How time flies.........

I cant believe that I haven't blogged in over a month!!! Just to catch up a little bit....... we went to NC for Thanksgiving. We were able to be there for 5 days well that includes driving there and back but still we were gone for 5 days. Everyone was so excited to see all of the kids and to especially see Mali for the 1st time. There were very few minutes in the day that she wasn't in someones arms. We had Thanksgiving dinner at Mama and Daddy's. My sisters Macy and Mariah and my youngest (but biggest... hes over 6 ft tall) brother Riley was there. Mema (my grandma) was able to be there and to see and hold Mali and Mikal and all of her family and Marianne and all of her family. There were quite a few of us squeezed in the house but it was nice being all together.
Marlee and Makenna had their Christmas chorus concert and it was great. That group of kids sing really good and I love their concerts. Mali is now 2 months old and weighs a big whopping 9 lbs!! She isn't very big but she is growing!! Michael is finally getting a top front tooth and for those of you that really know him, he hasn't had one since he was 2 years old!! Maleah had a haircut this week and man is her hair curly now. I really just trimmed it but it looks much shorter now. Maleah and Michael also got new bunk beds this week. John and I finally got them put together last night (with the kids help) so they were finally able to sleep on them. Which they didn't know til this morning....... they fell asleep on the couch!!
Christmas is next week and I haven't done ANY shopping. When I say ANY I mean I haven't purchased the 1st gift!! NOTHING!!! I need to get busy, I just have to decide what I am going to buy for them!! Today is also the kids last day of school til January 6, 2009. We are hoping to find time to take the kids to Stone Mountain while they are on vacation for a day of fun at snow mountain. It looks like so much fun!! Heres a video that you can look at. http://www.snowmountainpark.com/snow_goodies/promo-detail.aspx?id=14 It's open from Dec 31 til March 31 so if we dont get to go during this vacation there is still time that we can go!!
What a wonderful year this has been. We have been blessed in so many ways. We have 6 beautiful and healthy kids. My husband and I share a wonderful life together and working together everyday. Our children are blessed with the best parents ever (hehehe) and the best grandparents too. Hopefully this coming year the kids will be able to spend more time with Grandma and Pa. (we are hoping they visit more) To everyone that reads this we love you and wish the best for your families in the coming new year.

The 6 of them

Al l 6 of the kids were here this past weekend. They had alot of fun times. I tried getting a good picture of them but try getting 6 to look at you and smile all at the same time. The 4 girls on the right did a good job, but Marlee and Michael weren't very cooperative. So out of all of the pictures I took of them together this is the one that turned out the best. I'm hoping that the next time that Lexi comes down that we will be able to get at least one good picture of all of them so we can put it in our office.

John, Makenna, Maleah and Lexi spent a great deal of the day doing cheerleading stunts, with Maleah being the flyer. John, I have to say caught on pretty quick. They tried getting Michael to do it but he changed his mind real quick!! THANK GOODNESS!!!!!

Anyway Mali is growing tooooo quickly, and time is going by tooooo fast. She will be a month old is 7 days and it hurts my feelings and hurts my heart. Dont you wish sometimes that time would just slow down, but then there are times when you wish it would just speed up. We are planning, as of right now, going to the Island for Thanksgiving. I really want everyone to see Mali before she gets too much bigger. And I especially want Mema to be able to see her.

Life has been good here for us. We have so many things to be thankful for. The kids primary program is this coming Sunday and then the following Sunday Marlee and I are supposed to talk in Sacrament meeting. We are both very nervous to say the least. We have to speak on service. I havent talked in Sacrament meeting since I was pregnant with Makenna, over 11 years ago!! The little one has woke up and so I must cut this short!!

SHE'S HERE!!!!

