art classes for him. He is artistically inclined and that is how he best expresses himself. We finally bought him a keyboard (it was supposed to be his birthday gift.....we are slow) and he has been playing to some every day.

Xander is getting big. He talks all the time, though not in a language we understand. He loves numbers and books. He likes to be read Goodnight Moon about 400 times a day. He also enjoys taking a bath and brushing his teeth. And he likes babies. Or dolls. As is evidenced by the pictures his big sister took....we will see how he feels about a real baby.


I think that covers it for around here.....for now.

Making Progress

I am really enjoying knitting. Ask Mark. He makes fun of me all the time. I should have known I would like it. My favorite part of making sugar cookies (or cakes) is the icing/decorating part. I like to work with my hands in a creative way.

After making the doll blanket for Emma and scarf for Davis, I moved onto some little hats and booties for the baby. This was to give me some practice in knitting in the round as well as some other stitches. All those projects taught me a lot of the basics. They also taught me how to make my hands do what they needed to do to make the needles and yarn do what I wanted it to do.

After that, I felt it was time. Time to pick up the longies pattern and go for it. The first round was a hot mess. For one, I tried to do too many things in one pair (learn not only short rows, gusset, and grafting the gusset together but how to make increases in the legs? Bad plan.). Second, I got turned around at the legs and was knitting inside out. Hard to explain, but basically I was knitting backwards. Those first pair were gifted to Emma for her dolls. She was very sweet and told me they were very nice.

After that, I was more determined than ever to figure out how and where I had messed up and correct it. Time to cast on round two of practice longies. As I already have a list of pants to knit up both for the new baby and for Xander for the fall/winter. Got to get moving.

I cast on and began. I worked the waist, getting the ribbing just about spot on. At this point I am fairly good at discerning what is a knit and what is a purl stitch. Then, I attempted the jogless jog to change yarn colors. This time I got it right. Off to work the body, making short rows to allow for a cloth diapered bum. While they are still not perfect, they are much cleaner this time. I finished up the body and was ready for the gusset. I admit, I goofed the gusset up. I tried to do it without watching my videos and I needed to be talked through it. So my gusset is messy. I then divided for the legs. This is where last time I got completely turned around. After a few minuets, I figured it out and began working leg one.......CORRECTLY! I finished leg one, with a decent seed stitch cuff and went to graft the gusset. Because the gusset was already a mess, grafting was not the best. In other words, the crotch of the pants is a bit wonky. But they are holding together. They just do not look pretty. I got leg two worked the right way much quicker.

Here is the work in progress.

The front:


The back:


Once these are done, I am going to move on to my list of what I want to knit. Emma and Davis have requested a couple of things as well, so I will try to work on some of those as well.

Way Behind

I am way behind in posting current belly shots. I decided at 20 weeks to go for every 3-4 weeks between. As now, while I am getting bigger, the change is not as noticeable weekly. And it is hot.

I am already getting, "SO, you are having the baby soon huh?" To which I say, bite me people. Not until September. I am "officially" at 26 weeks now. My OB will likely schedule me a week early. I think we are thirteen weeks out now.

17 weeks


18 weeks


19 weeks


20 weeks


23 weeks


Looking.....big.

Next Up.......Socks

I was able to figure out how to knit little baby hats. My circular needles were too big so I had to do Magic Loop. Once I got that down, it was easy going.

Here is hat number 1. I used cotton yarn, Lily Sugar 'n' Cream in gumdrop. I think.



And here is hat number two. This is Lily Sugar 'n' Cream Naturals in browns.



Next, I am going to try to make matching socks. I also want to knit a bigger hat for Davis. And Emma wants that little purse. Those are on my list to have done no later than the end of July. Then.....time to try my hand at longies.