I can't believe it's already Christmas.  I've spent the whole week baking (54 cookies and 2 pies to be exact).  It's Christmas Eve, so this will be short and sweet.  I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas!

{28 Weeks} {Thanks for the shirt Mom!}

Jason and I started taking the annual "Christmas Card Photo" our first Christmas together in 2007.  Over the years, we've added dogs, and soon we will add a baby.

{Christmas 2007:  First Christmas together} {Christmas 2008:  Jason was working for the U.S. Marshals..hence the goatee} {Christmas 2009:  Christmas in a new apartment} {Christmas 2010:  First Christmas with Sammie} {Christmas 2011:  Christmas in our new house...dogs were in a separate photo} {Christmas 2012:  Christmas while pregnant}

We're 27 weeks this week, and definitely starting to look big.

{27 weeks.}

I usually have all of the Christmas decorations up in a day or two.  This year, it has taken over a week to get everything out.  Pregnancy has really slowed me down!  Here are some of my favorite decorations:

{Wreaths on the windows.} {Light up wooden tree on the porch.} {My new ornament from McAlister's!} {St. Louis Cardinals snow village.} {Regular snow village.} {Musical houses from Hallmark and nutcrackers.} {Elves above the kitchen cabinets.} {Christmas pillows!  I made the one in the front from an old "ugly" Christmas sweater.}

Some are new this year and some are repeats (like the lovely Cardinals village).  I'm 26 weeks this week.  I'm sad that I missed the annual Christmas ballet this year.  There was no way I was trying to squeeze into a ballet dress and get in front of people.  Oh well.  I plan on being back next year, baby in tow. 

{26 Weeks}

Even though Jason's birthday isn't until December 10th, we celebrated yesterday by going to a Ram's game to see his favorite team the 49ers play.  Unfortunately for us, the hometown team won in overtime. 

{Jason and I at the game.} {Game.}

I feel like I've been pregnant for two years.  It's only been 25 weeks.  This probably has a lot to do with my due date being pushed back two weeks.  I'm already uncomfortable all the time and I take naps constantly.  At Christmas time I'm usually running around non-stop getting things accomplished, but this year I have to stop and rest.  It is frustrating.  It will be worth it in the end.  Plus, next Christmas I'll have a cute little baby to buy for! 

{25 Weeks}

Several years ago, I was sorting through my coupons from the newspaper when I ran across a recipe for a peanut butter fudge pie.  The recipe was on a random coupon page advertising hot fudge and peanut butter.  I saved the recipe and eventually tried it out.  It is now a staple at family holiday meals; both Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

I decided to share the recipe for other peanut butter pie lovers to enjoy.  For this pie you will need:

1 prepared chocolate cookie pie crust
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
8 oz. cream cheese (at room temperature)
4 1/2 cups (or 12 oz. container) of non-dairy whipped topping
1 jar (11.75 oz.) hot fudge topping

For Drizzle Topping:
2 tbs. of the hot fudge
2 tbs. of peanut butter

Combine in a medium bowl, the peanut butter, cream cheese, and sugar.  Gently fold in 3 cups of the whipped topping.

{Mixing the ingredients.  I used a mixer, but you can also mix these items by hand.}

Spoon mixture into the pie shell.  Using a spatula, smooth mixture to edges of pie.  Reserve 2 tablespoons of hot fudge topping and peanut butter for drizzle topping.  Microwave the remaining hot fudge for 1 minute.  Stir.  Spread the hot fudge topping over pie to cover the peanut butter layer.  Refrigerate until serving time. 

{Filling pie crust and topping with hot fudge.}

Just before serving, spread the remaining whipped topping over the hot fudge layer, being careful not to mix the two layers.  Place the 2 tbs. of hot fudge and peanut butter in separate plastic bags.  Cut a tiny hole in one corner of the bags and drizzle each over pie. 

{Finished pie.  Please excuse the uneven decorative lines.}

I'm 24 weeks this week.  Definitely starting to feel uncomfortable. 

