Yes, I'm still alive....

It has been soooo long since I've last posted...life has just been - changing!!! I've got several things in the works...so I'm hoping to get things more settled this month! One obvious change is the look of this blog...it's a little bit chaotic but please hang in...I'm attempting to make some changes all by myself!!! Another big change is my DHB Designs website...which if you click on that little tab on the right, you will quickly find it is not there - changes in the works there as well so if you need my design services, please message me here or email me! LOTS of changes for 2012...good changes - changes I believe the Lord has been placing on my heart for some time now...guess I better quit fighting and just get on board with Him! Happy Wednesday!

Long overdue!!!

Hello to anyone who is still tuning in here...I know it has been such a long time, but what can I say - being a mother of three has been an adjustment!!! I feel like I'm finally coming out of the fog here so I thought a quick little post would be nice!

So...introducing our newest addition: Margaret Grace Baumann...we are calling her Maggie for short! Born March 18th, 2011 at 9:18pm weighing 8lbs 5oz and measuring 21"long. She's perfect in every way and looks just like her big brother with her big sisters crazy hair!!!

These next two photos melt my heart...seeing my two oldest children with their baby sister has been such a blessing! They adore her and it shows!!!

She's already grown and changed so much...going on 7 and 1/2 weeks now...so hard to believe! Be back soon to share more photos and changes going on here at the Baumann house! Happy Tuesday!

Count down!

Well, it has been a long time since posting but that's the way it goes in the last month of pregnancy...you just get by! We are now on count down...less than a week and a half - unless she decides to arrive early - which is a good possibility. My husband is going for Thursday of this week...I'm thinking it might be as early as Wednesday - guess we will find out soon enough! So happy Monday to all...not sure when I will be posting again...your prayers would be much appreciated in the next week or two!!!

Happy Birthday to me!

Happy birthday to me....I am 36 today!!! I must say this last year has been a up and down year. Many changes, the biggest one being I am about to be a mom of THREE - something I had not planned on...so it has been a year of "leaning" on the Lord and trusting in His plan instead of my own. God is good and I am blessed beyond measure when I think of all I have. Right now I'm sitting at home with my two wonderful kiddos...one of which is "cleaning" my house for me because she said "it's your birthday and you shouldn't have to clean on your birthday"...my sweet five year old girl - she makes me smile!!! My oldest has some big ideas about the two of them baking a birthday cake for me...on their own - we'll see how that goes :) My daughter keeps asking me what I want for my birthday...I told her just to be with my family and chill out tonight - which wasn't an acceptable answer so here are a few things on my wish list, plus a few more things I'm saving up for:

Some new sunglasses since I just broke my $5 Target pair....they lasted a year which is pretty amazing - mine typically don't make it through the summer! I'm also loving FRESH from Sephora...this "High Noon" bronzer would be fantastic since I'm looking pretty pasty white!

This Ikea Lack series bookcase in white...need it for the new nursery/playroom...and the Gulliver Crib from Ikea to finish the room off!

and last but not least these are a couple of things I'm saving up my Christmas and birthday money for...A Kitchen Aid stand mixer - my fourteen year old hand held is on it's last leg! And last but not least...this Canon 50mm 1.4 lens!

Happy Wednesday to all and thank you to all my family and friends for the wonderful birthday wishes!

Christmas Day!

"I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people. Today in the town of David a SAVIOR has been born to you; he is CHRIST the Lord...." Thank you Father for the gift you gave...may we always remember this in the hustle and bustle of what this season has become! Merry Christmas to all!

Thankfulness!

Thankful for these two today....

Happy Friday!

Take a look!

Go take a look over here at this lovely blog....

she is doing a fabulous giveaway!!! Happy Wednesday!

What I'm doing today...

This is what I'm doing today:

• "picking up" the house...our busy week has left it looking like a tornado struck!
• began cleaning out and organizing my office Monday...still working on it, almost there!
• LAUNDRY
• and finally...this

Olivia and I are just about to start some cinnamon rolls! We made some dough on Sunday with the book "Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day"...we've already made a whole wheat sandwich bread so we are gonna try something SWEET! Let you know how it turns out!!! Post edit: The book is Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day...it is awesome and has gluten free recipes...I know my local library had it so I imagine you could check the Knox County Library...I purchased my from Amazon and have not regretted it! Good luck ladies!!!

All things pink!

Looks like we will be sticking with all things pink again....

We are having a girl!!! Happy Wednesday!

(photos: Jcrew)

We have a new niece!

Happy Monday to all...this will be a quick post just to announce our new niece...born this morning - Molly Elizabeth Phillips! She weighed 7lbs 11oz and just over 19"long...we are excited to meet her and thankful for mom and baby's health this morning!

So pretend this is Thursday, September 9th...

It has been a busy week...lots going on - feeling more and more like myself again! Still not back to blogging daily but in the big picture...that's okay! But just for today, lets pretend it is last Thursday, September 9, 2010...a very good day - because my Olivia turned 5!!!! We had a great day at home...just the two of us (well, my dad stopped by for a couple of hours to eat lunch with us and bring a birthday present which made the day even more special) We are not officially having her party until next Saturday...but I did want to express how very much this little girl means to me! She was a blessing...a very happy, healing blessing after the miscarriage of our second child. She came into this world full force - didn't even want to wait for the doctor to say "PUSH"....independent and funny in so many ways! So happy birthday to you my Liv...this poem makes me think of you....

