Snow in NC?!?!?!

Yes you read that correct. We got snow here in North Carolina and it wasn't just some flurries but of course it wasn't a good Utah snowstorm like we are use to. We received about 3 inches of not more. Now I have to say I would complain about people in Utah and how they drive in the snow but tonight I found that driving in a state that RARELY sees snow blows the Utah drivers out of the water. I will just say I tried to keep my road rage under control but a mixture of pregnancy hormones and someone pulling out in front of me and continue to go 20 mph don't mix very well.

Due to this snow storm many of the school in the state were closed for a snow day which Cody and I couldn't understand but then again we would get a foot of snow and they wouldn't even think about closing down the schools back home.

Now that the snow is all said and done schools are still shut down tomorrow due to the the cold that is following this snow storm and Cody only has a half day of work.... I just hope stuff on base is open.

I guess you would say today was a little piece of home for us.....and No Amber we didn't have to shovel :)

2008 in review

So I was thinking back on 2008 and all of the changes that happen in just one year. In Jan. we packed up all of our belongings said "see ya" to our family and friends and made the trek from Utah to North Carolina. ( OK so we didn't pack up the house a moving company did and thank heavens for that we have too much junk to pack up and it would have took me FOREVER!) The trek was a experience in it's self, being suck in a car for between 6 to 10 hrs a day was umm a lack for a better word HELL! good thing the trusty Durango was big enough to fit us and equipped with a DVD player. Once we made it to NC we got the joy of staying in a extended stay motel for a week while waiting for our house and I will NEVER do that again! the little bit of sanity+ about a 300 sq ft room+ a week= EVER MORE HELL! Finally on Feb 14th we got into our beautiful home and guess what we don't have to stomp on the floor to tell the people below us to shut up because we don't have anyone living below us, its oh so wonderful! It took a little bit to get this house to feel like a home and I am still doing little things to make it feel more warm and inviting. In March, Cody was send off to school in FL for 3 months. I would be the first time he has been away for more then night. I barely knew anything about the area I live in so I decided the just throw myself out there and make friends and explore our new world. In May, Grandma and Papa Groves came out and visited Maddie and I for a week. Maddie loved it and so did I, I finally got to sleep in (YAY for grandparents.) Maddie got to see the ocean for the first time, she loved it and squealed every time the waves hit her feet.

In June, Cody came back from school. It was so nice to have him back and be complete family once again. We had a oh so wonderful kick in the pants with the Carolina summer. I still don't know why I ever took a shower during the summer because if I walked outside I would be dripping with sweat within 5 mins. Maddie on the other hand loved the summer in her new pool.

In September, we decided that we would be adding another addition to the family.... a dog. Kane, a pure breed German Shepard. He was the biggest puppy in the litter. He loves Maddie and Cody much more then he does me :)A few short days after we got the monster pup. we found out I was "knocked up" The only things to come out of Cody's mouth was I think I am more worried about Maddie and Kane now, for course meaning the wonderful mood swings that came with the beginning of my pregnancy and believe me they were BAD.

In October, Cody once again left for school in Washington state this time it was for only 7 weeks which seemed to be so much longer then the first school, I think it was the whole training a new puppy and dealing with Maddie and her terrible two's.

In November Maddie and I flew out to Utah for 2 weeks during Thanksgiving. This was Maddie's first time flying and she loved it.

It was great to go home and see our families and be around people since it was so lonely being in the house alone. I forgot how much I love the Knaus family roundups, getting to see the whole family together was wonderful and after a few mins Maddie warmed up to them all and didn't want to leave. Maddie and Kaydence were so excited to see each other that when we left it was hard for them to understand.

In December, Cody returned from school just a few weeks before Christmas. This was our first Christmas away from family and without snow so it didn't seem much like Christmas here. I had the adventure of making my first Christmas dinner. I was a little worried I would burn something or forget to cook something but it actually turned out good well that's what the guys that had dinner with us said.

This year has been such a whirlwind , I wonder what 2009 has in store for us ( other then the birth of Kalab.)

Merry Christmas to all .......

"It's a festivus miracle, Jerry! "

So I am a complete slacker and have yet to update in a while so away I go...........

This was our first Christmas without snow ( surprizingly I missed it.) and away from our families. It didn't really seem like Christmas, well that and Cody was gone for half of December.

This was the first year Maddie actually understood what Christmas was. On Christmas eve we sat out a plate of cookies, some milk and her letter to Santa.

As a family we watched "Christmas eve on Sesame Street." ( a Knaus family favorite I might add.) and off to bed Maddie went and santa's helpers took over on getting the stockings and the gifts ready. The helper's got to bed around 1am. At the butt crack of 7 30 am the stomping of maddies big feet come storming into our bedroom. Maddie didn't even realize that it was Christmas morning,once I told her, her face lit up brighter then the christmas tree. I drug my sleepy butt along with Cody downstairs to see what Santa had left for us.

