bullets and insurance papers.

Family Home Evening

2012-02-09T23:42:00.001-05:00

Tonight the lesson was on the plan of salvation with some fun about the creation. The boys were such great helpers and had so much fun putting together the "puzzle" with all its pieces. They even helped draw some of the creation like darkness and seeds/fruit. It was awesome! We even got to introduce the concept of spirit and body and relate it to grandma. We ar learning that grandma is dead but that she lives with Jesus now until she gets her body back. It's so weird to hear the boys say "grandma dead." we have watched planet earth a lot lately to learn about the earth and they have learned about the food chain as well. So hence they know grandma is dead, but we are trying to tell the next part of the story as well. Through Christ we have hope of a resurrection from the dead and if we keep the commandments and make covenants with Hin in his holy temples through his restored priesthood we can have eternal life. What great hope there is in knowing the entire plan God has for us our salvation!

Andrew Steven Huss

2012-02-04T22:40:00.001-05:00

This has been erased 3x so i'm sorry it's so delayed. Andrew was born Jan 18th at 1:54am because he was so stubborn and needed some persuading- my midwife had to break my water. He was 7lb 15oz and 20.5 in long. He hides his weight so well i affectionatly refer to him as chicken legs! He is so quiet except when he's hungry. His steel blue eyes just stare deep into you as he watches your every move.

Will & Jake love and adore him so much they want be in the same room with him all the time & make sure that baby Andrew is coming with us when we go to the store! They are amazing big brothers. Jake cannot stop kissing him!

I love to hold him & cuddle him when he's sleeping. He's precious. We are the luckiest family to have such wonderful children sent to us from God. He wants our family to succeed and be happy, and that's why He's made temple ordinances available for us today so our families can be bound together on earth and later for eternity in heaven. God be blessed for the matchless gift of His divine Son who made repentance & immortality and eternal life possible!

Ticking time bomb

2012-01-06T00:59:00.001-05:00

Being 2-3cm dilated and having contractions more frequently & consistently just add up to make me a ticking time bomb! I am so ready yo have this baby and finally meet him, have my body back, and move on with life! So any time he wants to come is a goid time for me!

I'm so paranoid i have the bags packed and in the car for each person like it's an emergency! There's a bag for me, andrew, matt, will & jake! Everybody has the stuff they'll "need" for when the fun begins and the plan needs to be put into action. It's kinda exhausting for me to live every day like it'a the day. So tomorrow i'm going to try not to worry about it and just live! Heck! Might even get to see a special preview for season 2 of "downton abbey"! That would be the best!

37 weeks ... Only 19 days left

2011-12-30T17:44:00.001-05:00

I am so ready to pop i hope it shows in the picture! I'm at that awkward stage where i walk funny, i sleep in weird places in odd positions, and i am just a spectacle doing the simplest things. It really is funny trying to lean over the counter and wash the dishes! But it's all cute and laughable to me. I don't think Andrew will come in time for a tax break but he will come soon enough. I will post pictures from Christmas as soon as i can borrow my sis-in-laws camera and download them. She was the "photographer" mostly this year, so expect some good things b/c Xmas was fun, exciting, and meaningful as we celebrated the birth of the Savior. So more to come ...

Christmas cheer!

2011-12-24T00:04:00.001-05:00

I just love this Christmas b/c i am really trying to spread cheer & remembet the life of the Savior. I'm making most of the boy's gifts this year and it has been a blast! I just love sewing and hope they will enjoy them too. Superhero costumes are in big demand this year - esp superman! Those are easy things i can make and see them enjoy all day long every day :)

Bumpity bump bump bump!

2011-12-02T10:12:00.001-05:00

I'm feeling large and definitely waddling now. At 33 weeks i'm almost packed and ready for the hospital, the only things i wanna do before Andrew comes is make the curtains that will go in his room. That will only take a few hours now that everything is cut out and planned.

Some times i can't believe this will be our 3rd kid in 3 1/2 years - but it is and we're so excited ... All of us including jacob and will. Jake loves finding small teddy bears and baby dolls and cuddling with them while whispering "hi baby" over and over. They both know baby andrew i hiding in my belly and not in theirs. It's so amazing what these sweet little angels know and can do. Just precious little gifts from God they are!!!

Success!!!

2011-11-19T18:37:00.001-05:00

Today we ventured into the ideal and unrealistic world we only dream of with our 3 & 1.5 year old kids. Yes, we took them out to eat at a sit down place. Now we didn't test out PFChang's or somewhere like that, but we did test out Gilden Corral and succeeded! Instant food was the key ti success! We went, we ate, we conquered! This gives us hope go out with family for celebrations or get togethers. Oh how awesome are the little triumphs!

Iron men

2011-11-17T18:12:00.001-05:00

The little gits just LOVE super heroes right now. And it doesn't matter who they just like to fly, go to the rescue, and help others. So tonight we dressed up like iron man and learned a little about armor. They had lots of fun and it only cost a few nickles!

Now if only we could understand how prayer, scripture study, service, and other commandments of God are armor too, and they protect us from the harm of sin & the world.

We're back from the dead...

2011-11-06T20:18:00.001-05:00

Jacob & I caught a cold a couple weeks ago and then last week Will caught it. But to add taking Jake to the ER last week because he was having great difficulty breathing and finding out he jad some pneumonia, i failed my glucose test and had to take the 3 hour test - which i failed again. So i had to attend a diabetes class and learn how to test my blood sugar. I'm also on a strict diet that i have to record and take to my CNM appointments like a homework assignment. It's a big hassel and it makes me really feel bad for ppl w/diabetes and also grateful that i'm not diabetic in non-pregnant life.

So now we're basically all better! The Lord really pulled us thru this one with all the needs of sick kids while i'm sick and have to begin a new regimen. It truly is real that the Lord will make a way for us to accomplish the things he commands us and that are good priorities (1 Nephi 3:7 from the Book of Mormon: Another Testament of Jesus Christ).

Harvest time

2011-10-16T00:32:00.001-04:00

We have been so busy this past couple of weeks. But it has been so much fun! We learned about pumpkins and harvest time and made some pumpkin faces instead of jack-o-lanterns. Those will be for this coming week as we continue with our halloween and harvest time fun! Jake just loves to weat his mask and "scare" will!

Baby bump update week 27

2011-10-16T00:27:00.001-04:00

Wow! Just can't believe how big i've gotten in the past 2 weeks. Andrew is really starting to get active when he's awake and then become angry when he's woken up in the middle of the night by his 2 brothers! They really like to jump in bed with mom & dad and snuggle us off our pillows and then off the edge of the bed! Hahaha! Everything is going well and we're both healthy as can be. This week i'll do the gestational diabeties test so that'll be fun ... Ha ha huh.

Dinosaur feet

2011-10-16T00:21:00.001-04:00

This week we were so excited about dinosaurs i made the boys some dinosair slippers. They also serve to keep their feet warm as it gets colder. But we has lots of fun learning about patterns, how Jesus is our pattern in life, and having great things happen from following a pattern!

The Lion King in 3D

2011-09-24T09:36:00.001-04:00

Hahaha! Last night i stayed up and finished sewing jacob's lion costume and couldn't wait til they woke up this morning to put the costumes on the boys. They are so cute as Scar and Simba! A few adjustments need to be made but i'm so excited they both have lion costumes now. I just LOVE sewing and creating things with my sewing machine and fabric ... It's gonna be my unofficial second career this decade.

I never want to stop learning and developing talents i've been given by the Lord. The more i've learned about anatomy & physiologly the more i've been interested in dressing that body in a modest and flattering manner. The more i learn of modesy designing & garment construction the more i'm interested in history and learning of ancient ppl, their civilizations, and how their obedience or disobedience to the Lord's commandments affected them. And the list continues on and on. All things are connected and teach other subjects.

Getting ready for Halloween

2011-09-16T11:23:00.001-04:00

I'm in the process of making the boys halloween costumes since it's SOOO much cheaper than buyin them at the store and more creative. Plus i just love to sew ... Anyway the boys are gonna be lions - will is scar and jake is simba from the lion king. I wish they were a little older this year as the 3D movie is out and it would be fun to dress up and go see it. Oh well. Next is jakes lion but for now he wears will's mr. Incredible costume from last year or the frog from the year before. They're just so cute!

William Huss

2011-09-11T23:43:00.001-04:00

I was so happy and so sad at the same time friday. Will had his 3rd bday pics and he did such a great job and the studio was awesome helping him pose. Some of his pics were so mature and grownup that i was sad thinking how time was flying. But other pics were so cute and captured his personality that i was happy.

The only thing i wasn't happt about was the price. I forgot the package coupon at home so i had to pay full price to get this one pic i wanted. We'll just go back again w/ a coupon soon!

Andrew!!!

2011-08-26T13:58:00.001-04:00

The ultrasound was a great sucess! We will be having a healthy BOY around January 17th!

As the US tech was searching for organs and measuring arms and legs she exclaimed, "he just flashed me!"i was shocked to say the least, because i REALLY thought it was a girl since this pregnancy has been quite different from the last two.