I carry your heart with me

by e.e. cummings

I carry your heart with me - I carry it in my heart

I am never without it - anywhere I go you go, my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling... I fear

No fate - for you are my fate, my sweet

I want no world - for beautiful you are my world, my true...and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant and whatever a sun will always sing is you.

Here is the deepest secret nobody knows - here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide...and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

I carry your heart - I carry it in my heart!

Unexpected blessings!

Sorry for my absence! I truly do have a good excuse...you see come next March we will have a new little blessing...an unexpected blessing! I'm thinking we will need some of these! Yes, we are expecting a new addition to our family! I am 11 weeks along and still feeling very sick and very tired! Hopefully that will be passing in the next few weeks! I could certainly use your prayers...have a happy Friday!!!

I have a 3rd grader????

Yes, I officially have a 3rd grader today...I don't know where the time has gone! He was up and ready to roll this morning as he and dad took off for school! I will be honest and say 2nd grade was a struggle...not academically - he is a wiz - but in other ways...I cannot say that I felt he got all he should have last year (I'm sure every parent feels that way at times...) Now before any of you teachers out there get your feathers ruffled, let me preface this by saying I went to public school, loved public school, my husband is a teacher in the public school - but when that same husband mentions the word "home school"...you know it is for good reason! Braxton is an "active" learner...likes to be moving, constantly going and challenged - which is not always so great in a large classroom environment. Twenty kids, with different learning styles, different levels academically - well, that would be a challenge for even the best of teachers - I don't know how they do it most days! At the same time, I think every child, not just my child, but EVERY child deserves to be educated in a way that bests suits their learning style - I realize that is not always possible in a class of 20+ students! We did debate other options this year, including home schooling...we truly wrestled with what would be best...it is no easy decision! But in the end we sent him back to public school - for this year at least, mainly because David's mom will be teaching some of B's classes - this is reassuring - she's been teaching for YEARS and it will be her last year before retirement - we are so very thankful she choose to stay one more year and of course B is even more thrilled! Our public schools are changing...my view of public school is changing...I am still processing and praying for God's wisdom as we go into this school year! My prayers have been something like this:

• Pray for B's teachers - give them patience, understanding, and a love for their children that can be felt throughout the classroom!
• Pray for B to grow in self control - emotionally, physically, mentally
• Praying for Godly friends that B can connect with
• Praying that 3rd grade will be a positive year for all the children in B's classroom

Happy Friday!

Home sweet home...

Well, we are back! My family and I spent a week at the beach and it really was wonderful! It was the first time since high school that all my siblings were able to be there! Here are a few pics...more to come! Happy 4th! talent show...Liv wearing my nephew's cowboy hat to sing "Shake Your Groove Thang" with backup from cousin Emma! On the beach to snap family pics... This photo was taken by my eight year old...pretty good I think...I never have pics of David and I!

Searching for peace...

Yeah, it's Friday!!! The last few weeks have been a bit crazy for me and my family! It's almost the end of June,halfway through Summer break, and I am ready for our vacation! We (my family and I) are going through lots of changes...some big decisions need to made and I wont lie to you - I am in need of some major PEACE right now! God has been working on me for over a year now in several areas of my life...work, family, children, school - I could go on, but I know that each area is connected! So I am looking forward to a week of PEACE and a time of seeking God for his wisdom and direction! Speaking of peace, I am praying for just that between these two: For the most part my kids are great pals...they get along well....BUT there are those moments when all they do is pick and fuss at each other!!! So I was so glad to read about this over here at A Holy Experience. I think I might need to change our "timeout" corner to a "peace retreat"...especially since our timeout corner has turned into a graffiti wall for taking out their frustrations on! Oh yeah, I can show you some great artwork up on those walls! Praying for peace this week - Happy Weekend!!!

Happy Birthday to my boy!

Happy 8th birthday to my boy...eight years ago, on June 19th you came into my life and changed it forever! An easy baby, a challenging toddler, and now growing into a sweet, young man - you make my life wonderful! I cannot wait to see what another eight years will bring! Happy birthday B, I love you!

On the road...

I've been on the road today! Up at 6:30am, out the door around 7:30am and off to Cleveland,TN. with a truck load of 'stuff' to begin staging a house that is on the market! Now, it is 5:45pm - I just walked in the door and I'm waiting for my family to get home - they've been swimming!!! Summer is really crazy for us schedule wise....for me it is a time to pick up a little more work since my husband(who teaches HS math and coaches basketball) is home more! The trade off is that I am home more with the kids once school begins bc his schedule gets crazy once basketball starts full time...either way, I am very blessed to have such a flexible "job"! There was a day when I worked full time in the design industry - for someone else! Working five days a week...not getting home until 6:15 at night - and I really enjoyed it, I was passionate about it... but since having kids, well, they really have become my focus! Daily I am reminded of the precious gifts (Braxton and Olivia) God has entrusted to me...that is my purpose, that's my number one ministry - my family! So that is where I am content, that is where I am my happiest...and I am thankful for the design jobs that allow me to do that! Anyway, HAPPY WEDNESDAY!

This face...

This face...everyone says she is my "mini-me"...I will have to agree! She is feeling sickly this afternoon so please say a prayer that she will get rest and feel better soon! Hope you all enjoy the beautiful weather (at least here in East TN)

Happy Anniversary to me...

Thirteen years ago today I married my college sweetheart...Happy Anniversary David! I cannot wait to see where the next thirteen years takes us!

38 years ago today...

38 years ago today my husband came into this world! Happy birthday sweetheart...I hope this is your best year yet!

(Christmas at mom and dad's 2009)