Mali Anna Peck arrived on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 at 6:15 pm. I had to be at the hospital at 6am. When I got there I was dilated 2 and 70% effaced. At 6:45 they inserted Cytotec into my cervix. Around 10:30 the magic man arrived in my room, Dr Loo, and started the epidural and then at 10:45 I was dilated to 4 and they started me on Pitocin and the Dr broke my water. Soon after that her heartbeat dropped and so did my blood pressure. They gave me medication to bring it back up and put oxygen on me. We kept losing Mali's heartbeat so they put a fetal monitor on her and put my feet up and my head down. I stayed at 4 for quite a while. I think at 4:00 I was finally dilated to 6. It wasnt long after this that I told John, everytime I have a contraction I feel pressure down there. I waited for a couple more contractions to make sure and then I got John to call the nurse back in, that was around 5:00. She came right in and checked me and I was dilated to 9.5. They called the Dr and she finally got there sometime after 6:00. I felt like everyone was just taking there time, but the epidural was still working good, so I wasnt in any pain. I think I pushed thru 3 contractions. When her head came out, they told me to stop pushing, the cord was wrapped around her neck twice, hence the reason for the heartbeat to keep going down!!! The Dr cut the cord and one more push and she was out!! Head full of black hair and BEAUTIFUL!!!! She was much tinier than we thought that she would be. She weighed 6 pounds and 9 ounces. She was 20 inches long. All of the kids were in the waiting room eagerly awaiting her arrival. Everyone was so excited and glad that she was here. We are enjoying every minute with her. All of her sisters and her brother, think that she is perfect and Dad and I know she is. What a wonderful, beautiful, perfect little girl to complete our family. There is nothing in the world like a new baby. We all love her so much and cant wait to watch her learn and grow. Heavenly Father has truly blessed us.

Went to the Dr

OK, so I went to the Dr yesterday, for my last visit!!! YAY!!! I am dilated a whole big whopping 1 cm and I am 50% effaced!! I am to report to the hospital on Tuesday, Oct 14 at 6am. Daddy, Mama and Macy (and all of her kids) are leaving the Island today for Durham. Daddy has a Dr appt in the morning there at 8am. After the appt they are leaving to drive down this way!!

So my to do list:

On Saturday, Marlee has All State Chorus tryouts at 11:40.
Some of the girls at church are getting together on Saturday at 1:00 to have me a little shower. (glad Mama and Macy are gonna be able to be there)
Get my bag packed
Get Malis bag packed
Make sure I have all of the necessary items for the hospital
Make a place for everyone to sleep while they are here
And I'm sure ALOT more!!!

Our last photo shoot!!

I went to the Dr this morning, we had our final in utero photo shoot. She was simply beautiful of course!! According to their calculations she weighed 6lbs 2oz. What a big girl!! And I'm not even 35 weeks yet. She hid her face most of the time, but we were able to get some good pictures of her after her measurements. Only 3 more weeks til I go to be induced. Maleah and Michael ask everyday, how many more days til Mali is here. They are all so excited and so are John and I. Cant wait for us all to be at home together.

A sweet surprise!!!

So this past week has been a busy one at the shop!!! On Tuesday we interviewed about 75 people!! What a LONG day! On Wednesday we had 11 of those people come back for orientation. A very busy morning!! I had to take one of the guys home after orientation was over. Well Mariah and Chris and their kids had been to Florida the past week. They spent Tuesday night in Savannah which is about 3 hours from Griffin. I called her Tuesday night and told her that they should come here and stay a couple of days, which was the original plan, but then we were so busy at the office that those plans got changed!! She said she would let me know something. I called her Wednesday morning and she said Chris just wanted to get home, he pulled his back out while in Florida!! I told her that we should be done with class around lunchtime so if they could hangout in Savannah then maybe we could meet somewhere and at least we could spend a few hours together. So I went on to the office and like I said we had orientation, then I took one of the guys home. On my way back to the office I called her and she said they had decided to go on home and they were almost to Fayetteville. Well when I got to the office, John met me outside and said the Smiths were there and very upset cause their baby had gotten her fingers cut on their machine, for me to hurry and come talk to them. He said this with a kindof smirky grin on his face, I had no idea what he was up to. So I went on in and went in the back of the office and there sat Mariah, Chris, Kenan and Kenly!!! What a sweet surprise!!!!
We hurried home and got the kids out of school ordered pizza and pasta from Pizza Hut, ate and then headed to a Braves game. The Braves actually won the game and we had a great time! The weather was nice, it cooled off and felt really good. They came to the house the next morning and told the kids bye before they went to school and then they headed home! Their visit was short and sweet but we enjoyed every minute of it :)

..........