Maddie couldn't believe what was there under the tree even though she had seen the presents there for weeks before.

And the openning began..........

She could have cared less for the clothes she got but was so excited for all the toys and wanted everything out of their packages right then and there.( of course typical kid right.)

After all the ripping and tearing of paper subsided we turned on the Disney Christmas parade, I think I was more into the parade then Maddie was or maybe it was the sleep deprived state I was in .

This was my first year making Christmas dinner. Cody had invited 2 of his friends over since they didn't have anywhere to go. I was a bit nervous that I would forget something or burn something but I didn't surprizingly, the guys loved it so did Maddie but then again she loves all food.

All in all being our first christmas in a snow deprived ( it was in the high 60's here ) state and being away from family, it wasn't too bad, oh but next year we are planing to come back to Utah for all teh food and snow we can get :)

weee bebe...

So Im sure everyone knows I am pregnant ( if you don't well you do now.)
Yesterday was my first ultrasound.... I drug Cody along with me , as excited he was to go sit in the Doctor's office with me I don't think he minded as much getting out of work for a bit. My wonderful friend heather watched Maddie for us since they don't like you to bring children with you ( something about a kid breaking a $4,000 ultra sound machine.)
I will admit I was a bit nervous going into the ultrasound. I got up on the chair , all jellied up and away we went. the first thing out of the techs mouth was "well there is only one baby in there." Whew!!! was that a relief! After many pictures of my gut and of course the few times the baby decide to be stubborn so she has to push and wiggle my gut around ( it was jello I tell ya) she got all the pictures the doc needed and then it came to the end picture............. she finds the right spot........... and types "boy" on the screen. My face lit up and I could see the relief on Cody's face. Now of course looking at the ultrasound I dunno how in the hell she got that it was a boy but she did.
We have decided on a name as well. He is going to be named Kalab Frank Knaus. Cody has always wanted a Kalab and we did frank for the middle name since grandpa Knaus, and then dad Knaus, and brother Knaus but then the name frank stopped there so we decide to carry it on.

Maddie's first Plane ride

As I have said before Maddie and I headed out to Utah for thanksgiving since Cody wasn't home. This trip was Maddie's very first plane ride. She LOVED it!! She would say 3...2...1 BLAST OFF every time we got ready to take off. She was the in-flight entertainment on the fight. We got lucky enough to sit next to a lady from Charlotte to Phoenix the longest part of our flight) that was a preschool teacher, so she got along great with Maddie and Maddie just talked her ear off until of course she fell asleep.
The only difficult part was Maddie and I fitting in the bathrooms on the plane. Oh that was a joyous time.

my accident prone child

(I know they are kindof hard to see but thats the owwie.)

My friend heather told me just before i left to Utah to make sure I call our insurance to make sure IF maddie or I needed to go to the doctor or ER we would be covered and boy am I glad I did.

The the wee hours of our first day on vacation Maddie splits her head open. She woke up crying I figured it was becuase she was in a new bed and a new place so I went and attempted to comfort her but that didn't work so I picked her up and brought her into my bed, as I was doing this she of course was throwing a fit. I went to lay her on the pillow and she threw her head back and hit the edge of the headboard on the bed. She started to scream more and I felt something wet on my hand, I turned the light on to find that she was bleeding. I took her upstairs to my mom would was getting ready for work. I felt like I was going to pass out from seeing the blood( and to think I wanted to be a nurse back in college) My mom cleaned her up and got my dad up while I was laying on the floor trying not to pass out. We ended up going to the ER becuase the cut was a little deeper then I expected. She was such a trooper, she only cried when they laid her down to place the staples in her head. I felt like such a horrible mother after all was said and done. I swear she is going to be a walking scar.

all good things must come to a end

So Maddie and I just spend 2 weeks in Utah while Cody is away at school Washington. We had a wonderful time, got to see the Knaus family for Thanksgiving ( which supposely none of them knew I was comming) I really miss the family parties, the craziness of all the people and food. Maddie enjoyed all the attention she got and even wearing out grandpa Kee-naus.
I enjoyed being able to pawn maddie off on my family ha just kidding. When we met my family at the airport I told them that maddie is there for the next 2 weeks and I am on vacation, that kinda worked but not really. I was hard for both of us to leave but I think a bit more for me since I come back to a empty house (at least for a week more) I didn't realize until we went back how much I miss Utah and BOTH families.( cody was right when he told me I would.) The only thing I don't miss is the stupid utah drivers. I wish the vacation could have been so much longer, but I knew I would have to come back to have so much here as well, awesome friends, a "monster" dog, a beautiful home and a doctor that I am sure would like to see me a few times before this new "bean" comes to greet the world. Now if I can only get back to NC time instead of utah time :)
I will post pictures soon and go more indept of our trip "Home"