Top 10 Signs Your Mom is Studying for the Bar

I'll get to posting about Drake's birthday and our trip to Cali.  But that may have to wait for a week.  Then I will be finished with this stupid bar examination!!!!

So here it is, the top 10 signs your mom is studying for the bar:

10.  Laundry sits on the couch for days.

9.  Paper plates are a must.

8.  You eat ice cream for breakfast.

7.  You eat left over birthday cake for lunch.

6.  You've been wearing the same clothes for three days.

5.  Two bathrooms are out of TP.

4.  The people at Papa John's know your mom by her first name.

3.  You haven't brushed your hair in 2 days.

2.  She's always wearing sound muting headphones.

1.  She BEGS you to just "go watch TV!"  

I'm sorry babies.  One more week.  

We can make it!  

I hope!

Thankfully Ryan has been so sweet and supportive.

I mean look at the things he says...

Oh, and the other Ryan too.  ;)

...32...

More nights than not, this boy wanders into our bed in the middle of the night.

So I wake up like this.

I'm so blessed, not only because of this cute boy, but my nose swells up when I'm pregnant.

 And I guess since he's hijacking our bed, he feels the responsibility to make it.

 Drake had a primary teacher in our old ward who made the kids these "Drake was here" heart bean bags, so they could give service and leave it behind.

It's the cutest thing ever.

I love it!

I had a birthday.

I don't have any pictures of it, but my friends took me out a couple of days later and spoiled me with a new Coach purse.

Can you believe that!?

 So I'm 32, which I didn't feel like that was old, until I thanked my mom for birthing me 32 years ago.  That just sounds crazy.

At least I'm a nice round number, that is divisible by 4.  For some reason, I love numbers divisible by four.  It just makes me feel good.

While I'm "studying for the bar", I figure I might as well have some bread rising.

I think I've got my white bread down!

So yummy!  My house smells so good right now!

 This whole bar thing is a joke.

How am I supposed to study when I'm home with kids out on summer break?  I feel like I study 12 hours a day, but get done what I would be able to do in 4 hours if I were at the library.  :(

And finally, I'm 28 weeks!

That's officially 3rd trimester.

there's a baby in there!
I still can't believe it.

*baby's the size of a large eggplant (2.25 pounds)

*if I have to wear clothes, they better be stretchy

*the baby is very active, and the kids LOVE to feel the baby move

*I finally bought the first item of baby clothes, that only leaves everything else to acquire!

*I've gained 20 pounds so far...

My reduced sugar/salt diet started out well, but after a couple of birthdays with excuses to eat cake and ice cream for weeks, I'm off the wagon.  I need to get my act back together!

And now, back to studying!

...9...

My baby girl is NINE!

Gwen wanted to do her birthday party a little early this year since come the first of July, most people head for the hills.  So we did it the weekend before, and it worked out great.  Other than the garbage disposal eating my frosting tip.  :(

 She wanted a sleep over, but since those are not allowed according to the McPhie statutes, we had a late night instead.  All her friends came over in their jammies to make pizza, eat cupcakes and watch a movie on the big wall of the playroom - movie theater style.  

 Gwen decorated the play room herself.  Well with the help of Drake.

And Drake.  Oh boy.  I wanted him to go watch a movie with Gigi and Papa during the party so he wouldn't have to be around all the girls, but he refused.  He wanted to hang out at the party, and play.  What a nut.  

 So her early birthday party was a super success, and it was nice to not have to worry about a party on her actual birthday.  

So the night before I cleaned the house and got presents wrapped, balloons blown up, house decorated, and then went in to kiss my 8 year old Gwenny good bye forever, and found her like this.  It killed me!  She has her unicorn tucked in under the blanket and is sleeping with a little hat pinned to the top of her head!  Oh I cried, and cried.  As much fun as it is to see her grow up, I want to preserve my little girl just a while longer.  

Last picture of Gwen as an 8 year old.

But the next morning, I found a gorgeous 9 year old Gwenny! 

 Then we had a day of doing what she wanted!  

That meant no bar study for me, pedicures for the girls (Drake really wanted one, and has asked for one on his birthday in a couple of weeks),

I am UGE (silent H)

 Lunch at Olive Garden!

 The kids were fuh-reez-ing!!

This was how Drake waited for our lunch.  While he was confined, he certainly was not quiet.

 We had a fun giggly lunch!

We ended the night with a family party at the Collard's house (since our air conditioning decided to go out the night before), and ate German Chocolate cake at Gwen's request.  

  It was a super fun day, and I'm so happy to have gotten to spend it with my little best friend!  She passed out on the way home!