Happy Father's Day!

(Pics of TJ's PA class at a birthday party)

Happy Father's Day to all of the wonderful Father's out there! Life defintely needs good dad's! I'm especially greatful for mine! I am also very greatful for my husband who will be a dad in just about 14 weeks (give or take). So I got him a little "special" Father's day gift this year. It was a "First Dad's Kit" It included: some air freshener for those stinky times, some Shout wipes for those messy spills that get all over you and baby, some baby powder, baby lotion, baby sunscreen, travel pack of wipes for bum and face, purell, some M and M's and some golf balls! It was a lot of fun to watch him open them all up and read the little notes attatched to each one! I got the idea from a co-worker and I couldn't pass up the opportunity!
This last weekend was quite fun! It cooled down quite a bit and the high's were only 93-95 instead of 99-103 so it was much more pleasant to be oustide! =) Friday night I took TJ out to eat for Father's day (plus I was exhausted from work) so we headed to the olive garden. We haven't eaten there for about 2 years! It was pretty fun and I realy enjoyed my food. TJ says it might be another 2 years before we eat there again! =) Then we headed to Target to pick up some things and we ended up registering while we were there as well. So now we are registered at Target!
Saturday I had to work and TJ studied for his LAST TEST! (hooray, hooray, hooray) That evening we had been invited to our first southern fish fry! It was back out in Siler City (the country) and we had a great time! It is alwasy so interesting to go out there because you never know what to expect! The food was really tasty, all of it was basically deep fried so you felt like the grease was coming out of your pores just from sitting there, but it was a good time! That evening we also stopped by a birthday party for one of TJ's classmates. It is always fun to see everyone!
Sunday was pretty low key as we ate, when to church, ate some more and then I slept ALOT! I don't know why I was so tired, but I think I slept for about 12 hours on Sunday! Needless to say this morning I feel VERY rested! =)
I continue to feel really well and my stomach is growing like CRAZY! I swear, it has doubled in size in the past two weeks! =) oh well, it happens right! aheha. Anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful week and I look forward to hearing from you when you get a chance!

Pictures of the Horse Pull!

So, here are some pictures from the great horse pull that was mention in the before posting! There are also pictures of us in front of some great tractors and of the pig/duck/goat/potbelly pig races we also saw! It was a lot of fun! Plus, while we were there TJ entered into a drawing for a free golf cart! Well, today I got a call saying that our name was chosen to be in the final drawing on June 30th and we already won a two night three day trip to one of 26 locations in the US and a $20 gift card to Outback! We are pretty excited! If we actually do win the golf cart, we've decided I would just take it to the grocery store! It would save on gas..... now if only they made a car seat for a golf cart! =)

Hot, Hot, Hot!

Although most months out of the year here in North Carolina the weather is so pleasant, but this past week has been SOOOO HOT! It is truly summertime out here right now and TJ and I are defintely experiencing it! Warning to our families, when you come out bring several changes of clothes because half way through the day you will want to change out of the sticky sweaty clothes you are wearing! =)
Besides the heat, we have been doing really well! TJ started school again, but honestly, the next few weeks are going to be SOOO much easier then the past year! He is studying a little bit but most of his time is doing class projects which are much less stressful! This upcoming week he is doing a disaster training session where they pretend to be in a REAL natural disaster and are trained how to react. It should be pretty fun!
My work is going pretty well. I still have enough energy at this point to be able to work, but I am defintely exhausted by the end of the week! Plus I am eating like crazy! I seriously eat so much I can't believe it! I keep trying to eat healthy foods, but you can only eat SO many grapes! =) I went to the doctor last week though and I am gaining about 3/4 lb a week, so right on target! I am defintely starting to show more and more though and she continues to move like crazy! The other day I thought for sure she was going to come right out of my belly, she was doing flips or something! It is really fun though, so far so good!
This weekend we tried something we had never done before! There was a "mini" state fair weekend. Basically it was like a car show, but for TRACTORS! Needless to say TJ was in HEAVEN! More John Deere tractors then you could imagine! It was a lot of fun to see all the old and new tractors! Plus, we made it to a horse pull! It is kind of like a tractor pull but they use horses. The horses were beautiful and it was fun to see how powerful they are! Teams of two horses pulled up to 10,500 lbs. and they had to pull it about 27 feet! It was great! The horse pull was on Friday night, Saturday I had to work but then we went swimming to cool off in our pool, ate some dinner and then walked around the mall just enjoying the evening and the atmosphere! It was pretty low key, but a lot of fun!
Anyway, we are doing really well and are so amazed at how fast the last year has gone! TJ only has 2 1/2 weeks left of work and then he is done with the first year! I only have about 15 weeks left until Kaitlynn arrives! =) We are so greatful to be out here in this beautiful state! We really are so blessed to be here and are enjoying all the new things we have been able to try! We love you all and are so exciting to see our families this summer when they come out to visit! We hope you all have a wonderful week!