{24 Weeks}

My parents (mainly my dad) asked me to recover their dining room chairs recently.  He actually asked me to do these back in the spring, but by the time I had one of the chairs to start on I found out I was pregnant.  Four months later, I finally started working on the first chair.  I'm now on the second chair.

I first had to take the old cover off and take out all of the ancient "padding" that had probably been there for decades.  After cleaning the chair extensively, I added new chair padding and new fabric.

{Chair before.} {Removing the old chair cover and padding.} {Stripped down chair.} {Adding new padding.} {Almost done.} {Recovering.} {Finished.}

Only four more chairs to go.....

Starting the boards up again this week.  This time with more accuracy.  I'm 23 weeks (again) this week and I feel like a "stuffed turkey."  Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!

{23 Weeks #2}

I've been spending a lot of time shopping for Baby D these days.  With the nursery cleaned out and ready to be painted, I'm currently looking for the perfect accessories for the room.  I did a little shopping this weekend at a few local shops.   Here are a few items I'm considering for the nursery:

{Owl hook for the wall.} {Dresser for baby clothes.} {Wall decor.} {Handmade pillows from The Foundrie.} {"Baby" hooks for the wall.} {Sign outside resale store Get The Word Out.}

We went to the doctor today to check on Baby D.  Last month, Baby D was measuring small based on her measurements at our ultrasound.  Today, we had another ultrasound and.....my doctor offically pushed my due date back to March 15.  Good news:  Baby D is right on track and healthy.  Bad news:  my chalkboards are 2 weeks off.  Bummer.  But as anyone who has ever had a baby knows, it never goes the way you think it's going to go.  I'll be caught back up with the boards in a couple of weeks so I'm not worried about it. 

Here is Baby D's first portrait:

{Baby D at 22 weeks.}

I hope everyone had a great Halloween.  Mine is always extra special because it's also my birthday.  This year Jason and I both took the day off from work and spent most of the day just being lazy.  We went out for lunch and did a little shopping before coming back home in time to have our usual Halloween chili dinner and Halloween movie watch "party," all while also handing out candy to the neighborhood kids. 

Jason must have been listening to my constant complaining over the past couple of weeks of being uncomfortable and having back pains, because he got me a prenatal massage for my birthday.  I'm so excited to have a massage.  I also got a massage certificate from my brother's girlfriend, Mandy.  I'll have a massage now and another  after the baby is born! 

{My "Juno" costume.} {Singing skeleton and Halloween candy.} {Front porch for Halloween.} {More of the front porch.}

With Halloween now over, I'm now in crazy holiday mode.  Along with preparing for the holidays, I'm also preparing for Baby Girl D's arrival (we still haven't decided on a name).  The nursery is completely cleaned out and waiting to be painted.  Our baby registry is almost complete.  I'm just ready for the actual baby!

{23 Weeks}

I can't believe it's the end of October already!  Before you know it, it'll be Christmas.  So many things have been going on in the past week. 

{Sammie and Callie enjoying a nice fall day in the yard.} {Mums growing in the yard.}

Last Thursday was the 2nd Annual "Witches Night Out" at work.  I presented three Halloween-Inspired Looks.  The following day we headed south for a family reunion and my birthday weekend.  It was a super fun weekend.  The best part was being in Newport with all the relatives.  According to the locals, Mr. Pretty pees on the sweet potatoes he sells out by the Fred's store and my grandmother saw a random guy wearing scrubs pooping while standing up outside my great aunt's house.  True story.  My grandmother even demonstrated how the guy was standing that she saw. 

After celebrating my birthday with my parents, we headed back north in time to start my 22nd week of pregnancy.  Yay! 

{Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games, Lady Gaga, a Pirate, and myself.}   {Family reunion in Newport:  Granny, Mom, Jason, Me, Zach, and Mandy.} {Jason and I.} {Granny, Mom, me, and Zach.} {Birthday cake.}  {22 Weeks}