2011 in Review

MY MOMENTS FROM 2011

January ~ Celebrated New Year Eve in Style, and I moved to Grand Haven.

February ~ Went to my first Gun & knive show

March ~ Fishing, Fishing, and more Fishing and DIRK turned 5!!

April ~ Celebrated Easter

May ~ Tulip Time with the Family & Friends, and got to see New Kids on the Block with Gina & Cara

June ~ I turned 30!

July ~ Celebrated 4th of July and got a great souvenir

August ~ CWM3 and I celebrated our 2nd Anniversary, and I lost a great friend {Kurt Milarch}

September ~ Shipshewana for Labor Day

October ~ Went to the Pumpkin Patch, and Millie turned 2!!

November ~ Found out we are HAVING A BOY!!! {Montgomery}, CWM3 shot a 4 point and a doe, and it has been 25 years since my dad died.

December ~ Gene Kraai Wrestling Invitational, CWM3 turned 33 and celebrated a very Merry Christmas!

25 WEEKS

How far along? 25 weeks {12/31/11}
Total weight gain/loss: up 10 pounds
Have you started to show yet: Yes
Gender: my little prince
Labor Signs: No
Maternity clothes? Jeans and Belly Bands
Stretch marks? No
Sleep: either GREAT or HORRIBLE
Best moment this week: being spontaneous,
but realizing I can’t hang with the big dogs anymore.
Miss Anything? Alcohol around the holidays
Movement: YES! He is a kicker!
Food cravings: Sunkist Orange Soda and Diet Coke
Anything making you queasy or sick: still a little nauseous,

getting better :)
Symptoms: Heartburn
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy
Looking forward to: THE NEW YEAR!!!!
{Goodbye 2011 and Hello 2012}

A {Montgomery} Christmas

The stocking was hung,

Montgomery all snuggled still in Momma's Belly...

And on Christmas Day... Santa had brought gifts

Then off to Nana & Papa's where what did Mommy find,

another stocking filled with gifts from SANTA, himself...

Montgomery isn't even here yet, and is 100% loved

And don't forget gifts from Auntie Gina, Dirk & Millie

and Uncle J.J. and Auntie Cara

Montgomery says a HUGE THANK-YOU!!!!

....and he will see you all real SOON!!!

FAMILY!!

Christmas Day was at my mom and dad's in Gun Lake.
Since Grandpa & Grandma are home from Florida, they joined us!
Everyone had a wonderful Time!!

We got stockings from SANTA

and played ANGEL {BINGO}
NO SNOW AND 42°

My stocking and Montgomery's stocking

My mom and dirk


OUR BEST PRESENT :)
we are going to Florida November 2012


{and don't forget to visit last Christmas}

24 WEEKS

How far along? 24 weeks {12/25/11}
Total weight gain/loss: lost 2 pounds TOTAL GAIN 10 pounds
Have you started to show yet: YES!
Gender: BOY
Labor Signs: No
Maternity clothes? Jeans and Belly Bands
Stretch marks? No
Sleep: either GREAT or HORRIBLE
Best moment this week: hearing Montgomery’s heartbeat
Miss Anything? A day without heartburn
Movement: YES! Especially when his daddy is around
Food cravings: Shells and Cheese & Sunkist Orange Soda
Anything making you queasy or sick: sudden movement, getting out of shower. I still am nauseous and dry heaving {Hence I lost 2 pounds in 4 weeks}
Symptoms: Heartburn
Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy
Looking forward to: Spending time with Family for the Holidays.

Merry Christmas!

our 2011 Christmas Card
...and don't forget our 2010 Christmas Card

homemade CHRISTMAS

This is what I bought for my mom and dad. I put 2 ultrasound photos of Montgomery in each coffee mug, and filled with instant coffee...

