A Married's Halloween

This Halloween we did what we do best when we get together...

we ate,

we talked and told stories

and since it was Halloween we told scary stories

we drank, and cuddled

we posed for pictures - okay so not really but this picture of Ken was just too cute not to put up

and since it was Halloween, we carved pumpkins 

and showed off our big jack-o-lantern bellies.

All in all it was a great time.

Charmian

Fall Fest

My lovely Reedermans have an annual Fall Fest and for the first time we were actually in the same state so I could partake. 

This is Z - Baby Boy Block - isn't he so adorable!!

During the Fall Fest the girls and Z went for a hike while the boys went mountain biking.  

The boys getting ready to head out on their bikes.

When we got back we had an awesome Fall Feast.  

Well, what else would you eat at a Fall Fest but a Fall Feast?  

Everyone enjoying the Feast!

I couldn't stay for the rest of the shin dig.
Check out what they did after I split on Ben and Lisa's blog.  

Here are a few pictures from our "hike".
We really just walked up a dirt road for a little bit and then came back.
As you can see I'm about to pop and being up that high definitely had me winded.  

None of the girls wanted to deliver a baby that afternoon so we kept it short and sweet.

Our view as we "hiked"

Lisa with all the dogs.

Me and Z - hee hee that rhymes.

Larmian and Chisa!

Charmian

36 weeks

Well, I've made it to the 9th month

Yeah!    

Because I am so close to the end I decided now was a good time to tell you a little bit about this journey.

A little bad, a little funny, but all true.

Top 5 things I'm sick of hearing...

"OH MY GOSH YOU'RE HUGE!!"

and any other comment about my size - I know I'm big I don't need to hear it from you everyday!!

"Are you having twins?"

nope - still just one

"I think you should sit down."

nobody told me that when I became pregnant that standing and walking would be off limits

"Should you be doing that, you're pregnant"

REALLY, I'm Pregnant !?!

"How are you feeling, you look terrible"

Thanks!! 

Because this is what every woman wants to hear,

especially the hormonal ones who are 9 months pregnant!

I must be an anomaly

because out of all of my friends I'm the only one who has experienced

the following pregnancy side effects.

(and if I'm wrong and you have experienced some of these let me know)

 When I was pregnant with Pearce I got stretch marks on my boobs.

With this pregnancy I've added to those.

 At about 28 weeks I started getting stretch marks on my sides

and now they're popping up all over the place.

Size large and some XL maternity tops are too small.

I was expecting some weight gain but I didn't think I could gain this much.

The doctor keeps saying everything is right on track but still this is crazy.

I have cellulite in places I didn't know you could get cellulite.

At 32 weeks my wedding ring stopped fitting me.

The only shoes I'm able to wear are crocs and flip flops.



The crazy thing is even with everything I've just mentioned

I wouldn't change a thing because

I have one

BIG

healthy baby

in my belly and I can't wait to meet 'em.

 :o)

Charmian

Too Pregnant to...

Driving Edition

Yes, it's official, I'm too pregnant to drive.  You see, I drive a manual and for me to reach the clutch I have to have my seat pretty far forward, so far that now my belly hits the steering wheel.  Not just anywhere on my belly but right on my belly button that has been slowly turning from an inny to an outy.

I personally believe that when you get to this place in your pregnancy, your Fairy God Mother should get busy on making you a pumpkin carriage that is pulled by two beautiful white stallions and driven by a silly little man.  This way you don't have to worry about having a sore belly button all day.

I'm just sayin'!

Thank you eventective for the perfect picture.

Charmian



A Few Changes

So some of you may have noticed a few changes to the blog the first being the address. 

It is now www.stoneofjoy.com

We dropped the .blogspot which makes it seem so much cooler - well in my humble opinion 

The second is the comments section has been updated / changed to disqus.  I think this is going to be a good change but in the process of converting we've lost all previous comments, which makes me so sad.  In fact the whole reason I wanted to change was so I could reply to your comments

and now there are no comments to reply to - uugghh! 

Oh well - such is life.

Last but not least I've made some short cut buttons - right now I only have Pearce's done but eventually you can click on any of our pictures in the sidebars and it will take you to all the posts for that family member.

Before I go I did want to just put it out there that I have several posts I'd like to write - I figure if I tell you about them I'll have a little more pressure to get them done.

Here they are:

The Royal Tour

A Little Bit Hippie

2009

 The titles aren't very telling but I think you'll enjoy them all the same.

Happy Tuesday!!!

Charmian OUT*

Upside...up?

This may sound like a good thing but at this point in the pregnancy the baby's upside should be down.

So now what I need from all of you is a quick prayer that my little one practices its somersaults and ends up head down so I don't have to have a version and possibly a C-section. 

UUUGGGHHH!

The only good thing with this news is I don't have to worry about scheduling an induction
- once again, uugghh -

just trying to look at the bright side.

Charmian

East and West

For the last 20 years, reunification has been an ongoing process in Germany. Looking in from the outside I never really understood the challenges that faced the people involved in the process. After having lived in the old "East Germany" for the past 45 days I have started to see that there are still challenges to overcome.... but that is not really what I want to talk about.

Rather I would like to briefly comment on the resiliency of the German people and the admiration I have for those that stood together for freedom 21 years ago.

In 1989 Leipzig was the center of the peaceful Monday Demonstrations that started on the 4th of September and ran through March of 1990. These protests were a major contributor in the fall of Communism in the East. This movement is now remembered and celebrated on October 9th, which also happens to be near the anniversary of the creation of the DDR (GDR) on October 7th 1949. Regardless, October 9th is now the day to celebrate those who stood together against communism.

The movement started in the Nikolaikirche in Leipzig, and by 9 October 1989, 70,000 East Germans had joined the demonstrations... the whole time remaining peaceful. By October 16th the number had swelled to nearly 120,000 people and the following week to 320,000 (Leipzig has a population of roughly 500,000). All the while the East German army stood on the sidelines waiting for the order to put a stop to the protests. However, due to the massive size of the movement the military was ordered to stand down and withdraw. I was fortunate enough this year to attend the 21st anniversary of the Monday Demonstrations, at the Nikolaikirche, with some of those who risked everything in the name of freedom.

It was really a touching thing for me. As a person raised in the US having never experienced anything other than freedom, I cannot fully appreciate the struggle that the people around me faced 21 years ago. However, while sitting in the church there was something special happening and it was thick in the air. There was no cheering or shouts of joy, but rather somber reflection on what used to be, the opportunities that lie ahead and most importantly an understanding of the responsibility that comes with freedom.

It is inspiring for me to see the faces of those who were willing to accept unlimited risk and total uncertainty all in the name of freedom. I think that Americans have a lot to learn about what it means to be free and the sacrifices that come in the name of Freedom.