I am excited for another boy, i don't have to find girl clothes or toys. The only other thing is that i will not be decorating the extra room with yellow... Maybe blues and greys ... or red with blues and black. That' the only next big decision since we picked out a name at the CNM office. His name will be ANDREW JONATHON HUSS. Isaac was the other choice but Andrew felt right.

We're having all the boys in my family since i'm from 3 girls and my older sister Veronica has 3 girls and 1 boy. Boys come in hoards i guess... as loners or in packs. Hahaha! We love our boys... Little rascals ;)

Belly bump

2011-08-22T16:46:00.003-04:00

Now i'm 18 weeks along and the bump is relatively small compared to will & jake. WEDNESDAY we have the ultrasound and will know for sure if it is a girl or not!

Nose adventures

2011-08-22T16:46:00.001-04:00

I almost forgot! Sunday the 14th i'm finishing putting together the bunk beds and let the boys have some of my trail mix. Then i hear a scream from will anf see a streak down the hall as he runs to his dad. He kept pointing to his nose so we checked it out with a light and tweezers but didn't find anything! He continues to whine and cry so we check again. Nothing. Then he lets out a BIG sneeze and out comes a RAISIN of all things!

Will never touches the nuts or raisins, only the chocolate candies in the trail mix. So we were completely surprised! Oh the joys of parenting! It is bound to happen in every family atleast once.

Bunk beds

2011-08-21T21:12:00.001-04:00

So we went to IKEA last friday and bought bunk beds for the boys. I began putting them together saturday and only got to one of the beds (1/3 of the way done) before it was late and gettin to be the Sabbath. I put aside the left over pieces and parts and planned to finish on monday. Yeah ...

The boys kept using parts as swords, putting screws and bolts in the mouths, and running around with tools. So i had to finish the bunk beds sunday afternoon and by sunday night they had new beds! Will was so excited to climb on "the new bed" and be the big man in town.

Now the hurdle is getting him to sleep in it by himself since he is terrified of the dark. He has nightlights but still is terrified. We talk as he's settling down and pretend the shadows on his walls are a "mama shark and a baby shark" or a "mama fish and baby fish" swimming, playing tag, or hugging so he has positive thoughts to fill his mind before bed time. What a little tyke!

Jake on the other hand cannot sleep with matt & i b/c he lies horizontally and kicks us in the face and head. See ya later, go to sleep in your own bed.

Project curtains complete!

2011-08-21T20:52:00.001-04:00

I have been searching for the perfect fabric and a reputable fabric website with inventory instock, designing and creating a pattern, and cutting and constructing these curtains since sarah's birthday in feburary. Now i have had other side projects and events that have taken priority over the curtains, but the slow and steady pace has paid off in a FABULOUS looking work of art! It really brightens the rooma and gladens the heart to see them.

Something so simple as fabric strategically placed in a room can bring such great joy. Makes me VERY GRATEFUL to my Father in Heaven for all the beautiful an inspiring things He has created for me. What a wonderful world this is!

Birthday preparations

2011-08-21T20:40:00.001-04:00

Will helped me mix together the red velevet cake mix for his birthday cake. His party was friday the 19th so we began thursday to bake. Will didn't want much to with eating the cake mix as much as jake did ... Obviously. Jake fearlessly took a spoonful of the batter and ran away as usual only to quickly turm around at the kitchen entry to come back for more! I probably cleaned his face 4-5x b/c he loved the batter and that red color was a huge disaster on any and every thing.

I'm just so excited for will to open his train sets and play with them ... I makes me so happy to see him interested and exploring new things.

William's 3rd Birthday Party

2011-08-21T20:15:00.001-04:00

William Matthew Huss is now 3 years old!!!

Happy Birthday, son!

i just cannot believe that he's 3 ... so grown up!

it's like just yesterday that he was born, a little tyke rollin around the floor, learning to walk and talk, and now ... now he's a big boy with thomas the train underwear, a bunkbed, and spouting off everything he knows - including "thunder cats, thunder cats, thunder cats, po!!!" (even though it sounds like the f* word 3x in a row - video to come).

these past three years have been a great joy! his laughter, people-pleasing and entertaining quirks, and his love for adventure and the undiscovered have brought me many smiles, lots of laughter, and many tears of joy. what a special boy that i am so priviliged to be his mother.

sorry i couldn't get this photo rotated, but this is the train cake i made for will. red velvet with cream cheese frosting - will ate it all day before the party but once he opened his train sets he wouldn't even leave them for cake! wow!!!

Lulu's putting together his new car garage and ramp play set

Tita Sarah helping to open his train sets

Happy Birthday today my little rascal!

we all love you very much!

Childless

2011-08-12T20:10:00.004-04:00

Last night the boys stayed with their grandma while matt and i went on a date. We had dinner at IHOP and then saw "cowboys vs aliens"- awesome marriage of a western and scifi! Then his morning we drove to cininnnati to IKEA. I had a gift card and since jake is too big for he pack n play and the new baby is coming in january we decided to bite the bullet and buy the boys bunk beds. The bunk seperates into 2 twin beds so we get more bang for our buck. I am so excited for the boys! I always wiahed i had had a bunk bed when i was younger. Now our house is so small we need bunk beds so the kids have room to play.

And will's birthday is the 21st so we bought him a train set from IKEA. It's the wooden type that pieces together with a bridge and tunnel- we really think he'll like it since he's so into trains right now.

It was nice to have a date night and a quicker trip to IKEA but it was so quiet and lonely without the little rascals! We couldn't help but talk abput them about 1/2 the time and miss them terribly. We have the greatest little boys! We are so blessed to have the opportunity to be together as a family forever because we have made covenants in Holy temples through authorized and restored priesthood authority. The power to bind in heaven what is bound on earth has been restored by our Savior Jesus Christ through his prophet Joseph Smith. And that authority has not been taken away from the earth; it remains with a living prophet and 12 apostles today. I cannot explain how happy and comforted this knowledge makes me feel, or how real these things truly are! The only way to experience and understand as i do is to find out for yourself! Reading the book of mormon and praying to God will bring an answer that the BofM is another testament of Christ translated by the prophet Joseph Smith and that Christ truly has commenced his work again on this earth one last time before His second coming. He again makes available to us ALL the promised blessings to Abraham - the priesthood, the gospel, and eternal life- if we will but follow the Savior with full purpose of heart.

I love my Savior and will do all i can to show it. As i share this with you, ponder it and let it sink deep into your soul. Reconfirm your faith or gain the faith to act upon these truths and make covenants with God to follow the Savior and keep his commanents, for therein lies the greatest and only lasting happiness.

Lunch at the park

2011-08-12T19:38:00.001-04:00

Yesterday we had lunch with matt at a park near his work. The boys didn't sit to eat and just wantes to play on the play ground. On the way back to the van will kept asking to go to the baseball fields, so we had to go. Will LOVES everything about baseball and was so excited to run on a field for the first time. He ran the bases, played outfield, pitched, caught and even cheered in the dugout. Jake on the other hand was chasing a white butterfly in the outfield and running to bases as he felt like it! Such a funny kid! The boys are so diffwrent sometimes and i enjoy it!

My little belly bump

2011-08-12T19:30:00.001-04:00

All is well and i am at the point where i cannot hide the bump and have to have longer shirts to cover it. On the 24th we have thw ultrasound and find out boy or girl ... So exciting!

Jake's turn with the headset

2011-07-31T20:02:00.001-04:00

Youngest rosetta stone students

2011-07-31T20:01:00.001-04:00

Will having a Tagalog lesson on the computer with me. Jake just wanted to wear the headset like is mom and brother. I am so excited to finally have a great meathod of learning another language that the investment was well worth it! I'm actually learning a new language!

CNM apt

2011-07-31T19:18:00.000-04:00

Went to my CNM wed july 27 and was so excited that my health and the baby were doing so well. In my past 2 pregnancies i typically gained too much weight in the 1st tri that it was lots of fun to lose it afterwards. But not his time, i've read some from gillian mckieth's "food bible" and learned better ways to deal with morning sickness and be healthy. It has really helped as the morning sickness is substantially worse this time. Health stats: baby heart rate ~158 bpmMy blood pressure 100/68Weight gain in 4 weeks - 1 lbNext visit: ULTRASOUND for anatomy & genderDun-dun-duhhhhhhh

Yard sale wonders

2011-07-21T23:27:00.000-04:00

I went yard sale hunting over the 4th of july weekend and made some great scores i was so happy! I found this hideously ugly pink dresser that will look so great once i've sanded, painted and replaced the hardware that it was worth the $10 i paid for it, less actually bc i got the lady to throw in a piece of art. I also came across a guy on craigslist who later sold me a camping stove in great condition with extra propane bottles all for $40- can't beat that! Yeah emergency preparedness and camping equipment!

