It's a BOY! Our little buddy #2

First I have to thank the LORD for blessing me with a healthy baby.  I could have cared less about the gender when we went in for our ultrasound...I just needed to know this baby was growing properly, and HEALTHY!  I knew before she even asked us if we wanted to know if it was a boy or girl, I saw his little parts =)  It's was so wonderful to see him, and now I'm even more eager to bring this little guy into the world...come on July!!!  Although, I need to enjoy each day he's still in my tummy, because it's such an amazing feeling, truly a miracle with them inside, one of the most incredible things I've ever experienced.  He's such a wiggle worm!  Shane & the kids can now feel him kicking too, and we just like to watch my belly flutter.  Nolan was setting his toy animals up on my belly today to see if his baby brother could knock them off. 

Little Miss Olivia did have her heart set on a baby sister.  She is SURROUNDED by boys with family/friends.  Her best friend is also the only girl out of 4 kiddos so she keeps saying "Ella and I can be the princesses."  I remember begging my parents to have one more baby because I was the only girl out of 5 kids!  I have to say I absolutely LOVED having brothers though.  And I know that God gave us what he thought was just the perfect fit for our family, we are thrilled! 

We got the kids blue balloons yesterday as well as little baby boy dolls.  When we picked Liv up from school we had everything set up in her booster seat.  Ever since, the kids have been carrying their new boy babies everywhere.  They both slept with them last night.  Liv keeps swaddling hers, and he's napping in her bed right now while she's at school ;) 

It still feels very surreal because I truly did not think we'd ever be able to experience this again after I had Nolan.  I am over the moon...and can only give the glory to ONE person...Thank you Jesus!  Well, maybe that isn't entirely true...my OB is AMAZING and I do believe he's had a part in this too!

*This little guy is a mover...so it was hard to get pictures with him staying still, little stinker!  If I could guess, I think he's going to look just like Nolan.  Nolan's ultrasound pictures are almost identical.  Hope he gets some of Liv's features too!

These are my 2 favorites!

 5 month belly shots(literally =) )

HaPpY BiRtHdAy Daddy~make a WiSh!

Just a few pictures from Shane's biRThday.  We keep birthdays pretty simple around here, especially when it comes to Shane & I.  He always requests homemade chocolate cream pie instead of cake~which I think is because he knows my Dad will bake him a chocolate cake(devil's food) for his birthday and he loves my Dad's cakes!

When I asked the kids what they wanted to get for their Dad they asked to paint a picture for him again. They did this last year too, so I thought it was cute they remembered that and wanted to carry on the tradition. Shane has last years Picasa paintings ;) hanging in his office at work. I'm hoping the kids want to paint for me sometime too, I want their artwork on my walls!! I think it was a good thing Shane was in Seattle while the kids painted, it was quite messy this time around! They turned out super cute, Nolan painted "a space shuttle" and Liv, a "beautiful garden." I love gifts from the heart~especially from a child's.

                                     

We LOVE St. Patrick's Day!

May St. Patrick guard you wherever you go,

and guide you in whatever you do~and may his loving protection be a blessing to you always.

Liv was being a stinker

and now, it's JP's turn to be a stinker!

My friend Amy made this hat for her little boy David who's a 1st grader in Liv's class.

I loved the bubbles coming out the top of this hat.

Um...so cute, and fUnNy!

My girl!

We've had a fun filled St. Patrick's Day!  It started with "crazy hat day" at school for Liv, followed by a parade, hat contest, picnic lunch, and we ended the day with a trip to the dentist for the kids(were they handed out shamrock balloons, plus no cavities!) 

This is the first year since I was probably 10 years old that I didn't get together with my Hennessy cousins =(  So sad, I just didn't have the energy to meet them this year(and they are at Jack & Dan's of all places, too crammed for this mama!)  My aunt usually makes us the best Irish dinner (corn beef & cabbage, with soda bread,) and we didn't do that either.  NEXT YEAR we'll be back on track.  My grandma used to make little leprechaun houses and we would try and catch them, so funny and I have yet to do that with the kids so that's also on my list for next year.  Here are a few pictures of the kids, and from the crazy hat day parade.  Some people REALLY got in to it, as you'll see.  I loved the potato heads, and Gonzaga hat!

What's for dinner?

I ask myself this question daily.  While I was waiting in my OB office I came across this recipe in Parents magazine.  It's crock pot lasagna and is SUPER EASY, and YUMMY!  We love Italian, especially Lasagna or any pasta dish, and this one has become one of my staples because it's quick(and healthy!)  It can be made ahead, and will be done in a jiffy!  Again, you could add extra(or any for that matter)veggies, meat, anything that would cater to your liking.  Enjoy!

Crock Pot Lasagna

Nonstick cooking spray
1 26-oz. jar pasta sauce
3/4 cup water
1 15-oz. carton light ricotta cheese
1/2 cup shredded carrot
6 lasagna noodles
1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (6 oz.)

1. Coat a 4-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. In a large microwave-safe bowl stir together pasta sauce and water. Cover bowl with waxed paper and microwave on high for 3 minutes. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl stir together ricotta cheese and carrot; set aside.

2. Spoon 1/2 cup of the sauce mixture in the bottom of prepared slow cooker. Break half of the noodles to fit the bottom of the slow cooker and arrange over the sauce in the slow cooker. Spoon mounds of half of the ricotta mixture over the noodles. Top with 1/2 cup of the mozzarella. Spoon half of the remaining sauce over the layers. Top with remaining noodles, breaking to fit, remaining ricotta mixture, and 1/2 cup mozzarella. Spoon remaining sauce over and top with remaining mozzarella.

3. Cover; cook on low heat setting for 3 hours (noodles should be tender). Remove crock pot from liner and let stand covered for 20 minutes. Makes 6 servings.

A night of Superhero fun!

Herzogs & Lofstedts

There's no way around hiding this baby bump anymore

1st grade mama's, these women are wOnDeRfUl!

Wonder woman & Robin(ps~that is all my hair, no bumpit!)

Shane's parents, The Daley's, Herzogs, & Lofstedts

Auction Chairs

Mr. Banks our principal dressed as Mr. Incredible.  He's such an awesome principal!

St. Thomas More had their 32nd Annual Italian Dinner & Auction.  This year's theme was Superhero, which made it really comical/fun!  You can see it in my "high" hair, makeup, and robin costume.  I had a blast getting dressed up for it.  Shane was just fine with a spiderman t shirt. 

It just so happened that this year most of the auction chairs were 1st grade mama's.  I was on the decorating committee and got to help with centerpieces for the tables, and helped decorate for the auction festivities.  It was a great way for me to get to know more STM families.  The Italian dinner was nothing other than DeLiCiOuS!  Homemade meatballs(okay, I didn't actually eat those,) yummy penne pasta with homemade marinara, salad with homemade Italian dressing, rolls, dessert, drinks.  I helped myself to several plates ;)  I love food so much right now!

There was a silent and live auction.  I learned quite a few things about the silent and live auction and will feel more prepared next year.  All in all, it was a fun filled night spent with family & friends.  I couldn't ask for a better community, school, principal, and the fellowship that has followed.  I feel so blessed that our kids can be a part of STM.  *My favorite elementary years were spent there as a child.  I'm looking forward to next years Italian dinner & auction(and am curious what theme will be next?)