Ok, so I went to the Dr this past week. I had lost a couple of pounds YAY!! So as of now I have only gained 12 pounds. I was 31 weeks and measured 33. Everything went quite well!! The Dr's here are so much different about things than back in Carteret County. They will induce you with no problems at all. When I had the placenta previa, my Dr had talked to me about a c-section about 2 weeks early. At that time we discussed that most of my family lived in NC and it was about a 10 hour drive for them to get here so a scheduled date would be wonderful. Well as you know my placenta has moved so hopefully heads down and no c-section, BUT she said that she would plan to induce me so that my family could be here. (so nice of her) So my due date is Oct 28 and we have a planned induction for Mali on October 14!!! Its also Julies birthday so we are excited that she may be born on that day!!! I go back to the Dr on Sept 22 for a routine visit and another ultrasound. I cant wait to see how much Mali has changed in the 7 weeks since we have seen her.

Well here goes again.......

Ok so I'm gonna play catch-up!! I went to the Dr and got a good report. Mali had gained a pound in 3 weeks, she is growing very fast!! And no more placenta previa!!! Her little cheeks were so chubby. We are anxiously awaiting her arrival!! I go back to the Dr this week. On Tuesday I will be 31 weeks. So not much longer before this little one is here in our arms, being spoiled rotten. This was my 30 week picture, that was taken this past week.

The kids have started school. This will be their 4th week of school, so its an old thing even to Michael already. Michael is really liking Kindergarten and loves his teachers, Ms Connel and Ms Cross. Maleahs teacher is Ms Ware and shes loving being the only big sister at school with Michael. Makenna is a big middle schooler now. We tell her she has become a social butterfly since she has started Middle School. She spends the nights away now and goes home with friends after school. She even went to the skating rink this past Friday night with Marlee. They are both in Chorus and their 1st concert is October 16. Marlee is loving school again this year and is in the BETA Club and the Chorus Presidency. Thats about it for right now. I will try to post again Thursday after my Dr's appointment!!

New Camera!!!

OK so my camera broke in like October. And I have been heartbroken ever since. I LOVE to take pics of everything especially the kids!! And a camera is definately a must with a new baby on the way!!

Another Dr visit, another peek at Mali!!

So I went to the Dr today and got a few more pics of Mali BUT the main reason for the visit was to check my placenta previa AND it hasn't changed. We are hopeful that it will but you never know. As of right now it looks like we will be having her around Oct 17. If my previa doesnt go away by c-section, and if it does they are still going to let me have her around then by induction. They are doing this so that my family in NC can be here if they want and can be. As for Mali she sure is growing fast. 4 weeks ago at my last visit she weighed 1 lb even today she weighed 1 lb 14 oz. The last time I measured 22 and was 21 weeks (4 weeks ago) and today I am 25 weeks and measured 30!!
She is so beautiful and looks and acts so peaceful when they do the ultrasounds of her. What a perfect little gift from our Heavenly Father. Isn't it amazing how much love you have for your unborn child. The love that we all have for her grows everyday and we cant wait til Mali is here and completes our family :)
On a different note, I am at home alone!!!! John has taken the kids to WAL-MART!!! He's getting them a few things that they need for school and picking up some groceries. They sure are lucky that I met and married someone that loves them so much. I truly feel like he loves them like they are his own and they love him just the same. I am indeed a lucky lady!!

