At the close of the year...

Are we really at the end of 2013?  I feel like since October, life has zipped by so fast that it is just a blur.
I looked back at my first entry for 2013 and I mentioned goals of reading the Old Testament.  I am still in the process of that and enjoying increasing my knowledge of those times.  I'm not as far as I thought I would be.  But it's not where I am, but the direction I'm going, right?
I also mentioned how I would have Drew potty trained sometime this year.  Well, guess what the last 3 days have been the best days yet!!  FINALLY it has clicked.  He's telling me when he has to go and at times taking initiative in going himself without being told.  I didn't know I could find so much joy in such an accomplishment.  But beings that I started the processes for the first time over a year ago, you may understand where I am coming from. :)
Other goals of mine were all hinged on self-discipline.  I will say I did great with that until I got pregnant and not feeling well, I lost my rhythm in exercising and getting up early to read scriptures.  Although I have felt much better, I still have had a hard time getting myself to bed early.  One day I'll master that.
So, now here we are at 2014!  I'm nervous for the challenges that I will face this year having 3 kids so close together.  I feel like my goal is just to survive well.  :)

Here are some pictures from our November trip to MD.  Jamen (Andrew's brother) took these for us.

It's a....

Already did the big announcement on Facebook, and sent this video to family.  However, I realize that not all are in both of those circles. :)  We were surprised, but glad to know. Now for a name...

8-13-13 Celebrating the Big 3

We are huge party planners, but had a nice birthday celebration for Drew.  Andrew and I blew up and hung balloons around the living room and I hung some streamer things from the ceiling the night before.  When Drew woke in the morning to see all of that and some purposely placed balloons on the floor, he was happy and excited that it was his birthday.  He even came to me after 10 min or so of playing with the balloons and thanked me for his birthday.  What a sweetheart!  The cake didn't quite turn out how I planned, but it tasted fine and looked cute enough.  Drew is such a sweet boy and we are so blessed to have him in our family!  (Side note: He's been doing way better this go around with potty training, I see real light at the end of the tunnel.)

A gift from our friend!  

Gifts

Well, what I have told many people is what has made me eat my words more than anything has been parenthood.  I had my idea of what our family was going to look like as far as spacing and Brynn was the first to put me in my place.  When I would see mothers on the street pushing a double stroller, I would usually say to Andrew that it was my goal to not to have to buy one of those.  Side note: I love mine and the kiddos that go in it!  After Brynn, my thought was, I'd like a nice space and then maybe two more close together....open wide, Bridgette, so those words can be gobbled down!!  We are welcoming baby Long #3 into our family in Jan!  I was having a hard time swallowing this news.  I know of many, many people who struggle with fertility...I feel like I struggle at the other end of the spectrum. :)  One day when I was having a hard time with this timing, I asked Andrew to give me a priesthood blessing (http://www.lds.org/topics/priesthood-blessing?lang=eng) and I was reminded that this is a gift!  Later, I was thinking about why I had a plan of spacing kids three years apart (not 3 in 3 years), and it was because I didn't think I could handle it if I had kids too close together.  Immediately after that thought, another thought followed, of something along the lines of, maybe I am meant to have my kids close together because I can't 'handle' it and therefore need to rely on the Savior more than I may have otherwise.  Not sure if that is my 'answer,' but I plan on applying that thought! Another gift that I know has been heaven-sent, is that I have been WAY LESS SICK than with the other two!  It has been a relief and such a blessing!  I thank Heavenly Father each night in my prayers for that.  I still have lost 7 pounds and have lost my cookies more than a few times, but I didn't even start getting sick until week 8 and I wasn't even sick each day. The most I've thrown up in a day is 3 times and I have had several days that I don't throw up at all.  Blessings, blessings, blessings!  I have had one appt with the same CNM (certified nurse midwife) whom I went to with Brynn and we were able to see a healthy baby! Gift! The baby was measuring about 13 weeks in the pic below and that was just a week ago.  I've been slower at telling people...which will make it all go faster. :)  

So Far this Summer

June and the beginning of July was filled with family, family, family!  We have a Quinn family reunion in a beautiful location in Central WA.  Along the way, we stopped at a friend's place in Spokane and stayed over night.  We had a good time with them and getting to know her kids.  After that weekend, we traveled over to the Olympia area and went to Great Wolf Lodge with the Bob Quinn Family for a couple of days.  We enjoyed ourselves, but were sad that driving there AND back there was rain, so much for the 'we'll get out and play at parks' plan.  We were glad to make it home.  After a week and a half, some of Andrew's family came out and we had a great time!  Loved having them here for a week.
We've had fun in the house and we've been to one fair this summer and Drew loved the rides he went on.

Missoula on our way to WA...yep sprinkling, but the kids still loved it. 

Spokane: Riverside Park

Drew rode a carousel for the first time. 

Brynn and I watched them all go around and around. :)

Andrew, his brother, and his dad got to go on an airplane ride.  Here's the farm!

Drew is so silly!

Drew likes to take pictures!

Sparklers!!!  Happy 4th!!

Fair time!

Andrew says that Brynn looks like a sweet pack of  bubble gum in this this dress. 

Andrew woke up in the middle of the night and saw the northern lights!

PROJECTS!!

I've been trying to stay busy, but I seemed to do it all at once. 

Saw this on Pinterest and thought I would try it.  Drew loves it!

I made this pillowcase to go with Drew's new bed.  We are using Andrew's old sheets from bachelorhood. 

Once again, I saw this bed 'frame' on Pinterest and it was almost a "Pinterest fail."  Once we get a bedspread  it will look better.  I got the tutorial from here http://www.designsponge.com/2009/07/diy-project-upholstered-toddler-beds.html

I love Pinterest and felt...

So we have a church conference coming up (stake conference) and I was thinking about these cute things I saw on Pinterest http://happyhawkins.blogspot.com/2011/12/homemade-christmas-gift-1.html

I came up with the truck one myself though. :) I was needing some boy scenes after I had done the flowers.  

I hope that Drew will be as excited about this as I am.