Weekend camping

2011-07-21T23:21:00.000-04:00

July 8-10 Dale Hollow LakeWe went camping for the 1st time in almost 4 years and it was so awesome! Our van held everything we needed and then some bc the huss' only had their car with limited space since there were 4 ppl in it- bill, susan, jen & sarah. The weathr was perfect wih just a touch of rain the morning we arrived. We quickly set up camp and were livin the good life the rest of the day eating, drinking to stay hydrated, takin lon walks to the bathroom, and coolin Off in the lake. The boys loved swimming in a alake for the first time ... Loved it!Saturday we rented a pontoon boat with 2 decks and a slide for the day. We took our coolers and cooked out on the grill for the perfect day in the sum. I did get a little burned but it was worth it to see the smiles on EVERYBODY'S faces. Camping brings back so many good memories i had with my family growing up that i want to have more wih my fam now to share the good times. The only down side to this trip was that i had to walk so far to go to the bathroom 3 times a night. But i took our cool electric lantern and enjoyed the workout. I hope the weather will cool off a little bit so we can go camping some other weekend.

Doctor Apt

2011-06-30T09:29:00.000-04:00

yesterday i went in for my first apt with my Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) Beth Barry - who is amazing and so personal & genuine - and can report that everything is wonderful! It was a long 90 minute apt, but there was much to do: yearly exam, checking baby's heartbeat (my favorite!!!), getting all vital & necessary info, the insurance information discussion, and drawing blood for lab work. I'm due around Jan 17th so in about 9 weeks we'll go in for the anatomy & gender ultrasound!

so in the approximate 10-11 weeks this baby has been developing, she already has all the vital organs, teeth buds emerge and eye lids develop further. she is roughly 1 inch in length and growing!

can't wait to hear your little heartbeat again and then see you in the US!

Visit to Riverfront Park

2011-06-30T09:07:00.001-04:00

20 June 2011
Today we went to Riverfront Park to play on one of the many playgrounds that now dot the river area of downtown and then to cool off in the fountains to complete the experience. One of Karen's daughters, Ashley, was visiting with her 2 sons, Porter & Sawyer, so we took them with us for a fun little visit of Louisville. Today was so deceiving because in the morning it was cloudy but then when we arrived at the park it was so clear and the sun was so strong! We could only adventure around for a little bit before we looked like radish heads! Before we got to the fountain the boys stripped down to underware and diapers as they sat in the stroller. At the water fountain Jake loved getting splashed while Will couldn't stand it! (I made him get wet anyway!) But then he tried to escape and leave the fountain area only to run straight through a row of fountains that turned on as he began running! His face was priceless - deer in the headlights, sheer terror, bewilderment to the extreme! so he got wet and cooled off :) then we went home and took naps for a couple of hours to round out the day. it's always good times when water is involved.

Our new van

2011-06-29T14:11:00.008-04:00

I Really just cannot say how happy I am to have a vehicle that will safely transport all of my family and help wih all the other needs we have. Our 2005 dodge grand caravan has fold away seats and a dvd player, everything i could ever want in a vehicle! We were so Blessed to find this van and i actually don't have any qualms about driving a minivan like i used to have 10 years ago. William and Jacob just love going to the new car bc the doors oPen and close all by themselves - it's an awesome way to get them to go to the car w/o any distractions and lollygagging. I just love our van.

MINIVAN MANIA

2011-06-20T23:38:00.000-04:00

I made an offer for a 2005 Dodge Grand Caravan on eBay and we will soon have a minivan for our expanding family! Yeah!

Third time's a charm

2011-06-19T23:27:00.004-04:00

Hopefully this child will the apple of our eyes ... JK. Our two boys Will & Jake are the best boys anyone could ever ask for. Our next child will just be icing on the cake! Yes, we are expecting our third child somewhere around February, but i will knkw more after my first appointment with my midwife on the 29th. So until then i just keep the nausea at bay by staying cool, dinking lots of water (& juice when needed), and eating small frequent meals. It's a bit more pronounced this time, which leads me think we're going XX instead of XY this time. We'll see in a few months. Until then it's my little bean, my tadpole.

I'm back

2011-06-19T23:13:00.000-04:00

So after a month of not blogging, then 3 then 8 it almost seemed as though i was done, like i just didn't have enough time to do it. As if blogging was a hobby of sorts that i couldn't afford any more. But recently, i took a trip with my family to see BOTH of my sisters and my father, and some other extended family members and i realized that blogging waz actually a tool for me to stay closer to my family no matter how far apart we are. It is a tool for me to record my family history AS IT IS HAPPENING ... In the here and now. My Goal:Have my blogg printed out in book form every year. Highlight special little things my kids do- new skills, words, personality traits, etc. Share with my family all the memories we're having so we can grow together thru the years. Today it all begins ...

Jake's 1 month stats

2010-05-09T23:00:00.002-04:00

can we say "off the charts" and really mean it, literally?!? jake went in for his one month check up and i was blown away!!! here are his stats:

12 lb 9oz

24" long

35cm head circumference

almost outgrown 3-6 month clothes

he gained 4lbs in ONE month!!! and grew 2 inches!!! what kinda kid does that?!? william wasn't that big or grew that fast ... wow. then again, this little boy sure does know how to eat. it seems like i feed him every hour in the mornings and evenings with longer stints b/w feedings in the afternoon when he's napping. but what a cute little boy he is!!! i like 'em round and fat! my little butterball ... i could just eat him up when he talks, makes those baby coo's, smiles, and makes funny faces when his brother plays and kisses him. ahhhh, these days are passing by to quickly.

diaper bliss!

2010-05-09T22:11:00.004-04:00

after some tweaking i have successfully made some cloth diapers that i am thrilled with!!! here are the specs:

waterproof PUL outer
butter suede inner lining
plastic snaps
pocket style diaper with zipper on the outside back avoiding all solid waste
hemp & microfiber terry cloth inserts
one-size (fits 8-40lb babies)

all thanks to mom's viking sewing machine & a diaper pattern by nykibaby. i'll be making more diapers for several reasons ...

cost savings in the $1000's

enviromentally friendly ... go green!

rash eliminating

skills developing

great for emergency kits & storage

here are some great pics of my little creations ... go cloth diapers!!! everyone should try 'em!

even a little fun & decoration!

i love you guys

2010-05-09T21:59:00.001-04:00

exercise time

2010-05-09T21:19:00.002-04:00

these cute little boys usually end up sleeping by the time i'm done with my walk or jog. it's the most adorable thing ever! will doesn't even try to get out any more ... he just loves his juice bottle and the view wherever we go. gotta lose the baby weight and get healthy again to keep up with my active boys. i can do it! anything is possible with a schwinn double jogger stroller with optional swivel front wheel. hahaha!!!

a look back at the Easter Holiday

2010-05-09T19:59:00.004-04:00

We celebrated mostly on saturday with will's first egg hunt & coloring eggs. we hid some eggs in the living room since it was raining outside a bit. he found the first, opened it to find some nerds, and then wasn't interested in any of the other eggs ... only his nerds!!!

coloring eggs was fun because we used spray bottles instead of cups to hold the dye. it was so cute to see will squirting the eggs (most of the time) and having so much fun! you'll see ...

growing too quickly!

2010-04-13T22:40:00.004-04:00

Jake is growing so quickly ... Will too! but it's more noticable w/jake. he is now in size 1 diapers and can fit into the small setting of will's bumgenius diapers; i think he's somewhere around 10 lbs and 23 in (began 8-7 and 22").

i thinking & researching about making my own cloth diapers rather than purchasing them again. my sewing skills have greatly improved along w/my confidence to sew the diapers. the diapers i want - grasshopperdiapers.com - are just so stinking expensive! about $23 PER DIAPER!!! multiple that by 23 diapers (10/day and 3 extras while i'm washing the others) and it's quite a bit of money ($523)even though it's still less than buying disposable diapers for 2 years worth of time.

grasshopper diaper
i found this pattern on Nykibaby.com and am contemplating purchasing it to try it out. i love the cloth diapers i have now but wish they had a couple of changes. velcro wears out, so i'd like to replace it w/snaps. microfiber absorbs relatively well, but hemp, bamboo & zorb are better for the inserts. cloth is better on my budget, the planet, & my kids' bums ... less diaper rash. i'll let everybody know how it turns out.

current diaper

bumgenius

AI2 one-size snapped up to smallest size

possible future diaper
nykibaby one-size AIO

all done

2010-04-08T15:30:00.003-04:00

will uses sign language instead of talking right now. he was "all done" holding Jacob after just a few seconds!

Jacob Michael Huss

2010-03-25T15:36:00.008-04:00

as i promised ... here's the rest of the story.

thur 18 mar i went in for a check up and told my midwife that i had been having real contractions that morning but they were very mild and inconsistent. she suggested that i check-in at the hospital soon b/c it was probably gonna go very quickly. i called matt, told him i was getting a bite to eat from dairy queen and that we should meet before we checked in. so we did.

1130 check-in & walk the halls

1230 have to stop and focus on relaxing during contractions

1330 standing thru every contraction as they come 2 or 3 at a time, one on top of the other

1400 talking to myself and jacob to help with each contraction ... hilarious as heck! but it worked this time around better than just using a deep chanting oohhmm. had a million people in the room observing or helping - nursing interns, OBT, the RN, midwife, doula, and anybody else who wanted to see a natural birth. poor matt wasn't allowed to leave my side and had a great arm workout rubbing my low back & sacrum ... my hero!!!

