Fun Friday Fotos

Julianne was so proud of herself!  She caught these two kittens all on her own!  (that's Otis on the left, and Candy on the right)

Tonight, Dallas attended a birthday party for one of his best friends and classmates, Dylan.  It was a sports theme party with an indoor batting cage, basketball courts, and arcade games.

My aunt did a coloring contest on her "Thirty-One" page this week.  I printed off the picture for me to complete, and when Reba saw it, she had to have one too.  She really took her time and carefully picked her colors, and I think it turned out beautifully.

Until next time...

Good-Bye

Today we said good-bye to Sha.

Unfortunately, Sha had recently turned onry/mean.  It got to the point where Dallas was afraid to go into the coop to help with chores.  With the current ban on selling chickens (because of the bird flu this summer), Doug explained to Dallas that our option was for Daddy to kill the little rooster.  Dallas said he understood and was fine with it.  Dallas did ask that we take one last picture of him.

Just for fun, I looked back and found these pictures from the first summer (2013) we had Sha.

Until next time...

Curls

Reba asked a few weeks ago (maybe a month ago) if I would curl her hair again once it got long enough.  I explained to her that it was already long enough, we just had to find the time to do it!  I curled it over Labor Day weekend, and quickly realized I needed more of the larger rollers.  I finally remembered to pick up another pack this past week while in town, so that meant it was time to try it again!

Her buddy, Calvin, complimented how nice her hair looked as soon as he got in the van this morning, and the principal also raved about it in the drop off line.  When she got home this afternoon, she said quite a few of her friends and other teachers also said they liked her curls.  Now, we'll have to find another night that I get her through the bath early enough that there is time to roll all that hair before bedtime!

Until next time...

Sweet Potatoes and Apples

Daddy has been gone all week, but today he was off!  Momma put him (and the kiddos) to work digging the sweet potatoes...

The ground was so dry and hard to dig since we haven't had a decent rain all month, so Daddy did all the digging!  It wasn't our best crop of sweet taters, but I'm sure we are going to have plenty to get us through the year.  And we will have enough to make some baby food for Number 4.

After we were done digging, we went to check on the fruit trees.  Unfortunately, our peach trees produced absolutely nothing this year.  (Insert sad face)  Our apple tree on the other hand, put on a handful of apples.  One looked perfect, so Dallas picked it!

He was teasing that he was going to eat it, but it is sitting in the fridge waiting to be shared.

Until next time...

Julianne Lovin'

Just some random photos from my phone of Julianne and her lovable ways!

Until next time...

Fun Friday Foto - Reba's Week

We are so proud of Reba and her success in Kindergarten!  Each day, she starts on "green", and she has the chance to either "clip up" with good choices/behavior/participation or "clip down".  Here is what her chart looked like this week.

She "clipped up" to the pink level each day for a whole week!  She is the first in her class to do so, and because of that, she got to pick a prize out of the treasure chest.  She chose a Dora the Explorer playing card set.  It came with the games "Crazy 8's" and "Go Fish".

She was so proud of herself, and Doug and I are extremely happy with her work too.  We pray that she always loves school this much, and that she wants to set a positive example for those around her.

Until next time...

Week 37 and Baby Poll

Holy Moly!  We are almost to the end of this pregnancy...here is what I'm looking like these days.

When people ask how I'm getting along, my typical response is that I'm "hanging in there."  I don't feel bad, but I don't feel great.  The baby has really slowed down on its movement in the last week, and I have slowed down as well!  I am having contractions here and there, and I'm having quite a bit of back pain.  I'm also experiencing pain/pressure in my upper inner thighs (sorry if that's too much info), but I don't remember this same pain/pressure with the other pregnancies.  I started feeling this particular pain while at the Kentucky Fair, but then it went away after 2-3 days.  Then, other day my foot slipped out from under me when I stepped on the garage floor with a somewhat wet shoe.  I didn't do the splits, but it was the start of them.  I was able to catch myself, but it definitely flared up this pain again.

Last week, at my check-up, I saw the Nurse Practitioner, Ashley, because Dr. Alvey was on vacation.  Ashley did the Strep Group B test (and I found out today that it came back negative).  She also checked my progress, and said that my cervix was beginning to soften, but she would not call it dilated to a 1.  She also made no mention of effacement.  

Today, I had my weekly check up with Dr. Alvey.  She checked me and said that I was dilated to a 1 or 1.5, and that I was 60% effaced.  She also brought up the topic of induction, and how I felt about it.  I said that we (Doug and I) have no objections to being induced...seeing as the first 3 all came that way!  Dr. Alvey did say that she can't induce labor before 39 weeks, so we still have 2 weeks before we can consider that route.

