Merry Christmastime!!

So, it is almost Christmas and I am just now updating this here blog. I'm sorry for that, but you will have to forgive me. I have been a little bit busy!

That's right!! My baby girl is here!! Meet Ella Mackenzie Powell! She was born October 24, 2010, at 9:39 p.m., weighing 7 lb. 11 oz. and coming out at 21 in. long! Isn't she a cutie patootie!!

I don't know where the month of November went. These past 6 1/2 weeks have been a complete blur.

Most all of our family was able to be with us when little miss was born. It was really nice to have everyone together. Honey-do and I are so blessed with a great family. We even had someone with us for the first two weeks of miss Ella's life. My mom stayed a week. Perry's mom came back the weekend after she was born. Perry's sister Erica came and stayed a while the next week. Then it was ALL me and Perry... for three days! :)

We also had visits from Great-Uncle Steve and Great-Aunt Cindy; friend

s from college: Larry and Sarah Mattox and their little girl, Willow Jo; and Great-Nana and Great-Papa Campbell!!

Since then, our little family of three went back to Oklahoma over Thanksgiving break. It was a little bit of a challenge to travel with a newborn. I mean she slept the whole way, but our car was LOADED with her stuff. You never realize how much stuff you actually use on a day-to-day basis. :)

Life with a newborn is definitely interesting, but so much fun! She is such a good baby. We are on a good schedule and she even sleeps almost all the way through the night. (Almost.)

We are getting ready for Ella's first Christmas! I'm so excited to go back to OK for Christmas and be with all the family again. Babies definitely brighten up the holidays.

In fact, we are traveling this weekend to Okemah, OK, for Perry's mother's side of the family's reunion, "Palmer Dinner." It will be a treat to see his grandpa's sisters and their families meet Ella Mack.

I promise I will try to post more often. Here is one more photo to hold you over until then!

Wake-up Call

So today, I just realized that the husband and I won't get too many more weekends of just being together, him and I. We will soon be overwhelmed with a newborn. There won't be many more times when we can just go to our friends' house to watch movies, unless they don't mind us bringing along baby. We won't get to enjoy a restaurant just the two of us. Grocery shopping won't be an easy task anymore. Running to Wal-Greens to pick up toothpaste won't be an easy task anymore.

In fact, the husband asked me how I will find time to shower or even go pee. Cooking dinner will be an interesting task... unless the hubby is home.

Our lives are about to change... FOREVER.

Now, don't get me wrong. I am super excited about our little girl coming. And I can't wait for the next 8 weeks to come and go so she can get here!!

But right now, I am praying to God that I have what it takes to be a full-time stay-at-home mommy.

wowza, it's been a while

I'm sorry it's been so long since my last post. A lot has been going on around here. My pregnancy woes are getting much better. I'm not quite as sick as I was in the beginning. My belly is growing... I can no longer wear my regular pants.

Mom and nana are coming to stay with me and the hubby for a couple of weeks. That should be fun! We plan on going to the pool and hanging out in the sun, tanning. :) I love sweet summertime!!

On June 28 we will have our official ultrasound to find out if we are carrying a Luke or an Ella. I am so anxious to find out. I cannot wait to start working on the nursery. I already have a theme in mind for both a boy or girl. I wont tell you my plans though until I know...

I honestly try not to get too excited about either a boy or a girl, because there is nothing I can do about the gender. We will have whatever it happens to be! :) So, I am "patiently" waiting for that ultrasound!

I promise I will attempt to write more often, especially when we find out gender and get started on the nursery! I'm sure there will MUCH to discuss then!

Have you ever Googled yourself?

A dear friend from college wrote on her blog about the magnificent usage of technology. She praises the use of social networking by means of the Internet. However, she warns that employers are looking to Facebook and MySpace to see the "true colors" of their future employees. 

While reading her post, I began asking myself, what do people see when they Google me? So, I tried it! Wow, the things I found. I was proud to find some of my articles that have been published in the Angus Journal. I also found some news releases about winning scholarships at Oklahoma State University. But, then I found that I am not the only Tosha Powell in the world! And that is always interesting. 

Just for fun I looked up names of all my family members. I saw that my mother-in-law shares the name of a professional interior designer. Honey-do shares  a name of a company with the same name. My father-in-law has a common name with MANY people! My father shares a name with a politician, and my mother shares her name with a children's book author.

Finding these names on the Internet made me think of two very important things.

1. It is VERY important to consider the names you give your children. It might not be a bad idea to Google a name you might potentially give your next baby. Just to make sure they don't share the name with something or someone that will cause them grief later in life.

2 However, the most reassuring thing I found, my friends, is that my Facebook and MySpace profiles were not available for public viewing. 

Just as my fellow blogger states in her blog, please, if you want to be sure you are creating a positive image for future employers, set your privacy on your networking sites. Or, if you have nothing to hide, leave them searchable. 

But always remember, Big Brother is watching you!