What Happened to November?

Well, November has come and almost past already. I can't believe how at some point it seemed to fly by and at other points it seemed to drag on forever. What ever the case we have had ALOT of things go on this month. 

1. Our best friends got married. Sara got to do all the photography for them also.

2. We closed and moved into our new home.

3. Sara's belly is getting bigger. 

4. We are having a girl and have decided to name her Adalynn Kaci.

5. Eli's soccer practice and games are over for the season.

6. Our 2 doggies and Sara get to be on TV on the 28th just cause.

I'm sure there are other things that I am forgetting to mention, but these are/were the important and fun ones. 

It's a slow process, but I have made great strides in organizing, cleaning, and arranging out new house. I LOVE IT! Our neighborhood is quiet and peaceful for the most part. We live on a cul-de-sac so I'm even happier about that. I can't wait to start doing stuff for starting a garden and some fruit trees. After I'm done tackling all the boxes and bags and doing all of the laundry and dishes, it'll be time to start on Adalynn's room getting it cleaned organized, painted and decorated. Then Eli's room, then ours. haha. Luckily we don't have to paint. I'm just so excited! We also have to go to the old house and finish moving whatever is left and cleaning it up a bit before we can sell it. Oh well.

In just under a month we are going to Florida for Christmas. We can't wait for a much needed time away/break/vacation. It'll definitely be different to be on the beach for Christmas instead of being cold and inside.

Well, the year is almost over as well and I sure there is still more in store for us in the Dragman household. So stay tuned for my next update.

Hugs and Lovies,

Fan, Sara, Elijah & Belly Adalynn

Month 5

A lot has happened in the past few months. We are expecting another little one to join our family, we are searching for a new and bigger house, Fan & I have taken on 2 project trucks, we just signed an offer on a house yesterday, Eli is playing soccer and loving it.

Elijah is having a blast! He is going to school 3 days a week and continually learning his ABC's and 123's. I just can't get enough of his version of the alphabet song. His writing is improving slowly, but I know he'll get there. He is loving soccer. Practice every week and games every Saturday. He is just too darling in his little uniform. He has grown fond of me singing him the song 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star' when it's time for bed and I love it! I should really learn a few others, haha.

Baby D #2 is growing and I have started feeling the little kicks it is making. I am in my 5th month and am loving it. I have gotten my appetite back, but still have avoidance foods. Mostly those fried, greasy, fatty ones unless is made it. No cravings such as pickles and ice cream. Although pickles I'm loving, but they have to be the claussen crunchy kind.

After about a month of searching for a new and bigger house we have found one that we both love. It is a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house on 1.25 acres. My favorite part is the country style kitchen. We signed an offer yesterday and are waiting to find out if they have accepted or denied it. Fingers crossed it is accepted. I will post pictures once it is ours. I'm so ready to decorate and make it mine. haha

Recently, in the midst of looking for a house, Fan and I found and bought 2 Chevy trucks. One is a 1951, which is mine. The body style old truck I have always wanted. The other is a 1970, which is Fan's and one that he has wanted for a while. We are going to fix up his first the way he wants it, then we will get to work on mine.

Oh the wonderful things that are happening this Fall. Here are some pictures of soccer and belly.

Our Little Journey

You never know how hard it can be for a couple who is trying to have a baby, until you have walked in their shoes. This is my story of how hard is was.

Two years ago this October, I found out I was going to be a mommy again! Fan and I were both scared and nervous and excited all in one. We had these feelings because we did not know how we were going to handle a two year old and a baby, but we were going to make it work. We told everyone. I had made an appointment for our first doctors visit. I had taken another test just to be sure. Then a week later it happened. I had cramps like I have never had before. I was going to the bathroom frequently because I was bleeding. By the second day I was very concerned. I called my good friend who is a nurse and explained to her what was going on. She told me what could be happening and to call my doctors office. I did. I ended up going to the ER, waiting, crying until I was in a room with just Fan. Nurse and doctor came in. I was informed I was going through a miscarriage. I had suspected it, but really did not want to believe it. It was heart breaking. 