(extra TMI for some - i yelled "don't touch me" to the RN and everybody moved away so i had to tell the midwife "you can touch me" ... funny stuff. and when i said "he's coming! he's coming!" the midwife told the RNs in a teaching type moment "when she says 'he's coming' the baby's coming. but if she says 'i need to push' that could mean a lot of different things." funny stuff!)

1440 almost felt like his head and then his brawny shoulders got stuck, but i kept pushing and finally jacob was born!

he's healthy, no problems at all. 8 lb 7 oz and 22in long. shy about eating and pooping in public/at the hospital but has no problems doin' his business at home! all day long.

william just loves his new "toy" and is constantly poking, petting, pointing at, holding, and kissing jacob. he's a great little helper and big brother. the joy of having 2 kids is so much greater than just having one. the dynamic of our family has changed drastically for the better. the Lord is merciful and gracious to let us have another choice spirit in our home.

HE'S HERE & more to come

2010-03-24T22:50:00.002-04:00

quick stats...

Jacob Michael Huss was born March 18th at 2:20 pm in Jeffersonville, IN ... a Hoosier baby. He weighed 8 lb 7 oz and was 22 in long (i called those specs) with a couple of blonde patches mixed into his dark brown hair. i'll post pics tomorrow, but i just had to post a little note to let everyone know he's here, he's healthy, and he's a COMPLETE doll!

38 weeks & counting

2010-03-14T18:34:00.003-04:00

i'm now 38 weeks along and getting very excited for Jacob Michael Huss to arrive! he's due 26 Mar but when i went to the midwife on the 11th she told me I was 4cm dialated & 80% effaced ... so Jacob could come quite quickly.

i feel so huge like Jacob has no more room to grow, but i'm sure he will in the next 12 days. i'm guessing that he'll be around 8 1/2lbs and 22in long with tons of black hair. we'll see soon. i'm all packed and ready to go to the hospital whenever the contractions begin.

last week i made a fleece bunting bag for Jacob since i couldn't find any that i liked completely for a reasonable price. i found the pattern and followed the instructions as best i could - sometimes i had to rip out all the stiches and re-sew - but it turned out better than i thought and i learned a few new skills. i learned to insert a zipper & elastic in casing, sew in lining, & create bound buton holes. it's brown with little bear ears on the hood and teddy bears on a white microfleece lining. i can put Jacob in the bag & easily put him in and out of his carseat without him getting cold. i'm so proud i could learn something proficiently that benefits my famly directly. i'll have pics when Jacob uses it.

2010

2010-01-24T18:19:00.002-05:00

the past few months have been bittersweet. so many things have happened.

my granny passed away dec 19th. i had talked to my dad the day before who told me that aunt cesear thought it didn't look good for granny and that her older brother VC passed away that day. i thought it rough that granny was 1 of 2 survivors of her family and seen 4 of her children and husband leave her behind in mortality. I prayed that the Lord would be quick and kind to granny, and He was. after having mom pass away in may 2008 i've learned much more about the plan of salvation for the ETERNAL destiny of God's children. i was happy that granny was now able to move on and enjoy the company of those whom she has been seperated from for so long; she is free from the ailments of this mortal tabernacle; and she has progressed in her journey back to our Father in Heaven, one step closer.

i joked with family that every time i'm 6 months pregnant someone in the family dies ... first mom and then granny. so they had better watch out the next time i'm prego, but that won't be for another 2 years. hahaha ... one comes as another goes ... hahaha we weren't able to make it to granny's funeral and missed not seeing all the family, but we thought much of granny ever since we heard the news.

christmas was wonderful and quite. we stayed here in KY and had dinner with the Huss' and enjoyed the simple company of family. we're simple people who only need the company of family to have a splendid time. gifts, decorations, traditions ... they mean little without family and the love they share.

for new years many family members were tired or working, so it was uneventful.

and on the 18th we had another great checkup at the CNM and an estimate that little JACOB is around 4 - 4 1/2 lbs right now and likely to be around 8 - 8 1/2 when he's born. no gest. diabetes, preeclampsia, anemia, etc. clean bill of health.

my birthday was the 20th and we celebrated by having a family get together on friday with lots of food and team trivial pursuit. earlier matt took me to costco to buy the food for the party, then to red robins burgers - btw i love the campfire sauce with their amazing bottemless fries, and finally to the movies to see Sherlock Holmes - love the movie!!! 5 stars!!! and william got to stay with his lula all day long - it took a couple hours to de-brat him after that. but it was nice to have a date with matt and reconnect, just the 2 of us.

matt has applied and is the only person so far to apply for an on-site sales position now available in the area. matt's been doing this job for 18 months without the title or compensation and has been promised any open position in salaried sales ... so we'll see in the next couple of weeks how things go. if he gets the job we'll get the internet at home and i'll be able to blogg and use the internet more :)

sorry for no pics. next time.

so lots of good and bittersweet events through the last months. but the Lord says all things are for our good ... so i guess it's all good.

ultrasound results ...

2009-12-05T12:54:00.004-05:00

IT'S A BOY!!!

nov 17 we went in for an ultrasound and had our suspecissions confirmed ... it's gonna be a boy! i've been calling the baby JACOB for quite some time since i could not for the life of me pick a girl name that really just fit. we saw little jacob sitting cross-legged with one hand behind his head just relaxing and taking it easy! but we could not see if he was a boy or girl until i moved on my side.

i had the tech double-check that he was a little boy and that it was not just a toe or foot between his legs. she laughed and appeased me. then we saw the most precious thing ... jacob was doing the sucking motion!!! we saw his profile and it was just adorable.

william will now have a little brother to play with and be best buddies. we're so excited for another little boy even though i'm now definitely outnumbered in the gender department. oh well.

dearly needed update!

2009-10-09T18:48:00.003-04:00

we don't have much to really update on except that we've been slowly moving into and fixing up our little house. we removed all the lawn ornaments & garden knomes, put all my crafts away in the huge pantry, & organized all the DVD's.

today my dad and i moved a trundle bed to our house. now William will have his own big boy bed he can crawl on & off by himself. i just had to rearrange the room and get it ready for him when he woke up from his nap. this way he could explore it and have fun with it BEFORE bed time tonight and hopefully have a good night's sleep. he's getting some more teeth so lately there hasn't been much sleep. but hopefully this will help!

FIRST BIRFDAY!!!

2009-08-31T15:50:00.006-04:00

William Matthew Huss turned ONE on friday august 21st! time has just vanished this past year. it doesn't even seem like it's been that long, but the calendar says it has.

to celebrate we went to the park for a picnic. grandpa cox flew into town for the day and came along for the fun. we picked up some KFC and headed to our favorite park in town - Cherokee Park. we threw down some blankets and enjoyed the beautiful day!

TOYS R' US was next on the agenda. will got to go thru the store and basically pick out the 2 toys he wanted for his birthday. all the family met at matt's parents as a central location for the party. we had chocolate fudge cake with chocolate icing and chocolate ice cream. will was so shocked at a little cake solely for him that he wouldn't sit in his new high chair and eat it! such a funny boy. he didn't even eat cake at all!

it's definite though that this little boy loves his noisy toys with lights & buttons! but his favorite of the blender, car, spinning animals & popping bubbles is the popping bubbles! he pushes it around everywhere, carries it with him to another room to play, and won't give it a rest. i'm glad he loves such a cheap toy!

happy birthday my sweet destroying angel! may your next birthdays be as much fun and excitement as this year. you have brought us great joy in the year that you've been in our lives with your big smiles, big messes, & big hugs and kisses! we love you!

packing ... MOVING ... settling in!!!

2009-08-31T15:24:00.003-04:00

THIS WEEK we're packing all of our things - wh/isn't much since we did some down-sizing to move in to my dad's fully furnished house. clothes are going in huge black trash bags, books in boxes, and dishes in plastic containers.

we finished painting the 3 bedrooms and the living room and it's time to move in! the kitchen cabinets are totally 70's and are in DESPERATE need of some updating, but that will be best done when we're living in the house.

the bathroom also needs some TLC: paint blue tiles white, remove the glass doors & wood cabinets, and replace the counter & vanity. all in good time, but easier done when living there.

and as always, our adorable son is eager to explore any new space. he's ready to move too!

Our FIRST HOME!

2009-08-17T16:38:00.002-04:00

This is our new home! we started looking for homes the beginning of may not really seriously but just b/c we were on stay-cation. in a couple weeks we found this little diamond in the rough and it took nearly 2 months for the seller to make the necessary repairs for our FHA loan approval. but finally all the repairs were done satisfactory & we closed on august 7th!!!

that night we went to lowes and bought & installed new locks in the house. then we began preping for paint! today we're priming and hopefully by the end of the week it'll have some color to it.

i'll post more pics later ... just thought i'd tell you all the good news!

WE'RE HOME OWNERS!!!

just for BRADLEY LARSON!!!