Lastly, while Dr. Alvey was checking the heartbeat of the baby, it was rather fast.  It was up around and above 180 beats/min.  Typically the baby's heart rate has been around 150.  Dr. Alvey listened for a bit longer, and it didn't really slow down.  She ordered for me to have a non-stress test where I was hooked up to a monitor for about 20 minutes to record the heart rate and movement.  During that time, the baby's heart rate had returned to normal.  The monitor even showed I had a contraction during the test! 

I did feel like I was on Jeopardy, because I had this cool little button to push each time I felt the baby move.

Alright...So, enough of that...

I did dig out a particular shirt this morning for my 37 week picture!  I had to wear it to give you all a good comparison of each pregnancy.

With that...I'm going to open up the Baby Poll!

Here's how you play...

1) Click on the comment link at the end of this post
2) Take a guess at what day Number 4 will arrive
3) Take a guess at what Number 4's length will be
4) Take a guess at what Number 4's weight will be
5) Finally, take a guess if Number 4 is a boy or girl!

Make sure to leave your name, especially if you don't have a blog log in name.

Here's how you can play if you don't have a log in: Leave your guesses, and then select the "button" for either -Name/URL or -Anonymous.

If you choose -Name/URL, then just type your name in the name box...You can leave the URL box blank.

Here are some helpful tips when thinking of your guesses. My due date is Oct. 7, and this has changed.  I originally thought I was due at the end of October.  With Julianne, my due date was Dec. 5, and did not changed during the pregnancy.  She was born on Dec. 6th - by induction.  Julianne weighed 7 lb 12 oz and was 21 in long.  With Reba, my due date was Nov. 19th and did not changed during the pregnancy. She was born on Nov. 17th - by induction.  Reba weighed 7 lb 4 oz and was 20 in long.  With Dallas my due date was originally March 24th, then it was moved to March 4th. Dallas arrived March 11th - by induction. Dallas weighed 8 lb 8 oz and was 21.5 in long.

Until next time...

Reading Reba

This week was the second week for Reba to bring home her "Book in a Bag" homework.  The bag contains beginning reader level books for the kiddos to practice their reading at home.  Last week, the book was super simple for her (The only words were: The mouse can.  The monkey can. {Repeat}).  This week was a bit more of a challenge, but still pretty easy for her.  Make sure your volume is turned up high, because she reads pretty softly.

Until next time...

Sky Writing

Remember me telling about Dallas' spelling menu activities he has to complete each week?  This week, one of the choices was called Sky Writing.  We put shaving cream on the table, and he was on "Cloud 9" playing writing his spelling words.

I will admit, I am quite jealous at how natural of a speller Dallas is.  Spelling was never (and still isn't) a strong subject for me.  Each week, the teacher gives a pre-test to determine what words they receive for the next week.  She uses three different levels (lists) that she assigns based on each student's pretest score, and I'm proud to report that Dallas has been on the most challenging list each week!  I hope that he always continues to excel with his spelling - instead of relying on auto correct like his Momma.

Until next time...

St. Wendel Summer Social 2015

This weekend was our church's annual summer social, which the kiddos have been talking about nonstop for the last 2 weeks!  I had volunteered to work in the bounce house area on Saturday evening.  Before we left the house, I was doing chores when I watch storm clouds "roll" pass us.  There were maybe 10 drops of rain that fell here at the house, but in St. Wendel, it was a down pour with hail!  Luckily, the social hadn't started, mass was still going on, and the rain was over by the time mass finished.

When the kiddos and I arrived, the air had definitely cooled down.  So much so, that I loaded them back into the van to go home and get the kiddos in long pants and grab sweatshirts for everyone!  We then headed back and let the fun begin.  Julianne and Momma got something to eat, and Dallas and Reba headed straight for the bounce houses.  Once Julianne finished her hot dog, she was ready to get in the bounce house with the others.

Sugar did very well until she got plowed over by someone, then she was done and wouldn't entertain the idea of getting back in - even when Reba was the only one in that bounce house!

Dallas spent the evening floating back and forth between the bounce houses and the dunk tank.  Thankfully, they were right next to each other, and I could keep an eye on him while I was working the bounce house area.

Sunday morning, after church, we came home to change clothes and get Julianne a nap before returning to the activities.  We were all thrilled to learn Daddy had the day off and got to join us in the fun!  We first enjoyed the fabulous fried chicken dinner they serve, and then we made our way to the bounce houses (again)!

There was not too many kiddos in the area, so I thought I would let Julianne try the slide.  Guess what!?!?  She loved it!!!