To this day I still think about what could have been, but then I know God had other plans for that baby and was not ready to let it enter our world just yet.

Fast forward to the following September. Fan and I took an extra long bike ride with some friends down one of the prettiest roads in Oklahoma. On our way back home, we took a different route than we did getting there. We came up on a blind curve and ended up having a motorcycle accident. Nobody was seriously hurt or broken. I have my first and only scars to prove it. We rode back home. I had to ride with one of the other guys as my seat on Fan's bike was not stable for me to sit on. When we got back home. We jumped in the car and went to the ER to have us checked out just in case. 

Shortly after the accident I found out I was pregnant again. We were excited! But because of the miscarriage and we still had people asking about the pregnancy, we wanted to wait to tell anyone about this one. Boy was it hard. Then the last week of September, I was back in the ER, crying, waiting, crying some more. Saw the doctor and nurse. Then had an ultrasound. That's when I knew I was going through another miscarriage. What was I doing wrong? Why couldn't my body hold on to these babies? 

From that point I was determined to get my body in shape and in good health so that if I do get pregnant again I was going to hold onto that baby. 

We went through the healing process. Waited. Tried again, but were having a hard time. Then we stopped trying and just enjoyed our time with Eli. We bought a boat and have enjoyed it last fall and this summer as much as we could. 

In July, I found out I was pregnant again. I had been taking my prenatal vitamins. I called the doctors office made my appointments and also had them order a blood test to check my HCG levels. So far so good. We actually made it to the first doctor appointment with his PA and had my levels checked again. Still good so far. I had an ultrasound done at 8 weeks and heard the little but very fast heart beat. 

I am now almost 11 weeks along and am so happy. I'm being careful, eating properly, taking vitamins. And go in for my second doctors visit next week. Eli is excited but not sure what to think yet. 

I love my family and my life. It's been a long hard road but we are making it. I will soon have 2 March birthday's to celebrate and couldn't be happier.

Hugs and lovies,
Fan, Sara and Elijah

Our family will grow another 2 feet in March!

We hope you read the title correctly! If not here is another clue......Come Thanksgiving look out I'll be eating for two! Or Fan + Elijah + Me & belly = 4.

Did you get it now? Yes you are correct!! We are expecting baby #2 the middle of March! We are ecstatic. I hope you don't mind that we waited so long, but due to our 2 previous miscarriages we wanted to be sure this time.

The baby's head is on the left (looks like its squished) and the body is on the right.

Lake. Puppies. Fireworks. Summer.

I can probably count on one hand the number of weekends that we have not been to the lake. Which is all reality is a good thing! I love the lake, our boat, spending time with family and friends. Mostly I'm getting a great tan and getting better at 2, count them, 2 water sports!! My most favorite is wake-surfing, and then wake-boarding. Eventually  and gradually we are getting Eli more and more use to the water and now he has even started standing up on his board we got in Florida when we went in April. Check out some of our pictures below. Also Thumper and Harvey are getting use to being at the lake. They their own little cubby hole to lay in while out on the boat and then they also get to be outside, which they love!

 
 
 

Fourth of July was just recently upon us and Fan, Eli and I spent the day together. Slept in really late, went to Lowes and bought mommy a used, but new to me, fridge/freezer (pics will come soon). And then we watched fireworks  at the local casino with Nana and Poppie. They were big and beautiful, not to mention we were ever so close. I mean like close enough to see the shooting ground where all the fireworks were to go off at. And despite our lack of rain over the past month, they had not major fires there. 
 