2009-08-16T18:36:00.006-04:00

everybody else can view this, but this is just for BRADLEY LARSON!

I JUST CAN'T HELP MYSELF! i can't stop watching HGTV! and there's a show - color splash - where the host David Bromstad looks just like my good friend bradley larson! no joke! here's your twin in a side-by-side for your laughs!

BABY #2 updates

2009-08-11T08:39:00.004-04:00

THIS IS OUR NEW LITTLE TADPOLE!!!

we went to visit our midwife - who's moving to Maine in a couple weeks bytheway - and had to have an ultrasound to determine gestation! nursing does great things to your body & we had no clue how far along we were. we're officially "7 weeks 4 days" on aug 11th according to the size of our little tadpole swimming in his little black blob.

we're just so excited! it's like having our first child all over again except i'm much more nauseous than i was last time. yuck yuck yuck!!! good thing i have a great mother-in-law to help when i can't operate.

BABY #2

2009-08-02T19:15:00.001-04:00

COMING TO A LOCATION NEAR YOU IN LOUISVILLE, KY ...

ANNOUNCING THE DEBUT OF

HUSS BABY #2 !!!

COMING MAR/APR 2010

UPDATES SOON TO FOLLOW

thousands of words

2009-02-21T16:04:00.002-05:00

ICE ICE BABY!!!

2009-02-08T20:07:00.009-05:00

boom boom BOOM!!!

mon nite - sleet & snow

tue all day - freezing rain

tue nite - light snow

wed - COMPLETE DISASTER!!! tree limbs all over the place and breaking every minute

wed am - more sleet & snow to compound the mess

the falling branches and trees knocked out TONS of power lines throughout the city - our street included- and blocked streets everywhere! it was beautifully deadly! when the light hit the trees it would shine like christmas lights! every individual twig branch and blade of grass were encased in 1/2" of SOLID ICE!!!

we lost power tue night til tue morning the next week. so wed morning we built a fire in the fireplace while we packed and got ready to leave before the house dropped to below freezing and the roads became worse. we went to matt's family's house since they still hda power and heat. it was a full house at the huss' since the boy's apt also lost power, but we all loved it!

deadly beauty!!!

vegan BROWNIE recipe

2009-01-25T19:26:00.002-05:00

YUM YUM!!! guilt-free dessert

VEGAN BROWNIE RECIPE

ingredients:

1 1/2 cup walnuts

8 large medjool dates, pitted

1/4 cup cocoa powder

combine all ingredients in food processor. blend well. place in pan and press together. can garnish with berries, fruit, etc.

enjoy!

california vacation

2009-01-17T16:00:00.010-05:00

MORE PICS WILL COME SOON! THEY'RE BEING DEVELOPED!

left jan 8th, 0900 from SDF to PHX and finally OAK. silly me though b/c i booked a hotel near the SFO instead of the OAK. what a drag to have to pay a $4 toll every time we went to san francisco. oh well, the hotel was a steal!

@ ghirardelli square we had dinner at McCORMICK'S sea food grill and it was awesome!!! i had swordfish and matt had the scallops. and of course will was totally out for the night since he was 3 hours ahead on eastern time!

we went to we visited some family friends and some friends from my mission in oakland. FENTON'S ice creame was awesome!!! nothing like it! jason and michelle mcconnell - they got married at the oakland temple while i was on my mission there - left with smiles and their cute litte girl who's 2 days younger than will.

Alcatraz was a great experience cut short by a little boy that needed a nap. and fisherman's warf was tasty!!! we went to butterfly and matt had edamame for the first time. he learned not to eat the shell just the beans. it was great food! if you couldn't tell, I LOVE FOOD!!!

then we went all the way out to ANTIOCH to see Frankie, Mara and Pete and their 3 mastiff dogs, and the Larson family!!! Frankie gave me some of her california avocaods - 1st time i'd tried them and love them. Mara and Pete took us to the Olive Garden for lunch and will's first encounter w/dogs happened here w/mastifs. HE LOVED THE DOGS!!! he just kept looking at them and reaching out for them. and the Larson's had us over for dinner, COD4, and some great conversations! again, will was out cold around 1830. the trip back to san fran wasn't so bad this time since traffic was't bad. then we left the next day, sun the 11th @ 1400, to return to SDF. it was a great trip and we wished it were longer!

the only thing that keeps us from moving to cali is the TRAFFIC!!! there's nothing that we hate more than traffic and there's too much of it in cali. we love the weather, the people, the culture, the history and the plethera of things to do, but we just can't live w/all the traffic.

DECEMBER UPDATE

2009-01-17T15:59:00.008-05:00

dec is the month for RECEPTIONS!!! i had my visiting teachers help me bring down and put up most of the decorations on mon morning and by sat night the 6th the house was ready for a reception!!! the tree was up, the lights were shining bright, and i was in the Xmas mood w/carols and singing!

karen and dad drove from UT to KY w/karen's daughter and 2 sons - amanda, peter, and owen. they came and visited the louisville slugger bat museum and got their mini bats from the tour. peter and owen were so happy to have mini bats and play out on the farm in the little kid's jeep. it was a joy to have them visit. monday they headed out to visit some relatives in OH and the house was a little quieter. i missed having those little boys in the house and other ppl to talk with.

then XMAS came!!! i worked hard to make steph a pair of animal print pajama pants for Xmas eve. mom always got us pajamas and let us open them on Xmas eve, so i decided to carry on the tradition for steph!!! for V i made her a moby baby wrap carrier for her little baby that's gonna be born this summer!!! i'm so excited! for dad i am clearing out the old Ensigns and making room for all of his DVDs that are over running the shelves. that's right, i'm gonna do some cleaning and organizing. and for karen steph and i bought her a simple broach, perfect since she doesn't wear much jewelry.

and for new year's we had a blast!!! dad, karen, bill, susan, all the huss kids, and our little fam got together at the huss' house for games, bubblie, treats and movies! kung fu panda was a hit!!! i love it and just can't laugh enough it's so FUNNY!!! karen showed susan and i how to make a vegan "brownie" with walnuts, medjool dates, and cocoa powder . . . AWESOME!!! no baking necessary, healthy, and gets you that sweet fix. will had fun and woke up for a few seconds at the new year while we were making lots of noise and shouting. then he went right back to sleeping, no problem.

NOVEMBER UPDATE

2009-01-17T15:58:00.009-05:00

this is how the COX family started out the month of nov[minus karen]. so my dad went online a couple months ago to check out what LDSsingles.com is all about. he met a wonderful lady - KAREN KINDRICK- and they were setup by the Lord is the only way that i can describe everything. too many spiritual experiences and confirmations to deny that she is the wife for my dad.

we left thur morning and friday morning they were sealed in the Redlands, CA temple. everybody attended, all 3 or dad's kids and spouses and grandkids and all 6 of karen's kids and spouses and grandkids. it was special to be at the temple with my family. ironically i lost my voice from the cold i had when i was visiting and getting to know my new family. hahaha

we traveled to anaheim sat to visit knott's berry farm, but smoke from a nearby fire was too thick for will and i to handle. we went and saw quantum of solace instead. we were bummed out, but that's life. it'll still be there when we decide to visit again.

we went home on sun the 16th and almost missed our flight b/c the gate changed and there weren't any announcements on the intercom. hahaha. so at the end of the month the COX-KENDRICK family ended up like this, tons of ppl!!!

THANXGIVING was a smash too! we visited w/the Huss part of our family and had a great time!!! food was amazing, the games were fun - especially Xmas Kombat and PIT - and the company was great. and once again i was sick! twice for nov. twice!

XMAS ???s

2008-11-23T17:13:00.003-05:00

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?
anything that wraps a gift - newspaper and comics work well.

2. Real tree or Artificial?
love the smell of real but hate the maintainance and cleanup, so i'll choose 6' artificials - cheaper in the long run.

3. When do you put up the tree?
AFTER - and only after- Thanxgiving

4. When do you take the tree down?
just after new years, no later than the 6th

5. Do you like egg nog?
absoutely not!

6. Favorite gift received as a child?
bike?

7. Do you have a nativity scene?
personally, one. since i live at my mom's house and she has tons, i have tons.

8. Hardest person to buy for?
my dad. what do you buy a man that has everything? i've resorted to services and manua labor as girfts since i've run out of options.

9. Easiest person to buy for?
will, he doesn't care.

10. Mail or email Christmas cards?
i try to mail b/c real cards are awesome!!!

11.Worst Christmas gift you ever received?
purple crocketted blanket b/c it was itchy. but i loved it b/c my grandma Paul made it for me!

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?
elf!!!

13.Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?
no

14. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
breakfast casserol mom made Xmas morning

15.Clear lights or colored on the tree?
WHITE!!! colored ones just look cheap.

16. Favorite Christmas song?
doesn't matter just as long as they're not over played

17. Travel at Christmas or stay home?
home. unless i want some snow, then i have to travel

18. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?
never could. never tried.

19. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
Xmas EVE so the entire day can be spent in rememberance of the birth of the Savior and w/family

20. Most annoying thing about this time of year?
crotchidy ppl

21. Favorite ornament theme or color?
??? ppl do themes ??? i just decorate w/what i've got

22. Favorite food for Christmas dinner?
mashed potatoes

23. What do you want for Christmas this year?
serger sewing machine, but i kinda already bought my present when i bought P90X. serger will have to wait for my bday.

24. Who is most likely to respond to this?
nobody in their right mind

25. Who is least likely to respond to this?
everybody

Bill's 50th birthday!!!

2008-10-22T13:42:00.004-04:00

10 OCT

office depot adventure!!!

in the midst of cleaning the house for Karen's arrival on sunday evening, i've been taking will over to Lula (grandma) and Lulo's (grandpa) house so i can work, and i decided to take a break and do something for Bill since his 50th birthday was today.

i went to office depot and had a lady help print 50 little cows on cardstock and a poster saying "holy cow!!! look who turned 50 today! happy birthday bill!" then i cut out the little cows and taped them to some popsicle sticks to put in the front yard while the poster was plastered on the front door. i did this all while bill was gone to a lunch meeting, so it was a surprise when he came home.

dedicated to BRADLEY LARSON

2008-10-22T13:39:00.004-04:00

i saw this while i was waiting for the lady at office depot to ring up all my items. i couldn't believe that your name was on the list!!! it sent me back to the wonderful days in ANTIOCH with amazing ppl!!!

"the world's largest halloween party" -zoo

2008-10-18T00:09:00.007-04:00

Halloween at the Zoo!!!

i dressed up will as a little COW while matt and i were 'farmers' for our trip to the zoo :) after matt returned home from work bill and susan came over and we carpooled. it was so much fun going to the zoo! i haven't been in over 5 years to the louisville zoo, so it was fun to relive some childhood memories. (below: entrance to the trick-or-treat trail)

matt was so excited to see ONE of the animals up and about - the puma. all the other animals were asleep and in their cages. we were hoping to see more animals but that's too much to ask for after dark. oh well.

things we loved:

pumpkin carvings - esp willy wonka and jack skellington

"yellow brick road"

willy wanka

puma

cow costume

candy taxes on will

barromeo's pizza afterwards

what a great date/outing!!!

kids say the darndest things!!!

2008-10-10T20:28:00.001-04:00

Due to a power outage, only one paramedic responded to the call.

The house was very dark so the paramedic asked Kathleen, a 3-yr old girl to hold a flashlight high over her mommy so he could see while he helped deliver the baby.

Very diligently, Kathleen did as she was asked.

Heidi pushed and pushed and after a little while, Connor was born.

The paramedic lifted him by his little feet and spanked him on his bottom Connor began to cry.

The paramedic then thanked Kathleen for her help and asked the wide-eyed 3-yr old what she thought about what she had just witnessed.

Kathleen quickly responded, "He shouldn't have crawled in there in the first place...spank his butt again!"

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

2008-10-10T20:25:00.003-04:00

my friend morgan pugh from my mission sent this in an email and i just died laughing when i opened it!!! thought i'd pass around the kicks and giggles!

random pics of WMH

2008-10-05T14:15:00.002-04:00

blessing of william matthew huss

2008-10-05T13:51:00.007-04:00

28 SEP

Many from our fam were able to attend the blessing of will. matt, bill, steve, mike, and nate stood in the circle to name and bless him, and it was so touching. the huss fam was present, and veronica's fam and steph were there in spirit since they were so far away. wish they could have been here, but it's understandable and that's life.

matt was so nervous but did great! it was beautiful, short and powerful. the Lord has made such a wonderful plan to allow us the opportunity to grow and develop. we as parents of this beautiful little boy have great responsibilities to teach and help him learn the commandments of God. to help him realize his potential as a son of God. to show him the way of truth and happiness that leads to eternal life with our Father in Heaven and our families.

i've been tagged!

2008-10-05T13:44:00.010-04:00

this little guy looks clean all the time. but the smell is a different thing ... spit up.

i love to have my hair fixed even if i'm not going out b/c it takes 2-3 min and a scalp massage feels great in the morning!
the bed is never made fully b/c will and i take a nap in the middle of the day.

the closet isn't too bad in my standards.

the fridge is a work in progress since there's tons of condiments and whatnot. but we love our food and always have a lot of it!!!

the bathroom is in good condition.

now i tag ciara, jenny, janina, and jackie!!! it's your turn now and don't cheat ... no extra cleaning ... just as is.

THRUSH!!! the yeastie beasties

2008-10-05T13:35:00.004-04:00

it's so cute to see this little boy w/a purple mouth from the gentian violet that dyes his mouth to help w/the thrush.

9 OCT and WMH and i went to his pediatrician to diagnose his thrush and get some relief. she suggested that we try GENTIAN VIOLET to help him. it's this purple dye that gets all over everything and everyone!!! he stayed on it for a week and we were both ok. it was a rough little ride for a while b/c i had to nurse him even though it burned and hurt so much ... but that was part of the recovery process. it's a good learning process.

2008-08-28T13:01:00.001-04:00

WILLIAM MATTHEW HUSS!!!

2008-08-26T18:51:00.014-04:00

i am finally getting around to writing about William's birth b/c it's been kinda a lot to learn in the last few days as first time parents ... ;)

here's the short and low about the memorable day of August 21st:

around 0030 contractions began every 15 min and i thought that it might be time but i wasn't sure so i kept waiting. about 0230 i called Dori Ross, our fabulous doula, and let her know that it was time!!! there was no stopping the contractions and they were getting a couple minutes closer and closer together. in the mean time before the rush to the hospital, i was busy making a fruit smoothie, playing the piano, watching law & order: SVU, double and triple checking my hospital bag, etc. 0600 came around and i said emphatically and assertively "it's time to go to the hospital!" so matt put all the stuff in his mustang and i walk down, get in the front seat, and IMMEDIATELY yell "we have to switch cars! we can't take the mustang!" i needed to move around and not sit ... later he thanked me for changing cars b/c it was easier w/the carseat and better for me.

0630 we arrived at the hospital and i was hugging the walls with each contraction while we were registering at the ER entrance. i pushed the wheelchair that was brought for me b/c it hurt to sit ... i needed gravity to help me out and bring me this baby! i was 7-8cm dilated and 100% effaced and they had to make sure i was in labor before they put me in a room and let me have at it.

i used every position known to mothers to get comfie and make contractions effective from using a body ball, getting in the birth tub, leaning on matt or the wall, kneeling, cat-cow pose from yoga, and side-lying relaxation pose from the bradley method. the best was kneeling and leaning for me :) 5 hours later i felt little williams head pushing hard on my pelvis and yelled to the nurse and my doula that it was time and that i wasn't gonna wait any longer! now or never! a couple big pushes and out came little will all at once in a huge flash!!! the midwife had barely walked in to put on her scrubs and catch the baby. but then something odd happened: as i was reaching for william the umbilical cord just BURST!!! poor matt didnt get to cut it :( [he was looking forward to doing that]. crazy stuff! but atleast our baby boy was healthy, had all his parts, and was crying! he cried for a couple minutes and then was calm as a bug! such a quiet, accommodating, good baby :) we're so blessed!

i tore a little bit and needed some stiches but nothing else eventful happened - thank goodness! i just can't help but look at this little guy and thank my Father in Heaven for this wonderful blessing!!! there is nothing to describe how i feel about this little person that has suddenly appeared. i've been imagining this day and seeing my belly get bigger and bigger over the past 9 months, but to actually have him here and see what he looks like, to hold him in my arms ... it's almost unreal!!! surreal almost! it's just like faith! you do things to help it grow, see side effects in your life, and when there is a real struggle and challenge to that faith it is in that moment of triumph that you realize and see your faith clearly for the first time as something tangible. God has created a plan and revealed principles that will lift us, refine us, and bring us closer to Him. There is nothing like hearing and learning these things from the mouth of living prophets and apostles today! Nothing like knowing and being blessed to have a family that will be together past the limits of mortality into eternity! i couldnt imagine living w/o my son, husband, parents, sisters, and extended family members. Thank God for His love and the restoration of His gospel in these days.

William Matthew Huss official stats:

8lb 21in - healthy

born at Clark Memorial Hospital in Jeffersonville, IN

time of birth 1121 on 8-21-08

parents Rachel Diane and Matthew Joseph Huss

memorial for snoopy

2008-08-12T17:02:00.002-04:00

today has been such a sad day! i left the house early to meet a pediatrician and when i arrived home i saw snoopy lying in an uncomfie position in his dog house and it seemed a little strange to me that he didn't get up and greet me. so i walked in and asked my dad if he noticed anything wrong w/snoopy - he went outside to see him.

snoopy wouldn't get up ... COULDN'T. he was only thirsty, wouldn't eat his favorite dog bones. he hobbled for a second just so he could use the restroom but then quickly fell over. he had been yelping all night long - i wondered why he was awake at night, he usually isn't - and now it all came together. he was stuck there unable to move all night and just crying for help!

so dad and i took him down to a pretty corner of the yard, said our good-byes, thanked him for being such a good friend, and let him go of his earthly duties. it was the saddest thing to see him go! i never want to see that again in my life, but it was so harder looking into his eyes and seeing the pain that i'd do it again in an instant! now we need to find a good size rock so he can have a headstone.

we love that dog! he is such a loyal, loving, and mischevious little dog! he had a spark about him and always wanted to love and be loved by you. he was the last of his litter ... the runt and the oldest living. he lived to be 14 years old. i wish animals could have longer lives, but i guess this way we get to have many wonderful friendships and relationships.

what a sad day it is. dad and i have cried tears of loss and tears of joy for snoopy. knowing that he's not gone forever, that i'll see him again, and that the gospel touches every part and aspect of our lives gives me great peace. religion isn't just something i do on sundays for a couple hours ... it is my life! it is what guides my every decision and makes me who i am.

thanx snoopy for all your love!!! we miss you so much!

the up and coming move!

