4!

We will be needing to change the name of this blog, as our family is growing and we will be a family of four come April of next year! Joe and I are so excited to announce and to celebrate that we are pregnant again! I took a home pregnancy test this past Sunday and it was positive, but there was just a faint line. So, I was a little doubtful. As the week went on I started feeling real pregnancy signs like nausea. I called my OB doctor on Monday and she could not see me until Thursday. So, we waited and only told a very few amount of people. We wanted to wait to tell most people after I saw the doctor. The doctor confirmed that we are in fact pregnant and are expecting another sweet baby in mid to late April. We will have a solid due date estimation in two weeks.

As the days go by I'm getting more and more excited. Dreaming of what this little addition will mean for our family. Dreaming if this little one is a boy or girl. Dreaming how fun it will be to see Owen develop into a big brother. Dreaming of rocking and singing to this sweet little blessing. Dreaming of watching Joe become a father again...dreaming.

I'm also very nervous, I'm not going to lie. Imagining having two kids is nerve racking to me. I know I worry about the unknown. I remember being anxious about little things with Owen too. For example, I was so nervous to take him to the grocery store for the first time (man what was I so nervous about? that was cake! I hate going to the grocery store with him now!) Now I'm nervous about going to the store, or anywhere else with a 3 year old and newborn! I know women do these types of things everyday, even with more than two kids, but it still is a nervous thing for me. I know I will just have to do it, than i will be fine, and then wonder why I was so nervous =)

BIG changes, GOOD changes in The Braun House. I thank God for honoring and giving us the desires of our hearts. This child was prayed about long before it was conceived. This child was thought about about for a very long time.  This child, as well as Owen, will be given back to the Lord on a daily basis, and we will raise our kids in a God centered home. My heart is full of joy. I'm excited for the newest adventure in our lives. =)

keen-wah

Tonight I am experiencing in the kitchen. I am going to make quinoa (keen-wah) I have had the box in my pantry since I was doing boot camp. I have no idea why I didn't use it then, but I'm giving it a try tonight. After planning my menu for the week I decided this was a good time to use it, especially after finding this recipe. I am doing a few changes to it like, baking the chicken rather then cooking it in the skillet. Oh, and I don't have any lime juice, so I'm omitting that. Here's some info on quinoa for your reading pleasure:

The quinoa seed is high in protein, calcium and iron, a relatively good source of vitamin E and several of the B vitamins. It contains an almost perfect balance of all eight essential amino acids needed for tissue development in humans. It is exceptionally high in lysine, cystine and methionine-amino acids typically low in other grains. It is a good complement for legumes, which are often low in methionine and cystine. The protein in quinoa is considered to be a complete protein due to the presence of all 8 essential amino acids. Some types of wheat come close to matching quinoa's protein content, but grains such as barley, corn, and rice generally have less than half the protein of quinoa. Quinoa is 12% to 18% protein and four ounces a day, about 1/2-cup, will provide a childs protein needs for one day. The 6-7% fat of quinoa is relatively high when compared to other grains, but it boasts a low sodium content and also provides valuable starch and fiber. Quinoa also contains albumen, a protein that is found in egg whites, blood serum, and many plant and animal tissues. The seeds are gluten-free which makes this a nutritious and flavorful alternative grain for those with gluten sensitivity. Quinoa would be a worthy addition to anyone's diet, supplying variety as well as good nutrition

So it's super super healthy and I can't wait to try it tonight!
I like to cook...=)

saute some tasty veggies

QUINOA!

Recipe complete

and dinner is served!

Books

In about a month a group of friends and I will form a book club. Yes, I said book club. I'm happy I'm going to do this and so happy to hopefully expand my reading realm. I mostly read Christian fiction. Some of it's cheesy but some of it's really good, like Francine River's Redeeming Love. I'm not big into non-fiction but would love to read more of it someday. I think our club will start off kinda big, I was shocked at the responses I received from some friends who agreed to come and do this. We will each bring 2-3 books we are interested in reading, the group will decide what books we will read and we will meet every other month to discuss whatever book we have been reading. Whether, that means meeting at a coffee shop, at someone's house, or out to eat...it will be a great night of conversation and girl time!

Since this idea sparked it has me thinking about the books I want to tackle-not only in book club, but personally as well. It has me asking people what they are reading and I am shocked to hear about all the great books out there.

Here are some that come to mind, in no particular order:

The Help
Cast Away Kid

A Thousand Splendid Suns

The Hunger Games Series

The Red Tent

Traveling Mercies

The Great Divorce

Jane Eyre

Eat Pray Love

Like Dandelion Dust

The Glass Castle

*for book club I'm suggesting Traveling Mercies and A Thousand Splendid Suns*

Less TV and computer...more reading!

BRAVE.

That's what he is...brave! We have encouraged O to take his floaties off in the pool a handful of times. There is a marker on the wall that is not too far from the stairs and we have him swim to the stairs. He does very  very well, for not having swim lessons. He can tread water and he comes up for air and goes back under. We are working on him using his arms more, but he is doing SO good! Owen is loving our times at the pool and so are we!

While my parents were here they taught him how to dive. It was the cutest thing seeing him hold his arms in the right position, and most of the time he does a perfect dive and swims right back up to the top! He got a little too brave the other day, and jumped right in the pool with no floaties! Thankfully the neighbor we were chatting with grabbed him, since she was closest! Gave this mommy a heart attack!

Mom took pictures when Joe and I were on a date of him showing off his skillz.

Gramma and Papa

My parents came to visit, and we had SUCH a good time! They stayed for 10 days, and not once during that time did Joe or I wish that they would leave HA! I love having family or friends come to us, not that I don't love going to California or Oregon to visit family, it's just different when they are in your home. They get a little taste of why we moved to Atlanta-visit our church, meet our friends... I also get to play hostess, something I really love to do. 

One of the best parts of having mom and dad here was the one on one time they got to spend with Owen. Something I think they all needed. The last few times we have been to CA, it's been hard. The most recent time, Owen was REALLY sick, and really grouchy. Joe hasn't been able to make the last few trips, so that always makes me a little more stressed out. We are always busy when we are there (which is good-there is just lots of people to visit with) and it's exhausting at times, for both me and Owen. These visits are not anything I would take back, I love it, it's just different. 

Owen immediatley took to my parents. Kisses and hugs and tons of "hi, gramma, or hey papas!" right from the start. It was so good for the soul! Mom totally spoiled him with tasty goodies, as most gramma's do. Dad was Owen's best bud for the visit, and taught him some funny new things. 

We got to visit with Aunt Leslie and Uncle James. I think it was good sister time for mom and Aunt Les as well.  Mom and I got to work one day of VBX at the church, and serve dinner to little kiddos. Joe and I got to go on a date! We went swimming. Mom taught me to make one of her famous cheesecakes. We played cards, and the Wii (dad was so cute and brought it, so he could beat me in bowling!) Joe took dad to an old Civil War battle field. We painted our dining room. We had FUN! I'm soooo glad we had this time together! Something I know we all will cherish. 

 Me, Aunt Les, and Mom

 We went to the river and Owen passed out in the car, and stayed asleep when we put him on the bench.

 lunchtime and a sleeping O in the background.

 Papa and his boy. Check out the same little grin they have (my brother does it too!)

 LOVE

Our new dining room!