Ode to my husband! =)

So, I just have to say that I really love and appreciate my husband and I am really sad that he has to go back to school today! The last ten days have been so much fun and I really enjoy the time we get to spend together! =)
After returning from Asheville we were able to spend some top quality time with Eric, Laura and Trey! We stayed up most of the night on Sunday talking, until around 2:00 a.m. I think. Needless to say, TJ and I were exhausted but so excited they came out to visit! Memorial day would not be memorial day without a barbeque! So we had a large barbeque with several of our friends and went swimming in our "chilly" pool that evening! It was so much fun! We also took them around Duke looking at the Stadium, Duke Gardens and the Chapel! It was a beautiful day! Tuesday and Wednesday I had to work, but TJ entertained them. They went to the Homestead, Staggsville, and Bennet Place. Of course they also had to go golfing, twice! And, what would a trip be without some GREAT rook games! =) We had a wonderful time and thank you so much for coming out to visit us!
After they left I had to work on Thursday, but TJ slept (ehaheheha) and did some homework. On Friday we headed to the North Carolina Zoo which was BEAUTIFUL! We walked the ENTIRE thing which took us about 4 hours! We went with our friends the Carriers and their sweet boys! They were such troopers in the hot weather, but the animals were great! It was so much fun!
Saturday we relaxed. We hit some garage sales for some cute little clothes, then TJ did some homework as I tackled the HUGE mountain of laundry in our bedroom! =) Then we cleaned the house, ran some errands and that evening we went miniature golfing with Josh, TJ's classmate, and his girlfriend Melissa and her mom Holly. It was alot of fun to meet them and I golfed the BEST game of my life! I beat TJ by like four strokes! I even got two holes in one! It was so much fun!
So, I just have to mention my sweet husband again. He took care of my family the entire time they were here. He was so eager to help me with EVERYTHING from cleaning the house, doing the dishes or fixing dinner. He is such a sweetheart and I really appreciate everything he does for me and how willing he is to help. Thank you so much for spending so much of your vacation helping me! =) Especially when you went to the grocery store with me, I know it's hard to realize how much I can really eat! =)
Anyway, I know this is long, I will post pictures of the zoo next time. These are picture from Eric and Laura's trip! Plus, we decided on a first name. Her name is going to be Kaitlynn. Not Katie, not Kate, but Kaitlynn! =) We are throwing some middle names around including Kaitlynn Jo (which I think sounds REALLY country, but TJ likes it! ) Kaitlynn Kameron, Kaitlynn Kandice or Kaitlynn Kianna (which is my favorite, it is Hawaiian for "heavenly"). We figure she will need all the help we can give her to not be a little wild child! =) I mean, just look at her parents! hehaheh. I am 24 weeks this week and I am doing pretty well! She is moving like CRAZY now and it's TJ's favorite thing to try to wake her up at night and feel her kick. He is such a sweet dad!
Well, I hope you are doing well. We miss everyone and love you all and hope to hear from you soon! If anyone is just DYING to come to Durham, we would love to have you! =) It really is beautiful, it's hot, but beautiful and we really are so blessed to live in a such a great place. WE LOVE YOU ALL! Have a wonderful week!