The Helmer Girls

my mom got a new camera for christmas so last night we were trying it out and taking tons of pictures. makena and i are having a great time in michigan. :)

we are here

We are here and having a great time! It is not cold at all and infact, we almost wish it would snow!!! Last night, there was a christmas party at the shepherd's and we played a gift exchange game but you couldn't open the present. Soooo people were stealing just based on what the gift looked like and how it sounded when it was shaken. It was funny and LOTS of people keep stealing gifts. :) Makena is loving spending time with her grandparents and Keirsten. Keirsten is our 15 year old niece and she is just a doll. It has been fun seeing her grow up and change over the past few years. Makena follows her around and loves to play with her. Keirsten got a penguin for her birthday that needed to be stuffed. She waited for Makena to come out and we all went to the place yesterday. Makena made a puppy and bought an outfit for it. She named it. . . brown puppy!!! (yes, just like brown baby) I think she likes brown. :) Well, I will write more later!

We are almost off!!!

Rush, rush, rush. . .all day long! Cramming the last minute laundry in and running the last errands. It seems that every trip takes ALL day to prep for and then pack. But in just a few hours we will be off!!!! YA-HOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh, and I am DONE and on vacation for 6 1/2 weeks!!!!!! (this is my LONG one) I am soooooo excited!

Here we (don't) go(?)

Ryan's company has put on another hiring freeze until sometime in the first quarter. This means that we can't scope out what is available, travel to different places in January, choose a place, list our house, and or sell until who knows when. I am feeling quite bummed because, after much though,t I was ready to move out of this house. While I do really like my house, I would like more room. Anyway, we are thinking of just doing an overhaul on the office and turning it into the baby's room, updating Makena's room, and doing away with an office/guest room. We'll have to get a laptop for the computer. I guess in reality a laptop is better than what we have now and it is portable. (So SANTA, that is what we now want for Christmas: a cool laptop and printer. ) The upside to all of this: we will still be by all of our friends and Angela. The downsize. . . where do our guests sleep????????????????????? Oh, well! I am posting this b/c I just went online to look at bedding for the girls or girl/boy to redo their rooms. It is overwhelming out there! There are lots of choices. A former parent of mine owns a children's furniture store. It has very nice things and for two and half years they keep offering me to get stuff. I think we may take it more seriously and look into prices. (It is highend things so I would need to know what kind of deal I could get b/c we are not about to take out a home equity line to get furniture!!!:) ) Anyway, only 9 days till Christmas. I still wonder what Santa will bring Makena. . . better get working on that.

Dec10_003

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straight out of her mouth

Today Makena and I were in the kitchen cleaning up after lunch. It had rained last night and was still partly cloudy outside. Well, the sun was shinning and the sunlight filled our kitchen. Makena was on the floor rocking her babydoll and kissing her when she paused and looked up at me. "Turn the lights back on," she stated. "What?" I asked, feeling confused b/c the lights were never on. "Mommy, turn the lights back on," she insisted. I looked at her and then. . .I got it!! The sun had gone behind a cloud and the kitchen has grown slightly darker. My 2 year old had thought that I had turned the lights off. Crack me up!!!!!!!!!! So i explained to her about the sun hiding behind the clouds and let her turn the kitchen light on. She is hilarious!

Here s/he is!!!

We had our ultrasound on Nov. 30th and all is well with the baby!! This baby is a mover and a shaker!!! I still cannot take prenatal vitamins. I was feeling guilty about not being able to take them so I thought I would try again this morning. UGH!!! I felt so yucky for a few hours. I am 20 weeks now and that means halfway through! Yi-pee! I have had two friends deliver babies this week. Both of them were girls. . . does this mean that we are having a girl? Speaking of what it is. . .last night at Ryan's work Christmas party everyone kept guessing. They all seem to think it is a boy b/c of the way I am carrying. Either way, we'll be happy!! Although, I have already warned Ryan that if this is a girl, I will be dressing Makena and the baby alike!!! ( I love being the mom!)

***Doesn't the baby look like an alien on that screen? Seriously, I am not being mean but look at it!! In another ultrasound picture he/she is just sooooooo cute!!!!

Merry Christmas Early

We held Christmas last weekend with my family. Here are some pictures from that night! Makena really got into helping everyone open their presents. I think the 25th is going to be sooo much fun. . . now, Santa just needs to figure out what he is going to get her!!!!!!

update on the fenderbender

Ok, so the lady's insurance took full responsiblity. Yea for us! I am fine and so is Makena. Alls well that ends well, eh?

Dec06_002

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Are you SERIOUS???

Makena and I said good-bye to Papa and Mimi this morning and then headed to Auntie's school to buy some MK. After visiting we hopped in the "new" expedition and headed to my friend's house for a playdate. As I am driving, I come to a stoplight. I stop and glance in the rearview mirror where I see a lady with funny looking hair. Well, the next thing I know. . .BAM!!!!! These are my thoughts: what?? oh my gosh!! ARE YOU SERIOUS??????????????? Is Makena ok? It's a new to us car!!!!! So here's what happened: the funny hair lady decided to go and went into the backend of my car!! Yes, she stepped on the gas and smashed into us! I started freaking out just a tad!! So I called 911 and told them to send everyone b/c of Makena (who seemed ok) and I had never been in an accident before. Well, then I call my friend and tell her that I will be a bit late to the playdate and she says she is coming immediatly to help with Makena. Then I call Ryan and am slowing calming down. The lady gets out of her car and this guy yells, take a picture and then you can move out of the way. (Yea right, I am not about to move from an accident.) Well, the lady says she can't because her car is locked up and undrivable. Ok, so I say hi to the lady and WHAT HAPPENED?? (inside, I felt like saying, you dumb ***!! What were you thinking?? but I did not say anything like that!!!!) The firetruck came and the police and check out Makena and me. They tell me that I should probably go to the ER b/c of the baby. (AHHHHH????) So my friend arrives and takes Makena to her car while I finish with the police. (they were so nice and helpful. I was very impressed!!) I exchange info with the lady and she says to call her and let her know how the baby is doing. (I think she may have started to freak out a bit when she realized she smashed her car up into another car with a toddler and pregnant lady in it.) Ok, so my wonderful friend takes Makena to here house for the morning/afternoon so I can drive 45 min to the ER hospital where my OB works. I have to retell my story and after waiting with Ryan for about an hour, I finally go back. They hear the heartbeat and all is well. So basically my whole day was shot all b/c of this lady with funny hair who wasn't paying attention. GRRRRR. . . . The upside to all of this??? I got to have lunch with Ryan, sort of like a date and we met this neat lady in the ER. Anyway, my big car is damaged but not that bad. Her car is damaged pretty bad. I will post a picture from my camera phone of her car.

tis the season

of the holiday letter and cards. I have sent our cards to be made and will be picking them up later this week. I am happy with the card but just can't seem to get motivated to write the Christmas letter. I love to read them with each card and usually I write one. But. . . I think I may skip it this year. oh, for those of you who know Lori, check out her blog and my little neice and nephew. They are crack ups!!!