We WERE going to be on time :)

Well, the kids all got up when asked to this morning!! surprisingly!! They all ate breakfast and got dressed for church. I had to wash the shirt that I was going to wear. Iron Michaels and Johns clothes, got all that done. We were actually going to be on time to church today, maybe even a little early. THEN Maleah decides shes going to go ahead and get in the car!! She unlocked the drivers door, layed the keys on the seat, shut the door so that she could get in the back and HAD LOCKED THE CAR!!!! With the keys still on the seat!! Are we going to be to church on time today, NO!! We are now waiting for someone to come and unlock the car!! Hope the day gets better :)

OH YEAH.......

We had a wonderful 4th of July!! We couldnt decide where to go and what to do, because there was so many places we could go and so much to do. We ended up going to Atlanta Motor Speedway to the Friday night Drags and they had a wonderful fireworks show in between the racing!! (Atlanta Motor Speedway is about 10 mins from our house)

Things I would like to do.....

I thought that I would blog a little differently tonight!! I am going to list things that I would like to do in my lifetime, hopefully over the next couple of years!! AND these are in no particular order, just things I would like to do!!

1. Place more trust in God

2. Have more FAITH

3. Read the scriptures cover to cover ( I did in seminary but thats been too long ago)

4. Watch my children grow up healthy and happy

5. Be the best mother ever

6. Gain a stronger testimony

7. Take a cruise!!

8. Have FHE every week

9. Carve my body into a state of fabulous

10. Paint the rooms in my house

11. Get a new digital camera and take lots of pictures

12. Visit my family in Harkers Island more

13. Get a great tan every single summer

14. Do something to help terminally ill children and their families

15. Give to the needy

16. Spend a day just driving and spend the night wherever we end up

17. Go fishing

18. Plant a tree

19. Go white water rafting

20. Nurture self confidence and humility in my children

21. Take a ride in a plane (never been on an airplane, there is a hot pink plane that flies into Atlanta and thats the one I want to go on!! LOL)

22. Visit a foreign country

23. Take a trip to Hawaii

24. Learn to play the piano better

25. Be a better example to my family

26. Not take so many things for granted

27. Go to school!!!

28. Say I love you more

29. Go to a concert

30. Plant a garden

31. Run in a race

32. Have all of the kids pictures taken and framed and placed in my living room!!

33. Get a piano!!

34. Eat dinner every night at a reasonable time!!

35. Take a trip to the mountains!!

36. Make more friends, where I live

37. Blog weekly

38. Travel to Utah

39. Have a BIG Thanksgiving dinner at my house!!

40. Be more humble

Okay this is taking longer than I thought, I have to go and finish dinner, another late night of eating, get the kids in the shower and put on their pj's and get ready for a hopefully good nights sleep!!

OK so its been too long.............. not that anyone probably even reads this!!

Ok so I have waited way to long to post again. So much has happened. I was only 8 weeks pregnant the last time I posted and I am now 22 weeks along!!! We have found that this sweet little spirit that is joining our family is a little girl!! Her name is Mali Anna. I think Mali is such a cute name and LOVE IT!! It also is a Thai name, most of you know that John is 1/2 Thai, BUT I dont think we are pronouncing it the Thai way. It is pronounced like mallie or Tally the Thai way is pronounced more like Molly!! Anyway, then John and I decided on Anna, after my Nannie, Annie Lee!! So when we found out Michael said he had too many sisters, he didnt want another sister he wanted a brother!! I think he would have given her to anyone who would have taken her!! BUT now ALL the kids are excited and we all anxiously await her arrival. I have had complications throughout this pregnancy so we are hoping that her arrival wont be until the end of October like it should be. We are keeping our fingers crossed!!

