SO MUCH BAKING!!!

There has been a lot cooking here at the Bird's house. We made rolls...

Even yummier, Cinnamon rolls....
Better yet, pies...
But MOST importantly, BABY # 4!!!!!!!!! Yes, we are crazy, but we just felt like our family wouldn't be complete without one more little one to share our lives with. The kids are ecstatic, and so are Rayce and I! I am only 10 weeks, so it is just the beginning. I have been pretty sick, but my Doctor gave me some meds to help with that. And don't worry, I will actually update my blog a little more now that I actually have something to blog about!

(BTW, I actually haven't been "baking" at all. I just crave those yummies at the top of the page. And I thought it was a creative way to make the announcement!)

It's about DAMN time!

It's freaking time I get my ASS in gear! I have a wedding to attend in July, and it has motivated me to look and more importantly, feel better! Rayce is only about 10-15 pounds over what he weighed when we graduated from high school nearly 10 years ago. I know that I can NEVER get down to the weight that I was 10 years ago, but I am sick of being the weight that I am now. I have been (here comes the nasty word) obese for 8 years now. I was nice and fit until I had our first child, and apparently that's when I lost all motivation to get my butt off the couch and work out. I used to be a health nut, what the hell happened to me? I guess life happened. :( But now is the time to change!
Back to the wedding motivation, this is how it came about. Because believe me, I have been to WAY too many weddings looking the way I do now, and it's not going to happen AGAIN!!!!! Rayce is a groomsmen for one of his good friends, Sam. And so we will be going to Seattle for 5 days. It will be our first vacation together since our HONEYMOON! Tragic, I know. But anytime we ever go anywhere, we bring our kids with us. So we decided that it was time for just us. (I think after 9 years of marriage, and three kids, we deserve it!) And since Rayce looks AMAZING I thought it was only fair to him (and myself) that I look good too. Not just a coat of make-up and fancied up hair, but lets just say a LOT of weight needs to be shed to even get to a healthy weight! (I probably shouldn't be sharing this with you all, but I think it will help motivate me to actually get it done.) I don't have much time (6 months) to lose over 50 pounds. I KNOW that I can do it though. I know that this is my time. I have done a lot of thinking about how this extra weight that I carry, also "weighs" down our marriage. I know that Rayce loves me, but my insecurities certainly makes it hard on both of us. So LONG story short, TODAY IS THE DAY! TODAY IS GOING TO BE THE DAY THAT I AM GOING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN MY OWN LIFE!
WISH ME LUCK!

Happy Hollidays

I realize that I haven't posted anything worth while for a long time. It is crazy in our house this time of year. Between school, being a mom, and a maid, I feel like I am running nonstop. And with Christmas rapidly approaching, life hasn't seem to slow down one bit. I never send out Christmas cards, mostly because I don't want my fat face for all to see. So here is an update of our last year.

Cayge:
Man this kid is getting big. Each time I turn around he has grown both physically and emotionally. He is a very generous loving kid. He has already taken the big brother role to heart and protects his sisters at all times. He has a great outlook on life. He truly takes lemons and makes lemonade. He is excelling in school beyond all measure. He is in second grade and is currently reading on a 4th grade level and a 3rd grade math level. He gets upset if he ever has to miss school. He LOVES his teacher (as do I) and plays football every recess with his friends. We go through pants like crazy these days with all the holes in the knees! Cayge is still and amazing artist and LOVES to draw all the time, especially when he can do it with his dad. Cayge got a great BDay present this year from his best friend George: he (or his Grandpa who is the offensive line coach for the Detroit Lions - the boys FAVORITE team) got Cayge and Rayce tickets to the Detroit Lions @ Seattle Seahawks game. They drove there and back all in the same day. It was both of their dreams come true! We love our tender-heart Cayge. He shows us on a daily basis why he was sent to us. He keeps the spirit in our home happy and light!

Icelynn:
I have one word for my little Icee: GENIUS! This girl constantly amazes me. She is in Kindergarten this year, and by summers end, she was reading on a 1st grade level. She begs every night to do homework (which she never gets from school so I have to buy her supplementary books at the store). She is constantly reading or drawing or just being creative. We have discovered that Icelynn is very musical. She is in perfect tune and can sing like an adult. Her favorite way to sing is to put a little growl in her voice when her dad plays rock n roll on the guitar for her. (she's the good version of Janise Joplin!) She also can play the piano by ear. She hears a song on the radio that she likes, and will just sit down and find the right key and play it! She amazes me, I have wanted to be able to do that all my life, and now my 6 year old can do it. She is super social, and is constantly talking. More like bossing, she is definitely holding that middle child persona to a "T". She bosses Cayge and Shylee every chance she gets. Icelynn really wanted to do Wrestling this year, but we found out that we felt better letting her flip around on gym mats rather than being fliped onto a wrestling mat by other boys. So we signed the girls up for Gymnastics, and Icee is a natural. On the first day, she was asked to do a cartwheel, and instead landed a front flip. I love my Icee-Fart (as her dad calls her)! She keeps us in line and we like it that way. She loves to be the center of attention, and we like to give it to her!

Shylee:
This kid has such spunk! She never lies... EVER! She lets us know what we have done wrong, or what she thinks we need to improve on, such as my weight. She always says to me that my tummy looks like there is a baby in it, so I need to get skinny cause my tummy is empty. We are always laughing when she is in the room. Whether it is something funny she has just said, or the facial expression she just pulled, or just because she is a klutz and tumbled to the floor for no apparent reason. I love spending my afternoons with ShyShy before the two other kids get home. I think she gets out her mean words on me, and is super nice to her sister when she gets home and is ready to play. Shylee also LOVES school, but not for the academic reasons. She just loves her teacher Miss. Debbie. She tells me all the time that she wants to live with her because she is much funner than me, but Shy insists. Shy also has gymnastics, but is kind of a turd when she's there. She thinks she can just do her own thing, but they keep her in line. She still loves to go though. I am so glad that I have this fire cracker in my life. She defiantly keeps me on my toes.

Rayce:
This guy truly amazes me. He is constantly busy! Between being a full time student and a dad, he is working on an Internet graphic design online store called iStock, but he also tattoos. He started his apprenticeship in April, and was tattooing on his on by May (which normally takes 2 years! Not two months!) He is a Jr. in his degree here at the U of Idaho. This man is constantly moving, or working on something. From 5 in the morning till usually after midnight. I am so grateful to have such a wonderful, dedicated, and loving man in my life. His kids are his world, and he constantly says that he would probably still be living in his parents basement if it wasn't for their beautiful spirits to be with every day.

As for me, I am doing the same old. Going to school, being a mom, and being a maid. It is a never ending battle, but one I wouldn't trade the world for. I love being a mom. It is truly the greatest gift that anyone could ever be blessed with. I try to take in something from my kids every day. I love to look at their smiling faces, or to hear them giggle while playing with each other. I even like finding the little piles of doll hair that randomly show up in my bathroom when the girls decide that the poor dolls hair is too long. At least it is not their own! We haven't had that problem for a year now! I am so greatful for all of my blessings.
In this beautiful season, I hope that you and your loved ones read this message in good spirits. I hope that the Lord has blessed your lives in some way. I am greatful for all of my family, and hope that this season is a wonderful Holiday Season for all.
Merry Christmas!