This 'n That

Time for a random post!  My favorite kind. :)

{Oops--need to edit--I had stated that this photo was taken by Julia, but later we realized it was actually taken by me!  The chicken had caught a frog and was trying to keep it away from the other chickens. :)  Still cracks me up, no matter who took it... }

• I'm just about 10 weeks along now with the new baby, and I called my midwife yesterday to set up my first appt.  So exciting!  I'll be seeing her on Monday.  Hopefully we may be able to hear the heartbeat, but it might be a little early for that.  (I don't think we heard Julia's till about 15 weeks, and Josiah's around 18.)  
• Sometime after that appt, I plan to open my pregnancy blog back up.  From then on, all pregnancy-related posts will go there, but I'll try to mention on this blog every time I post something new there.  It's just a nice way for me to keep all the baby stuff together, and that way if there are people who aren't interested in reading pregnancy stuff, they can skip it. :)
• I am antsy for spring to actually get here!  It seems to be "playing" with us.  We've had a few perfect days in the 60s and 70s, but this week has been mostly chilly (except Monday, which was gorgeous) and the temps have been dipping down into the teens and 20s at night, so we're still using the wood stove at night and in the mornings.  I am trying to be patient, but please, spring, come soon?!  We have now seen and heard frogs in one of our ponds, so I know that is a good sign. :)
• I have just discovered podcasts.  I mean, I already KNEW about podcasts, but rarely had I listened to one.  Then last week a post showed up in my Feedly where the author mentioned listening to podcasts while doing chores.  (Unfortunately that post seems to have disappeared from her blog now so I can't give credit where it's due!)  It was like a light bulb went on in my mind.  You see, I always fly through my housework faster and better when my mind is engaged with something else.  Sometimes I even call my mom or sister just to chat for a while so I can have something interesting to think about while doing dishes or laundry--it seriously makes the job go by so much faster for me!  Anyway . . . I have an iPod, why not use it for the same purpose while I'm working around the house?  So far my favorite podcasts have been those from Kat Lee at Inspired to Action, but I've also listened to one from God Centered Mom and plan to try some from The Art of Simple (formerly Simple Mom) as well.  Good stuff!
• Along the same lines, I have been listening to some audiobooks while I do my morning walk/run on the treadmill.  I used to just listen to music, which is also very enjoyable, but then I got a couple free credits for Audible, so I decided to try audiobooks.  Last month I listened to Notes from a Blue Bike, by Tsh Oxenreider, and this month I am working my way through The Auschwitz Escape, by Joel C. Rosenberg.  As with any book about the Holocaust, this is a somewhat hard one to listen to, but it's riveting and the narrator does an excellent job.  It really helps that exercise time go by faster!
• Jim and Sam are finishing up at a roofing job today, and the other kids and I have been hanging out at home, aside from a quick trip to town for a few groceries.  I'm not feeling too well today (headache and upset tummy, plus being really tired); not sure what's up with that, other than I know the tiredness is still pregnancy-related.  We were/are planning to have Josiah's birthday party a few days early tomorrow evening so my parents can be here, as they will be away for his actual birthday . . . but at this point I'm not sure if either Jim or I will have the energy to decorate the cake. :(  We will have one VERY disappointed boy if we don't, so hopefully we can find the energy somehow, and hopefully I'll be feeling well enough tomorrow to enjoy Easter and his party.  We will see.  

I guess I will sign off for now . . . I can't think of much more interesting news to blog about at the moment. :)  Hopefully I will be back with a pregnancy update sometime after Monday!