Last week Grandma and Pa came for their 1st visit to our home here in Georgia. They got here on Monday and were supposed to leave on Friday, BUT Pa left all of his medication at home so there visit was short-lived. Maleah was baptized that Tuesday night by her Pa. They left the next morning for a trip to the Island, the kids were so excited to be able to spend time with their cousins!! I am ready for them to COME HOME!!! I am sure they are having a wonderful time. The first full day they were at Pa's and Grandma's there were 18 kids there!! I was telling Granny about it and she said I bet your Moms head hurts!! LOL!! Its just the way she loves it!! Hopefully they will be able to go out in the boat before they do come home.
Courtney and her boyfriend are down this way right now, they are at Six Flags today and are supposed to come and visit me tomorrow before they leave. Slowly but surely we are finally having family come and visit us!! We are hoping that when Mali is born that we will be fortunate enough to have family visit again!! Well I have been on here for long enough, I guess I should go get back in bed and try to take it easy. We want Mali right where she is for as long as possible!!

Well............

Well 4 days after my last post, the day before Johns 39th birthday, we found out we were having a baby!!! John and I and Marlee, Makenna, Maleah and Michael are so excited!!! Marlee and Makenna wants another baby brother so they can put make-up on him ;) Maleah wants a baby sister and Michael wants 2 baby brothers that he can teach how to play ball. I have an appointment on Thursday for my 1st ultrasound and John and I cant wait!! My due date is October 28, I will be 8 weeks tomorrow!!

We also have opened our own business!! A to Z Vacuums and Shampooers. Michael dropped out of Pre-K to help Daddy run the shop. He says he doesnt like that they never have a day off!! LOL But he loves to go to work with Daddy instead of going to Pre-K. I am still working at the furniture store with hopes of retiring soon. Marlee, Michael and Maleah have birthdays next week. Marlee is having a sleepover/spa party on Friday night, she is inviting 11 girls so it should be fun!! Next week is also there Spring Break and I have taken most of the week off, hopefully I will be able to get some spring cleaning done!!

John and Michael are off to work and I need to be getting ready!! So I guess I will keep this one short and brief and update again after my appt on Thursday!!

By-the-way, the picture down below of the hotel we took Macy and her kids in, got quite a bit of damage during the tornadoes this weekend!! Needless to say, we couldnt ride that elevator right now!!

Long time coming!!!

Time sure does pass fast!!! I cant believe that it has been almost 2 months since I have blogged!! You know we moved here the 1st week of May 2007 and the only person to visit us was Brookie!!! We LOVE you Brookie!! Well FINALLY someone else came to visit!! Macy and her 4 kids!!! We had a great time visiting with them!! We took them to Noahs Ark!!! This is a must for anyone visiting us!!! It is an animal shelter/ foster home for kids!! They have two new tigers that they rescued from North Carolina, just a couple of months ago!! They have deer and llama just walking freely around the zoo. The kids and the BIGGEST kid, JOHN, got in trouble for roaring at the lion!! BUT the animals that I love most there are the monkeys!!! A first for all of us was going to downtown and going to the Westin. This is a 72 story hotel that has a glass elevator on the outside of it!!! It has the best view of Atlanta that you could ever see. It is pretty amazing!!

We first took them to Underground Atlanta, where we were followed in by a homeless man, who knew quite well what he was doing, trying to act all nice and helpful, then asking for money!! And he got some!!! Then we made the what seemed like 50 block walk to the Westin for the incredible view. This was an entertaining walk!! This was the same day as the primary Presidential elections in Georgia!! As we were walking this truck with like a 10 foot bed drives by full of people clapping and chanting OBAMA OBAMA!! Michael asked his Daddy, why are they saying YO MAMA YO MAMA?!! funny Anyway we had a good time and a LONG walk back with 3 adults and 8 kids, 5 of which were 4 and under!!!! We had a fun time and hope they can come back again!!!

John and I (and the kids) are opening our own business this weekend!! A to Z Vacuums. We repair vacuums, sell reconditioned ones and have parts and supplies (bags, belts, etc.) for them!! I have to work on Saturday but John and the kids will be having the grand opening that day!! The kids have all of next week off for their mid-winter break!! Everyone has been sick with colds and such over the past few weeks, SO hopefully they will be well and be able to enjoy their break!!! Hopefully I will be able to blog more and keep anyone who does read this more up to date with what is going on in our crazy lives down here in the south!!!