2008-08-05T09:00:00.002-04:00

MJH and i have decided that by FRIDAY we're going to be living in dad's house ... so that means a lot of packing this week! we told our landlord that we'd be out of the apt by the end of this month, so mostly what we'll be moving are personal items. we'll get to the other things later. so most important are the clothes, toiletries, books, printer and computers, movies, etc. we'll be giving away the couches and bed and letting MJH's bros take the dinner table and old dishes.

i'm so excited to move our 500+ books to the house ... not! i'm gonna need to get another bookshelf for them all and move a couple things around before we decide where to put them. as i've found out, bookshelves are impossible to move once they're full of books. so location is key! plus we'll have dad's trailor and navigator to help move things. so i'm so excited!!!

strepB pos+ ...

2008-07-31T12:33:00.004-04:00

so the apt w/our CNM [certified nurse midwife] went really well except for finding out the whole thing about being strepB positive. this translates to having to go to the hospital a little earlier than usual so i can be pumped full of 2 doses of 4 hour antibiotics and staying in the hospital for 48 not 24 hours. it sux but it'll be best for little will.

on the brighter side, will is about 6 1/2 lbs and around 18" long, so he might be around 8-8 1/2 when he's born. he's on schedule for arrival around the 23rd, so we'll see what happens.

to help cheer me up last night matt took me on a date to a couple book stores. we love book stores and clearance priced books ... yeah!!! on the way to one of the stores we stopped by the aquatice center and i dipped my swollen little feet into the refreshing fountain -play yard ... a place little will and i will frequent. after the book stores we drove across town to The Homemade Ice Creame and Pie Kitchen.

what a delightful experience! i only wish i had shared w/matt b/c everything was so rich creamy and decadent! i had butter pecan and a slice of chocolate maringue pie while matt tried the raspberry fudge and a yellow cupcake w/chocolate frosting! wowsers!!! do they know how to bake! it was so rich that matt got kinda sick last night since we're not really used to sugar and ice creame any more. but it was a great time and i love going on dates w/matt!

FOOT BATH!!!

2008-07-29T10:52:00.003-04:00

last night my feet felt like itchy huge balloons! the solution: soak them in COLD water in the tub. and what better to do than read while i'm sitting on the edge of the tub. after a little while matt came and found me b/c i was quieter than a little mouse. so i cohersed him into joining me and there we sat - two married ppl reading their books soaking their feet in the tub! he wouldnt let me take a pic, so i had to find something closely related!!! it was just the funniest thing ever!

belly update ... one month left

2008-07-24T09:00:00.002-04:00

ONE MONTH LEFT! this is how incredibly big i look, but i feel 20x bigger! my abdomen is rock hard and i just don't know where he's going to grow. i went to the midwife yesterday and did that stupid strepB test, so we'll wait to see what the results are for next week's appointment. i'm going to see the midwife every week now that i'm 36 weeks along.

i have braxton-hicks contractions more and more often, but i think this little guy is gonna be either close to due date or later. i could be wrong, but we'll see. the b-h contractions are kinda like PMS cramps, so it's not something scarey but familiar. funny how mother nature gets you ready for something so many years in advance! we'll just have to wait and see how natural birth goes and i'll tell you if it's anything like PMSing or not.

matt met our midwife yesterday at the appointment and really liked her. i'm glad he likes her positive and spunky personality and doesn't mistake it for a hippie-tree-hugging persona.

yuck!

2008-07-23T18:00:00.002-04:00

i've come to the conclusion that there's nothing worse than being 8 1/2 months prego and getting sick! i had little energy before b/c little guy zapped it but now there's nothing left and i'm left tired but sleep isn't enough! i've gotta get better quick so i can get back to living!

splish splash!!!

2008-07-22T19:32:00.003-04:00

there's just something to all this heat that makes me hate it even more now that i'm 8 1/2 months pregnant. i used to enjoy walking, but now that's a bit of a struggle since my range of motion is limited and this huge belly of mine is in the way. yoga is great, but i need to get outta the apartment! so i've picked up SWIMMING. that cool water is just the best b/c it's like taking a physical break from being prego w/all the stress off my back and bouyancy change. but the best thing is that my cankles disappear when i swim! all that swelling goes down and i can see my ankles again! yeah!!!

but the best part is that i go to the pool w/my friend lacy lilly who has grandkids my age! he needs a swimming buddy for pool rules since there's no life guard on duty and i need a convient free pool to swim in. so we swim laps for 1/2 hour and then i float around a bit enjoying the cool weightless environment and we call it a day. then we do it again the next day. it's fun talking to lacy b/c he's got a million stories to tell and a couple of pranks too!

ps. this isn't me swimming, i just got a pic from online to make things more interesting :)

2008-07-19T13:39:00.000-04:00

OPENING DAY last night we went to the 9:30 showing of the Dark Knight w/christian bale and heath ledger. we were so excited and pumped about this movie that we had a little pre-show party. we had a trivia game of questions from batman begins, candy, cupcakes decorated for the occassion (y so srs, joker, etc.). we divied up tickets and planned where everybody was gonna sit. it was intense. we arrived early and saw the previews and had our snacks.

THIS IS THE BEST MOVIE I'VE EVER SEEN!!! the performances in this cineamtice adventure were unhinged! the crime drama, menace, and art of this movie put it up there w/the GodFather movies!!! there weren't any lines that weren't good! no sceens that didn't keep the story moving forward! and any characters that weren't presented that didn't fit into the story. it was all amazing!!! 10/10 rating from me!

it's not for kids under 13, but the language is clean and there are no sceens that could have been omitted. IT WAS JUST AN AMAZING MOVIE!!! i will see it again soon ... and i'm the type that usually waits til it's on video to see it again. and just think, next week The X-files movie comes out ... wow! that's gonna be a great adventure as well!

a little dilemma here

2008-07-15T14:36:00.000-04:00

i'm contemplating a hard decision to make and need everybody's help. here it is: should i keep my facebook account or blogger? the deal is that i dont wanna do updates TWICE, i'd rather just do it once. so one is probably unnecessary and therefore needs to be eliminated. i'll continue to contemplate as you help me by answering the poll. thanks!!!

wonderful day ...

2008-03-23T14:59:00.000-04:00

nothing compares to working in the temple, going to the temple, or just driving by the the temple. since matt is no longer interested in blogging, this is my blogg now. bu-ah ha ha ha!!! jk.

any way, i went to the temple saturday and helped with the tons of laundry that needs to be done for initiatories and baptisms in behalf of those who have passed on. it was great, plus it was easy. what a neat thing to have a small house of God just around the corner where there's need enough that i can help and participate in many different capacities.

think of it this way: if this was a LARGE temple, cleaning crews are brought in, laundry is done by workers, and the landscaping is hired out. but in a small temple, sign up sheets are circulated for volunteers to help clean, do laundry, and help with other minor tasks needing attention. small temples are where it's at. personal. homey. inviting. not intimidating.

SNOW!!!

2008-03-11T12:25:00.000-04:00

snow is a hard thing to come by in KY, but FRI thru SAT we had our fair share for once!!! it was exciting to have all that wonderful powder but it messed up plans quite a bit for me! i was planning on attending a massage therapy continuing education conference in lexington, ky until the snow and slush made it terrible to drive on the highways! then to top it off, the storm hit worse in lexington than louisville so we'd be more than likely stuck there for an extra day ... not in the budget. so i had to cancel and not go the conference ... i was so poopy and sad.

but waking up sat morning to all that snow just made me so happy! i went out all by myself and played! i tromped around the yard and the street, made a snow angel, scraped the snow off the cars a bit to see how deep it was, and just enjoyed to freshness that was all around! i had missed that for the past several years being in the worng places at the wrong times to get the good snow. but this time i didnt miss it! it came to me! so enjoyable!

then later in the morning we decided to shovel the driveway (and part of the road so we could get in and out of the driveway) and almost everybody wanted to help! jen ended up getting burried alive in all the snow shoveled off the driveway by jon and nate. we had snowball fights. and every thing was just so much fun! thank heavens for 4w drive and front wheel drive! life savers in slush and snow!

at the end of the day (SAT) i took a walk and already my snow was beginning to melt too quickly! so one last shot saved the beauty of the snow for me! i miss it now that it's all mostly melted and gone ...

a walk in the park!