 

 
 
 

Despite the blistering hot Oklahoma 100+ degree heat for nearly the past month, this has been a good summer. Eli is doing more and more. Talking more and more. I love it! Just wish I was home more to spend more time with him. I love every bit of him. I love every bit of Fan too. Lately I have been looking for some land/acreage to buy so we can build a house. I really want to build a house, the way I want, with the things I want in it, because inevitably it's where we want to stay for the rest of our lives. But it's hard cause we want to stay within so far of Oklahoma City, since that is where we both work, but we don't want to be too close or too far. I want to have big enough land to have a chicken coop, maybe another farm animal, somewhere Eli and go run around and not worrying about getting to close to the street or being able to play outside whenever he wants. So we will see, we are still looking, as always. Maybe one day soon I'll find the perfect spot. Until then....


Hugs and Lovies,
Fan, Sara and Eli

Meet Harvey!

I would like you all to meet Harvey. He is our newest mini daschund. His color is chocolate and tan dapple. He has one eye that is completely brown and the other is half blue half brown. He is lovable and he is alot fatter than Thumper. Although Harvey and Thumper get along together, there are some things that they don't want to share....some of which they need to. Thumper, well she has an only puppy complex that I hope she grows out of quickly! Harvey is slowly learning his name and potty training is just soooo much fun (can you hear the sarcasm?). 


Here is Harvey:

Here is Thumper:

5 YEARS!!!

Holy moly!! Fan and I made it to out 5 year anniversary!! Yay for us! We are both looking forward to another 100 years together. I couldn't have asked for a better husband and father to my child. He makes me happy when I am sad, makes me laugh when I don't want to. This year for our anniversary we stayed in Oklahoma and just booked a room at one of the hotels in downtown OKC, shopped for a bit, ate at Zio's, and watched a movie. Then the next day we checked out and went to the lake to do some wakeboarding and wakesurfing and camping. We had so much fun together. I don't know of a better way to spend my anniversary weekend than together doing what we love to do. My mom and dad watched Eli all weekend so we had all that much more time to do whatever and be lazy.


I love you, Fan.


Sara

Our lastest makings

I have vowed to always involve Eli in cooking with me. No matter what it is, if he is interested in helping then I will give him things to do. Below are a few things that we have made together over the past few months.

Julia Child's Irish Soda Bread

 Cheesy Broccoli and Chicken Bread Braid

Easy crepes (recipe makes like 40 of them)

Ok, granted we didn't make the milk, strawberries or, angel food cake....BUT we did make the whip cream!

Funnel Cake madness!! Almost as good as the ones at the fair.

Hugs and Lovies,

Fan, Sara, and Eli

Adventures in the Zoo {and my conclusions}

I went on Elijah's very first school trip last week for the last week of his first school year. Sad, I know, I am. He is 3 years old, but my church is also a school from K-2 through college. He has learned so much this past, I just can't believe my baby is growing up. Sad. Again. Yes. I am. Anyhow, back to the school trip........we went to the Oklahoma City Zoo. Eli and I rode with one of his class mates and his mom. We walked around the whole Zoo and had fun hanging out with Gavin and his mom, JoElla.


We had alot of fun. It was also humid and in a way a little sticky. But it was fun. I took my camera so I could get pictures and lots of them. One spot I liked the most and will probably go back to was by the flamingos and their fence. As we were walking to the Children's Zoo so the kiddos could have a little fun, Eli and I stopped beside the fence to see if we could see the flamingos a little closer and we did. It was one of those holes in the wood from where a knot had been, but it was low to the ground. So we squatted/knealt to the ground and looked through. WOW! Amazing colors and we were so close to them. The photographer in me just had to bring out the camera and snap some shots. Yep, I'll be going back to that place.

Eli and I proceeded to the Children's Zoo with the rest of our group. Of course we went to the petting zoo part so that Gavin and Eli could pet the goats. They loved it and had lots of fun. In the middle of the children's zoo they have a nice little stream/fake river where the kids and parents can walk through and play with the rocks and sand. You guessed it it was their favorite part of the day. At the very top of the stream they have a flatter area for the littler ones and it just has little fountains on the ground that they can step on or whatever. I think this is where they got the wettest. Oh well. It was hot.