This is an idea I found at kilwin's over the 4th of July. They were crazy priced, so I ordered Michigan cookie cutters from Manistee Variety Store, and found a fudge recipe I love:

Cookie Cutter Fudge

1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup peanut butter chips
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla

Step 1:Place each of six 3x1/2-inch mitten-shaped cookie cutters, or other cookie cutters in a simple shape, on 5-inch square of foil. Seal foil tightly around outside of each cookie cutter. Place on cookie sheet. Lightly spray cookie cutters with cooking spray.

Step 2: In 4-cup microwavable measuring cup, mix chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, milk and butter. Microwave uncovered on High 1 to 2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds, until chips are almost melted. Stir in vanilla.

Step 3: Pour mixture into cookie cutter molds, filling to tops of molds. Refrigerate uncovered about 2 hours or until firm. Decorate with icing and candies if you wish.

Step 4: Carefully remove foil. I then put into baggies and use colored ribbon.

Thanks to pinterest, I found this awesome Santa hat party mix.

Dirk was awesome and helped make all 40 Santa hats out of bugles.


Also from pinterest, but they made ornaments,
These are dirks 2 fingers, turned into 4 snowmen.
It's his gift to his mom.


Millie's Reindeer Frame with her hand print.
A special gift to her Mommy :)




Reindeer Noses: also found on pinterest
Whoppers and red gumballs
Dirk made 12 of them :)
Practicing his writing

Kraai Christmas

We had our annual Kraai Christmas Party on Sunday December 18th. I am one of 20 grandchildren, and there are now 9 great~grand kids. Santa even got Montgomery an adorable elephant 3 piece outfit :) We had salad and appetizers, Hungry Howies Pizza and a Sundae Bar :) I got to meet Rayne, My Cousin Jennifer's Daughter. Looking forward to Next year when Montgomery will be here! {Photo is missing Ainsley, Jennifer's step-daughter}

Braylon belongs to Michael
Collin to Megan
Madison, Maxton, and Molly belong to Stacey
Rayne to Jennifer
Dirk and Millie to Gina

Christmas Card from my sister

Here is Dirk and Millie's Christmas card 2011

I took the photos and designed the card

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

{and remember last years???}

CWM3 "33"

CWM3 turned 33 on December 11th, 2011.

We finally got to have cake on Saturday December 17th :)

He had a great Birthday!!!!

I got him a few gifts from Myself and a few from Montgomery
{My favorite were the carhartt bib overalls}

{CWM3's favorite: Camo Fishing Bag}

{see 32 post here}

23 WEEKS

How far along? 23 weeks {12/15/11}
Total weight gain/loss: 12 Have you started to show yet: YES!

Gender: BOY! Montgomery Gene Miller
Labor Signs: No
Maternity clothes? jeans and black tank top :)
Stretch marks? No
Sleep: so~so
Best moment this week: shopping for Monty :)
Miss Anything? my winter coat from last year :(

Movement: YES!!! usually at night: 5pm until I fall asleep.
Food cravings: McDonald's Double Cheeseburgers and FF

Anything making you queasy or sick: I am still nauseous and dry heaving
Symptoms: Still some heartburn when I eat Ketchup and drink Sunkist orange soda and eat chocolate
Happy or Moody most of the time: a little moody and stressed :(
Looking forward to: Christmas!

{NOTE: I was in the ER on Tuesday 12/13/11: all is well}

DAY #348 {17 days left}

My Goals for 2011: See my Progress Here

1. Take one picture a day minimum (see here) : started out great, then got pregnant and kind of just blog. Sorry A photo a day isn't going to continue for 2012.

2. read my 5 minutes a day devotional book everyday: I am reading book and Bible.

3. read 2 books per month (see here) : I love reading, lately pregnancy books but waiting for my mom to finish with a karen kingsbury book.

4. continue to blog here on blogspot http://www.rachaelandmontgomery.blogspot.com/ : I love to blog, and I hope you enjoy reading my blog. I will definitely continue to blog!!!

5. getting a job I love : My last day is January 27th :( That means a NEW BEGINNING!!