2008-03-06T15:38:00.000-05:00

today i decided to go to cherokee park after eating lunch w/matt. i just needed to get out and ejoy the weather today. i've become pretty restless lately so this was much needed! anyway, i began walking on the road, but i despise hard flat surfaces - they ruin the arches in your feet - and looked for the trail signs. i found one and was off! i didnt really keep track of where i was so i wouldnt get lost, so i just had such a fun time enjoying all the birds singing, the great views, and being active. one trail lead to the next and by the time you know it i could see my car again and decided that i would leave more adventures for the next time i came to the park.

i just love nature! i dont quite enjoy taking photos of ppl as much as i love capturing the brililant colors, dynamic contrasts, and eye-candy lines that just make me follow -them -until -i -cant -see -anything -more type elements i find more in nature. and the best part ... i took all of these photos AND EDITED THEM w/my PHONE!

hope you enjoy them as much as i did running up and down the paths taking them!

belly shots

2008-03-05T08:55:00.000-05:00

first finding out we're pregnant ... no belly just normal. the pre-belly look so comparisons can be accurate.

moving right along ... this was the day that "the Belly" magically appeared! i went to bed the night before and there was no belly. When i awoke, there it was ... a little baby bump!

and today here is the progress the baby has made! i now "show" with just about every shirt i wear. i've had to buy a couple of maternity pants because some pants are just too tight when i sit and move around. still can't tell too much from a straight on view, but from the side it's quite obvious! it's so much fun!

i felt the baby move for the first time yesterday, 4 mar, and that was such a spiritual experience! it was amazing!

i just can't wait til AUGUST to see our little baby!

our "little baby" frog

2008-01-07T14:03:00.001-05:00

to more fully prepare ourselves for our baby arriving in Aug we adopted my little green frog i got on my mission as our "baby." i love it and take care of it, and am a good "mommy."

but matt doesnt like our little "baby!" he plays too roung and hurts him with an anaconda eh-squeeze to the eye and a pile driver to the face.

not to mention the karate chop to the throat just before bed time. i try to protect him and keep him safe from the evil matthew, but i am no match for "philippino libre!"

this has all been for fun and games. more updates will come later to the story.

rachel

XMAS MORNING!!!

2007-12-26T10:39:00.000-05:00

christmas morning is a drag for this little one ... he wanted to keep sleeping in ...

i just love the christmas story ... i only wish it were in the scriptures all in one place ... but dad did some skipping around for me this year and i like it tons!

here's dad working out and pumping that iron that was mom's gift while mom plans to take over da vorld vit tis bazooka! ha ha ha! jk it's her new tractor muffler since the old one was damaged and broken.

2007-12-26T10:29:00.000-05:00

all 3 of these broheims were here for matt - finally reunited after 3 years of missions and stuff.
the beautiful huss family
the good looking cox/benson fam .
and all of us together ... welded together in love! even grandpa paul - steve's dad. yeah!
and this is my favorite bridal pic ever ! the others were just ok, but this one is great!

2007-12-26T10:22:00.000-05:00

what incredibily good looking neice and nephew i have. they were just so precious! one of my fav pics was the kiss through the black iron rod fence at the temple ... wow.

2007-12-26T10:00:00.000-05:00

these are the 1st of the wedding photo batches that i'm gonna post today. i've got a lot of catching up to do ...

baby fever!!!

2007-12-23T21:23:00.000-05:00

WE'RE PREGNANT!!!

so there's so just so much to tell about out life b/c it's been so busy!!! this is rachel narrating by the way. to proceed onward and get back to the point, life has been busy - an understatement. i've been building my practice at the chiropractic office that i got a job @, and it has not been easy. this being my first time having to pay someone for appointment scheduling, room space, and furnishings it's a slow start working out all the kinks. but i love the work and love seeing the great things that God can do!

the beginning of this announcement begins back in Oct when we decided if God wants to bless us w/children then we'd take care of them and love them so much! this month i had the feeling that we were pregnant - but not any of those nasty symptoms like nausea, vomiting, headaches, nothing - so decided to get pregnancy tests and see if science could help unlock this mystery. 2 pregnancy tests later it was still iffy, we bought a different brand that wasn't so ambiguous and it was positive - we were pregnant. yet matt still didnt believe b/c he didnt wanna be let down so i took a 4th and told him i wasnt taking another b/c 4 for 4 were pretty much positive. if he didnt believe 4 pregnancy tests he never would until i started showing; he began to really believe.

next thing we know the huss fam knows and we tell the cox fam and everyone in church knows when we get there today. it's an exciting event and there's just nothing else that's been even close to our wedding excitment as this, nothing. in light of my love for anatomy and physiology i got a practioners guide to pre and perinatal massage, the girlfriends guide to pregnancy - the comical and insightful book that tells you what your doctor won't, and the belly book to scrapbook this great event!

i'll post more as things continue, but for now i just keep eating little meals all the time and i go to bed a little sooner than normal b/c i'm tired, but that's all. i'm doin' great! hope you all are doin' great as well and we love ya so much!

rach

month one in the books.

2007-09-23T22:23:00.000-04:00

been a few weeks. we should have pics soon. got a digital this week for that very purpose.
went on our first campout, which was pretty radical. the blog is officially open to the public for anyone to see, so if there's anyone who we havent told about it and any of you know that they dont know about it, then tell them about it.

as far as how the huss' are doing, we're great. rachel is 2 steps away from landing a sweet job at a chiropractic office. im still at grainger...

robinson crusoe has taken a little longer to finish than expected.. i decided to take my time with it since its turning out to be the best book ive ever read. and the 5love languages book rach is reading is the best ever! she loves with little acts of service while i love w/quality time. now we're rockin' out the same page ... we understand each other. so if i dont wanna spend time w/you, i dont love you.

i shaved my beard.

we thought we would include some recommendations:
movie-the terminal... speilberg, john williams, tom hanks. pretty much a no brainer.

ok, one recommendation then.

let us know how you all are doing so we have something to gossip about here in our apartment.

'i want that report on my desk by the end of today or you will receive a full desadulation.' -jim from "the office."

r/m/h.

pics coming soon.

2007-09-02T00:19:00.000-04:00

pics coming shortly... probably next week. we're still unpacking everything. we wanted to send a special 'gracias' to the bensons for the magic popcorn machine. that's all we eat now. i think that's what we're having tomorrow too.

slight smile.

rachel and matt.

home.

2007-09-01T01:30:00.000-04:00

home. drove straight in from DC, and it was a good idea. we enjoyed the comments from dad and drew... try getting a table at dorcia's now drew.
by far my favorite place in DC was the international spy museum. a must see. rachel's was the 'bodies' exhibit... i must admit that some of the exhibits were terrifying, but educational. the only casualty of the honeymoon that we've discovered so far is my phone charger. not bad, we think.
one of the spy museum exhibits chronicled the different authors who were spies for foreign governments, one being daniel defoe, which i thought was rather ironic.

cut and paste witty closing here_________
matt and rachel

DC. our travel journal.

2007-08-30T09:44:00.000-04:00

we've been here for a few days now, enjoying the many museums and sites... our hotel is actually in downtown DC, which makes it easy to get around with the metro. today we're going to the body world exhibit in rosslyn va... the one from 'casino royale'... rachel is an anatomy expert, so it should be fun to follow her around the different exhibits and listen to her wax eloquent about the human body. at least there's one smart person in our little family.

last night we were able to have dinner with one of my mission friends, chris hare. it was nice to see him and his wife; catch up on old times.

today is our one week anniversary, which is nice, so i think we'll celebrate by eating sushi. rachel and i will look for any reason to celebrate.
for all you canasta junkies, which are basically just my parents, yesterday rachel nearly won in a single hand... i say nearly because when she went out i quit because i couldnt bare to watch her count all her points.

here's a movie quote for you.. see if you can catch the movie:
you work your side of the street, and ill work mine.

huss.

ps. i think you guys can comment now, i had it set on 'members only'... but now its 'anyone'... we'd love to hear from you. sort of.

blog from the road. part 1

2007-08-27T23:03:00.000-04:00

well, we've never blogged before. after 4 days, we're still married.
we're on our way to washington dc for our well-deserved honeymoon.
we're not quite sure what kind of information to put here, or how formal or informal our blog will be, or even who will read it. hopefully as this blog matures, various pictures, poems, book/movie reviews, thoughts, discussions, concert reviews, travel logs, and other forms of intriguing and thought-provoking postings will be provided. just dont count on it.

books:
robinson crusoe, defoe. 10 pages into the book and already i can see ourselves stranded on an island, happy all the way.

music:
the bends, ok computer, radiohead.
saxophone colossus, sonny rollins.
be cool, baby, be cool.

travel log:
one day into honeymoon, staying 10 miles outside of charleston, wv. town name unknown. there were exactly 5 couples including us in the ponderosa tonight. creepy.

until our next posting, read, think, and be happy.

rachel and matt.