It we left the Children's Zoo we took a different path to get out. One that I had long forgotten about. Since I was a kid I have always gone to the zoo but as I got older I went less and less, but now that I have a kid (who loves animals and the zoo). Well this path goes straight to the sea lion look out, which is above the sea lion water pit that you can look at below through the windows and it is also the place to see the sea lion show. Well this path, still looks like it did back when. As most of the zoo has been changing over the past years this part doesnt seem like it.

After watching the sea lions swim around for a while we decided to head down to the aquarium to look at all the fish and sea life. Well it came to a point where Eli was asking about some of the fish and what they were and the only thing I could think of was Nemo. The movie, yes that's right. My entire 'teaching' of what the fish were came from Nemo. There were explanations of Nemo's dad, Marlon, and of Dory, the puffer fish and Scarface, and I even explained about the school of fish that Marlon and Dorky come across that help find the path to Sydney. That is when I realized I know alot about the Nemo movie. Which is not the fist movie I have come to know more than most people know about. This is probably because they are Eli's favorite movies.

After being there most of the day playing, walking, talking about all the animals, walking, eating, walking and did I mention walking? We came up on one of the playgrounds for the kiddos to play around some more and wear out a bit more. Us mommies were getting tired and ready to go. Eli and I rode the marry-go-round. He rode on the Zebra and I rode the Manatee. To ride you have to buy tokens and tokens are $1 for one. Sheesh! Yes I had fun but I'd much rather just give them a few quarters since it wasn't even that long of a ride. Oh well.

Just before we left the boys wanted to see the cats. So we stopped off at the lion's hill and looked at them and  then went home. Yes I know shame on us, but we were all tired. JoElla and I came to the conclusion that we like the zoo, but spending all day there is tiring and then you dont really want to go back for a while. Whereas if you go stay for a shorter period of time like a morning or the afternoon, then you dont get so bored and tire quickly. But alas our day came to an end and the boy had a snack in the car and then passed out for the rest of the afternoon. All in all it was a good day.

Hugs and Lovies,

Fan, Sara and Elijah

It's sleepy time

I.Love.Her.

Her = being my new puppy, Thumper.

She is a mini daschund.

I have been able to bring her to work since I got her.

She will soon be staying home after we get our little boy.

The day I took this pic, she wanted to cuddle.

It was stormy outside and so I indulged her.

Life Happens

Come as it may, Life happens. Looking back at how this blog has come along, I have noticed I'm slacking. When I started this I had the full intention of posting every week if not a few times a week. It was originally going to be all about Elijah, but as he got older he was not doing as many new and exciting things as much as he was just refining how he does them. Well now he is 3 years old (hard to believe I know) and the thing he does most if talk, ask questions, tell stories and play. So in turn my blog has turned more into a family update, my thoughts and other general posts. I'm even thinking of renaming the entire blog to more suit everything rather than just one. Yes, I will continue to update on the happenings of Elijah and us, but will incorporate other things. I think as it may, to make it a habit and not just when I remember....I will set an alarm on my phone to tell me to do this.


So, on to other happenings. Elijah is doing wonderfully.....for the most part. He has been diagnosed with Asthma. It's so severe, thank the Lord, but he does have to take breathing treatments when his breathing acts up and he has to take Singulair everyday. It is mostly due to his allergies, although he has not been tested (I plan to do so soon). He knows his colors, shapes, almost the ABC's, numbers......and he has even started helping read his books. He really liked flying on an airplane in April when we came home from Florida. He stayed awake the entire time, looked out the window, talked with us and had no problems. He had a blast in Florida, didn't really want to come home, but did want to fly. Fan and I took him to Disney's Animal Kingdom. We waited in line for Mickey and Minnie. He loved Minnie, but cried because "that's not Mickey!" Mickey was dressed in his Safari gear, as it was the Animal Kingdom. haha. Oh well, he got his pictures taken and had them sign his book. This week is his last week of school until the Fall. I am very thankful for my mother-in-law for taking him to school, for his teacher, Mrs. Pam for teaching him, and for the rest of kids all learning to share and be nice and play together. I know he has really enjoyed going to school, learning and having fun.

