Hello November!!

So - i have been SOOO BAD ABOUT POSTING! I have to say i have a little of an excuse! Let me just recap what has been happening the last few months....
So September started out great and busy - we were waiting on our precious little man to arrive. He was due to make his appearance on the 29th....but had other plans! We went to the doctor on the 12th - everything was fine and looking good so Dr. Bailey scheduled my induction for the Spetember 23. However, when i came home that night Matt and I decided it was time to pack bags and just be ready. Good thing because around 2:30 a.m. i started feeling what i thought "might" be contractions. I wasn't sure so i just tried to sleep as much as possible. I went to work, but told Matt to keep his phone because i thought something might be going on. I was RIGHT! I went to work - timed my contractions - and called the doctor around 8:30. They told me to come in and i was indeed in labor and making progress! Yay! Dr. Bailey sent us to walk around and go to lunch, we did then went back again. And again...we were sent to walk around. We made a few laps around Lakeshore Mall and those of you that know that Mall can imagine how exciting it was! I also walked around Bell Construction a bunch...needless to say my feet were TIRED and by 4 i was ready to head back to the doctor. I wasn't feeling too well by then. We say the doctor around 4:45-5:00 and he sent us to the hostpital....it was a good thing because i was DYING for an epidural by that point! So after a short while at the hospital we welcomed our 2nd precious baby boy - HUCK STEVEN.

Huck Steven Bell

September 13 ~ 9:59 p.m.

6 lbs. 2 oz. - 19.5 inches

Such an absolute blessing to our lives! 

Wrapping Up August!

We have had another WONDERFUL, BUSY month! I started back to school at the beginning of the month and Cobb started PRESCHOOL this year! He Loves it - and is just growing up before our eyes so much everyday -

We went on Family Vacation with my side of the family. We headed down to Destin for a few days - it was so much fun...and Cobb & Arielle had a blast playing in the water, sand, golf course, and destroying the house! They were VERY GOOD! It was great to get away to the beach one more time and enjoy a little more family time ~ it always goes too quickly...i think we could have all stayed a few more days!

It has been a great month...and continues to be very HOT! September is coming too quickly...which means i (we) have got so much to do for Huck's arrival - it's sneaking up on us! The "To-Do" list is in place, growing and is planning on getting finished this week. Hopefully we get it all done so we can relax in September and enjoy the last few weeks as our family of 3, before we are blessed with our new baby boy bundle of joy and there are 4 of us from now on!

We can't wait to meet Huck - i end the month 36 weeks and growing - things are going great so far. Continue to pray Huck and I stay healthy and have a good last month of pregnancy! We go back to the doctor on Monday where they will check him out again. The issues i had with Cobb do not seem to be coming up with this pregnancy so we pray it stays like that and we make it to 40 weeks and he can come on his own - I can't believe we only have 4-5 weeks left! Boy this has FLOWN!!! I will keep you all updated as we approach the big day :)

July Update

Well July has been a great month! We had a wonderful vacation with Matt's family to St. George! We have been busy trying to get things done before i go back to school and before Huck gets here. We have enjoyed time with family and friends - from hanging out, to going on the boat with mom and dad, to just relaxing and trying to stay cool...Boy has it been HOT!!!

"Cobb the Pirate"

A night at the lake with Mimi & Grandpa

Cobb celebrating Nanny's 75th Birthday!!

I had a doctor appointment yesterday - everything looks great and Huck seems to be growing and doing wonderfully! I am going to the doctor every 2 weeks now for my next visit or two then we begin weekly visits until he gets here. This pregnancy has flown by...and i know it's only going to go faster from here! I still have some major organizing and cleaning to do...i guess it has become my "August Project."

Jennie came yesterday and painted Cobb's room - it looks AMAZING!!! She is so talented! If you need any design or decorating contact her... http://www.designmixllc.com/

I have been busy with my sewing adventures and have gotten a blogsite up and running for it - feel free to check it out http://www.truckstrainsandstitches.blogspot.com/ I am having fun with it for sure!!!

This is my last weekend  off work - I plan on enjoying it by hanging around the house with the family! Cobb starts school in a few weeks so i know we will have so much more to share soon :)

Hope your summer has been as wonderful as ours!

St. George Family Beach Trip

We just got back from a wonderful trip to St. George! it was a blast and if you haven't been that is a wonderful place to take a beach vacation. We did some major relaxing and just had fun. This is our annual trip with Matt's family - the Conner Family Trip. Everyone got to come and it was so much fun spending time with them all!!! Here are a few pictures i thought i would share :)

BEACH FUN!

THE LITTLE FISHERMAN



HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!

COBB WITH PAPA & GRANDMOMMY - They LOVE him like CRAZY!



Pooped after a fun day - Lucy and Sophie thought Cobb's bed looked good to go night-night too!

Family Pic by the Bay - we can't all look at the same time!



We made a nightly run to the ice cream shop...being 7 months pregnant you can do that! Haha!



Cobb & Lucy

I took some REALLY cute pics of Cobb and Lucy the other day and just wanted to share...They are one adorable kid and a pretty okay pup!

Loving Some Summer Veggies!

So we do our best to grow a small garden every year...this year we have the usual - squash, cucumber, tomatoes, and a jalapeno plant. Everything is going good and i am of course on the rampage to not let the squash bugs get my plants....they try so hard every year and succeed sometimes :(

We have started getting some vegetables and they are delicious! I thought i'd share a new recipe i found to use up some of the squash we have gotten it is delicious:

Summer Squash Bread

This is the recipe to make either a 9x13 pan or i used it to make 2 loafs and 1-2 mini loaf pans

• 3 eggs
• 1-1/2-2 cups of sugar (amount depends on your idea of sweetness)
• 3/4 c. vegetable oil
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 3 c. flour
• 3 tsp. baking powder
• 3 tsp. cinnamon (or more if you like)
• 1 tsp. nutmeg (or more if you like)
• 2 cups shredded squash (i used my cheese grater)
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 325 and grease your pans.

Use Electric mixer to beat eggs. Beat in sugar, oil, and vanilla. Gradually mix in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Fold in squash. Mix well, then pour into pans.

Bake 45 minutes or until knife comes out clean when inserted.

Additional Sweet Topping

1 c. brown sugar, 3/4 c. flour, 2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 c. butter - Combine, crumble and place on top of bread :)

Next....Here is a look at some delicious pickles. This recipe comes from Matt's Grandmommy (one of the VERY best cooks i have ever eaten from!)...I won't be giving you the recipe just yet - but feel free to come over and try some. I am going to attemp to make some Spicy Dill Pickles next....we shall see how they turn out!

Garlic Pickled Cucumbers

Big Boy!

Well we have a Big Boy! Last night I went to watch "The Bachelorette" with the girls, and Matt decided he would attempt the "big boy bed" again. We have been working in his room making a few special additions...toys, lamps, rug, a big boy bathroom, etc...and Cobb loves it! Although we still weren't sure that would make the sleeping in the room thing okay. We still have to paint, but that will happen hopefully this week.
So Matt and Cobb played and had thier "boy time" and when bed time rolled around...I'm not sure what Matt said or did, but Cobb was sleeping sound in his big boy bed when i got home! I could not believe it! Matt says there was no secret...but today when i laid Cobb down for a nap (YES! in the new bed!) he kept saying, "Dada"....which tells me there may be more to the story! However it happened though is fine we are very excited!

And sweetly when asked if he gave Huck his baby bed - he replies, "Yes!" He's gonna be the best Big Brother!