It's my BIRTHDAY!

I am pretty serious when it comes to no TV during the school week. This show has become an exception. Teaching reading & phonics with some music that I can actually dance to is..... BUCK! (hee! I've always wanted to say that!)
So, ONE request on my birthday today.....watch this video above and dance your heart out!!!

For Shannon

10 things That make me HAPPY......
(I got tagged by Shannon so this is for her!)
1) SUNSHINE....
This is HUGE for me right now since it has been so rare around here. If I need it so bad I will also settle on the light box, looking at photos from Maui or YES I have been caught going tanning this winter!
2) GIGGLES....
Atticus' laughter is contagious! He thought saying "muffin" was so funny and giggled all the way home from school yesterday. We were all laughing just because he was!!
3) FRIENDS....
I miss my family like crazy (esp. my brother & sister-in law & family in Switzerland)! Because I can't have my family right here, it is so important to me to have supportive friends. I feel like so many of my friends have family close by, but they seem to treat me like part of their family & include our family in their get togethers!
4) TULIPS.....
I have great memories of going to the tulip festival. Tulips remind me of rain which reminds me that spring is right around the corner. I love the surprise of watching them pop up all over my yard in the spring...like I forgot where I had planted them!
5) BENNY.....
I think it makes me happy to see BENNY at work. It reminds me WHY the heck we are here and reminds me how much passion he has for what he does! Truly the BEST!!
6)MY KIDS when they are playing nice together....
I am always amazed at how well Atticus and Cozy (though 4 yrs. in age) play so well together!
7) BED LINENS....
okay this is totally something I got from my mom, but I love bed linens that are super soft (500 thread count or higher.) I have also been known to iron them!
8) CHOCOLATE....
I can't eat it right now without feeling sick so I avoid it..... I guess this doesn't make me HAPPY right now. Hope its back on the list this summer!!
9) SURPRISES....
I love anything unexpected!
10) BIRTHDAYS......
I love to celebrate!! I mainly love to shop for toys for kids birthdays! I love to send gifts in the mail and I love to make cupcakes/cookies/cakes for whoever!

SMALL town

Top TEN reasons Why living in a small town while your pregnant can be interesting.....
1) If you crave fast food... you can't have it OR you drive 2- hr round trip and by that time the craving is gone and you get a salad.
2) where else can you WALK to get groceries, after dropping your kids off at school, visit a friend at their home, see whats playing at the movie theater, go to the bank, check up on some knitting friends at Starbucks, and visit your husband at work for lunch (good pregnancy exercise and multi-tasking too!!)
3) no one sells maternity clothes, so you save money!
4) your family never sees how big your getting and the time for them goes FAST!
5) the word gets out that your pregnant and even the pharmacist's wife who you don't know wants to throw a party for you!
6) the nameS you choose for the baby seems totally unique in such a small world.
7) the chance of your husband delivering you is VERY possible.
8) you don't dare to eat ANY fish or sushi (my favorites) in a landlocked area esp. when your pregnant!
9) crazy shopping sprees are OUT, so you go and get pampered at the spa all day instead!
10)pregnancy induced road rage isn't an issue!

How to help children in HAITI.....

I just got off the phone with my sister and she has been asked to go to Haiti to help with the Orphans. If you have been wondering what you can do to HELP here is a great opportunity! Here is what she emailed me.......

The group I am going through is Visiting Orphans Org. (visitingorphans.org) They have an orphanage in Haiti - Danita's Children's Home. I will go to Haiti from Jan. 31- Feb. 7 to help gather displaced children and bring them to the orphanage, among other things. I need to raise $2,000 this weekend. There are two ways to donate (all tax deductible) 1st- send a payment through pay pal to david.rathbone@visitingorphans.org or you can go to the Executive Director's blog at http://isaiah49.blogspot.com
and click on the CLICK IN link on the main page. Either way make sure to list my name (Elizabeth Alexander). I am really trying to gather donations within the next 24 hours. If people can not donate I would be grateful to just have their prayers!


(photo of LIZ with Orphans in Africa)

Fire & Ice Winter Festival

We had a great time as always with the Jensens who came for the weekend for the Fire & Ice fest. This year the sculptures were kind of BLAH and so no photos. The fireworks were great and we had a fun time by the ice bar dancing to the band. I told the kids whoever "boogied" the best would get a prize. They weren't shy...Oreos to ALL! Most of the photos are from Echo (tubing/ski hill 10 min. from our house). I decided to sit this one out since last weekend I hit my butt pretty hard and then later Benny told me the placenta can detach, so maybe I shouldn't play (ya think so?)
Liv was the only one who wasn't so sure of the ride, but she did some runs and was a sport (love the look of concern in the Tube and the mad look with Jer)
Thanks for coming Jensens! See you next year for some of us in better health to jump in the lake for the Polar Bear Splash!

Need Names

I had a hard time putting the pregnancy ticker on my blog, but I did it. It seems freaky to see that illustrated baby floating on my blog. Hope someone enjoys it!
Anyhow, Benny and I, for the first time are having a hard time coming up with names. It may be that we bring a baby home from the hospital without a name!?
With Atticus we were set and even had the name Cozette chosen before we knew he was a he. Now we are really stuck. I really am against the most popular or common names, so those are out. I loved being the only Haley in my school when I was growing up (now that name is everywhere). I felt bad for the kids that had to use their last name as an initial to distinguish which "one" they were.
Atticus has already picked NERF or LEGO for a boy and Cozy like LEMONY for a girl.
You see, we need help!
Thought we could get some ideas from you stalkers. Since we wont be finding out the sex please give us one boy and one girl name.....if you want to play. THANKS!

Chasing the SUN

I know my hubby would say I'm exaggerating...maybe a little, but today I saw the SUN for the first time in 2 months! It was like Christmas, but better! I sun bathed in my living room for 20 min. on the timer.... and then had hot chocolate outside while I watched my other neighbors slowly creep outside. I didn't realize how much I need the SUN until this winter. It has been so dark! This may have all started when I got back from Maui where I realized, "Hey, people live in nice weather all year!" or it could be the fact that starting Nov. 1 through just hmmmm....two days ago I have been throwing up almost every other day (Oh, by the way I'm 15 weeks pregnant). Feeling sick can really make your days pretty grey!
So, to top the day off I went to get a pedicure with a friend!
Just to show you how pathetic I am, just yesterday I set up the light box in front of my treadmill and walked for 45 minutes with my eyes closed. I am desperate!
How are you getting through the winter?