6. trying one new thing a month that I have never done. : I am doing this, and being pregnant makes it so easy, everyday is a new thing :) (see here)

7. to find a church in my area that I enjoy : I am pretty sure this is a goal I will not complete in 2011.

8. Celebrate my 30th birhtday with those that I LOVE! :I had a blast for my 30th Birthday!!!

9. Tone and lose weight. I’m Pregnant!! So I am walking and eating healthy.

10. quit smoking by my 30th birthday (6/11) : As most of you know I did NOT quit smoking by my birthday. But when I found out I was pregnant I had cut way back. At my 6 week ultrasound I had a big scare and QUIT!!! I have not smoked since.....

11. BE HAPPY!!! : I am Happy, especially that I am pregnant, and having a baby boy {Montgomery Gene Miller}. A little stressed, but working on this. Life is about to CHANGE!!!

Gene Kraai Wrestling Invitational

Gene Kraai Wrestling Invitational was on Saturday December 10th, 2011. Held at Zeeland West.

After West Ottawa and Hamilton battled to a 30-30 tie in the championship match of this long-running tournament, meet officials had to go all the way down to the eighth tiebreaker criteria to determine the team champion.

Congrats to WEST OTTAWA!!!!

It was a great afternoon!! Dirk and Millie had a blast and Dirk enjoyed telling people that it was Papa Gene's tournament. Grandma and Grandpa Kraai were there as well, and Uncle Chuck and Grandpa handed out medals and trophies.

22 weeks

How far along? 22 weeks {12/8/11}
Total weight gain/loss: 12 pounds as of 20 weeks.
Maternity clothes? loving my new belly bands, I can now wear jeans that I can't button or zip.

Stretch marks? No
Sleep: wonderful lately
Best moment this week: getting gifts from my MOM {nana} after her trip to Florida.

Miss Anything? being flexible

Food cravings: sunkist orange soda

Anything making you queasy or sick: smells and empty stomach

Have you started to show yet: yes, I really popped this week
Gender: BOY! Montgomery Gene Miller
Labor Signs: No
Happy or Moody most of the time: happy
Looking forward to: celebrating Monty's Daddy's 33rd Birthday!

Ultrasound Clips {20 weeks}

RACK: Random Acts of Christmas Kindness

So I found this on pinterest: RACK Random Acts of Christmas Kindness: and decided to not go into such detail as she did, but to make my own and think of fun way to help others.

Made my own and had them printed as photos

We started on the 5th of December:


Our 1st stop was the mailboxes: we left RACK note & 7 stamps!

Nicknames...

Montgomery has a ton of nicknames so far....

nick·name: a familiar or humorous name given to a person or thing instead of or as well as the real name.

Monty {I call him this alot}
Hotgomery or Wolverine {Dirk}
Monte Carlo {Grandpa Miller}
L.J.
Carlos [off of Monte Carlo]

...Any other nicknames?????

21 Weeks

How far along? 21 weeks {12/2/11}
Total weight gain/loss: 12 pounds as of 20 weeks.
Maternity clothes? love maternity jeans and leggens' and just 2 belly bands :)
Stretch marks? No
Sleep: really good lately, with a pillow in front of me.
Best moment this week: making over 1/2 way
Miss Anything? I miss being able to drive from Grand Haven to Manistee without stopping to use the bathroom once or twice.
Food cravings: lately it's these 50 cent STAR CRUNCH snacks from WESCO
Anything making you queasy or sick: OMG the smell of urine...
Have you started to show yet: yes
Gender: BOY! Montgomery Gene Miller
Labor Signs: No
Happy or Moody most of the time: HAPPY
Looking forward to: continuing to shopping for my little man.

Breaking Dawn {Part 1}

On Sunday, November 27th, I finally got to see Breaking Dawn {Part 1}

I saw Eclipse last year in theater, and was the 1st of the twilight saga I saw in Theater.

I was very impressed with the movie....And look forward to {Part 2}