She couldn't quite climb up the "steps" by herself, but Daddy gave her a helping hand.  Reba desperately wanted to go down with her (either side by side or one in front of the other), but Sugar would have no part in that!  Julianne would even "push" Reba down the slide so she would be out of the way.

Dallas was somehow able to get Julianne to go down with him (one time), but I don't think Julianne was very happy about it.

The church sells tickets which are needed in order to play the games (dunk tank, plinko, coin toss, and pick a duck).  This year, I bought Dallas and Reba each a pack of 25 tickets.  Dallas spent all of his on the dunk tank, and Reba spent all of her at the plinko and pick a duck.  She did let Julianne pick a couple of the ducks, but Reba kept the tokens that were won.

Julianne finally crashed for a nap about 5 this afternoon.  She only slept about 45 minutes, but something is better than nothing!

Then she was back in the bounce house!

Dallas also participated in the pedal pull.  This was his first year pedaling the Allis, called Hook and Book.  He did fairly well, but he didn't go far enough to place.

Until next time...

Fun Friday Fotos - Test Success and School Pictures

This big guy was so excited (and proud) to share with me his reading test when he got home from school today, and I don't blame him!

Dallas was actually pretty nervous this morning before school about taking this test (as in he was in tears and didn't want to go).  He has one of these reading tests every Friday, and unfortunately, he hasn't had much success with them.  His teacher has had him retake 2 of them because he had such low scores, but not today...Today, he got a 100%!  To celebrate, we had strawberry milkshakes for an after school snack.

In addition to the awesome test score, check out what else came home today...

Dallas Matthew Bergman - 2nd Grade

Reba Elizabeth Bergman - Kindergarten

Doug and I love them!  I mean...how can one not love those smiling faces?
Click here to look back at previous years' school pictures.

Until next time...

Genetics Can be a Funny Thing

Earlier today, Aunt Lisa sent a text message to us with a picture of what she found in the barn...

It's another Natural Colored ram lamb! 

But wait!  Here is his twin sister...

Yep, she is all white; just like the set we had last year.  Here is where the story becomes interesting...it is NOT the same set of parents as last year's set, but there is relation.  The ewe that lambed the Natural Colored last year (Crackerjack), is the mother of the ewe that lambed this year's set.  The rams (fathers) of these Natural Colors are NOT the same.

The Natural Colored gene is a recessive gene; therefore both the mother and father must be carriers of the recessive gene to produce a Natural Colored lamb.  If you think back to basic biology and Punnett squares, you might be able to understand it all...maybe.

In this example, the upper case W is the dominate gene for white lambs, and the lower case w is the recessive gene for non-white (black) lambs.  There is a 75% chance that this set of parents will have produce a white lamb, and a 25% chance they will have a black lamb.  Also, you will notice that there is a chance that their lamb would not be a carrier of the recessive gene (WW), and there is a chance that the white lamb would be a carrier of the recessive gene (Ww).

Now, if you are really into biology, and are curious what could happen if we used one of these Natural Colored Rams...I made some Punnett Squares to demonstrate what could happen.

Should the ewe not be a carrier of the recessive gene (WW), you would get a white lamb, and it would be a carrier of the recessive gene.  If the ewe was a carrier of the recessive gene (Ww), then you would have a 50% chance of getting a white lamb, and a 50% of getting another Natural Colored.

Until next time...

Labor Day Fishing

Doug's uncle hosted a cookout at his house this afternoon.  Thankfully, Doug didn't have to work, so we made the trip north yesterday.  One of the reasons for the get-together was that Doug's uncle and aunt were "home" from Florida.  We were all quite surprised when Julianne allowed Uncle Danny (the one that lives in FL) to hold her hand as they walked across the yard, and she even let him carry her down the stairs to the basement!

After lunch, Doug and Pa, as well as Dallas and Reba headed out to Uncle Junior's pond to see if they could have any luck fishing.

It wasn't but 5 minutes before Reba got the first bite on her line...

Then, Pa got a nibble...

Dallas "had to help" Pa reel it in!

Everyone was so proud of their catches!

Reba even finally decided to hold the fish

It wasn't long after they each released their catches, Reba re-baited, cast her line, and reeled in a blue gill!

After each of the kiddos caught 3 or 4 fish each, Doug was finally able to cast his own line and enjoy a little fishing.  (He had been running back and forth between the two kiddos re-baiting and taking fish off their lines)

What were Julianne and I doing during this time?  Relaxing under the shade trees (and napping)

My favorite picture of the day!

followed closely by this one (Dallas was so willing to help Reba with her catch)

After Julianne woke from her nap, I even got the chance to cast a line.  I ended up catching one bass and this blue gill.

Until next time...