Fan and I are doing great. He is still loving his new job. He did, however, break the middle bone of his pinky finger while on a job site. But he is since healed enough to go back to full duty. Nothing new has changed with me. I did buy an old vanity chair from a local antique store and I re-upholstered and painted it. It looks so pretty. I plan on using as a prop for my photography. My next project is a tricycle a guy at work brought me for Eli, but Eli is still to little to reach the pedals. Anyhow, this trike has an extra seat on the back for a passenger. It is will be super cute, when I'm done with it.

That's life as it is now. 


Hugs and Lovies,
Fan, Sara and Elijah

3 years and counting

Well we had a wonderful birthday party for Eli on Saturday. We friends and family come and celebrate. My friend Ashley and I made him a Thomas the Train cake. It turned out pretty cool and of course it tasted awesome. He got some pretty cool gifts that will help him learn and then some movies to watch on his trip to Florida with Fan's parents next month.

After the party Nana and Poppie took him to see the new movie Rango while daddy rested and I went to shoot a wedding. Not to bad for my first wedding as a photographer.
Monday was officially Eli's 3rd birthday. But it was probably not the best birthday as we spent most of our morning in the doctors office. Not for his three year check up, but because he had a fever all night and had been coughing increasingly since Saturday. Last year we went to the ER due to the same thing and they said he acute bronchitis, but this time around we went to his doctor and he said Eli has more of the symptoms for asthma. So, my baby boy has asthma. We got 4 different prescriptions from the doctor and spent a little longer there and did a breathing treatment. We spent more of our morning at the pharmacy to get the prescriptions filled. I stayed home with him to get him through his first day of the at home breathing treatment. He has to do it every 3 hours. He is doing better every day.

Lovies
Fan, Sara and Elijah

Just 6 More Days!!

Only 6 more days and my baby boy will be 3 years old. Where has my time flown? Out the window I tell ya. I can't believe it. One thing I know for sure is that he is alot more active now. He is completely potty trained, with a few slip up here and there, but no biggie. AND my wallet thanks me.....no more diapers or pull-ups. This is his 2nd semester to be in school and he is loving every minute of it. He really enjoys the kids in his class and his teachers. He still only goes 2 days a week, but we may up that come time for school to start in the Fall. He talks non-stop, but I wouldn't have it any other way because he has the best imagination....crazy, funny, exciting.

So, this year I have decided to celebrate Eli's birthday everyday in the week leading up to the actual day. Day 1 we made homemade chocolate chip cookies. They came out so delicious and fluffy. I didn't take a picture of the finished product, but I did happen to catch a few snap shots of Eli helping me.

 

He likes to do what I always love to do with my mom and that's eat the dough off the beaters. MMMMM.

There is one thing that he loves that I don't and thats tomatoes. Although I have eaten more in the past 2 months than I have in my entire life (I mean aside from ketchup, and pasta sauces). Any how, the other day him and I went to the grocery store and since he love cherry tomatoes I bought him this little container full of them. Normally he eats 1/4 to half of it and puts the rest away.....well not that day. He sat/laid down on the floor and just snacked on them like popcorn or chips.

Ok, so my kick for making homemade food. A friend sent me a recipe for homemade cinnamon rolls that she got from her Grandma. I made them a few Saturday's ago and they turned out wonderful! Not too sweet, but not bland either. I do need to find a different recipe for the icing, but until then I'll still make them this way.

As for the rest of my time....I am working at the same place. Continually searching for 'homemade' or 'from scratch' recipes. I still want to gather enough to make my own cookbook to have and keep in my kitchen as well as all the rest of my cookbooks and pieces of paper recipes on them. For my photography, I have 2 weddings scheduled and possibly one more. Woo-hoo!! and in between them I want to take photos of whomever and where ever I can. I found an old timey photo album at an antique shop in town the other day. I'm going to find some good paper (or maybe re-use the same paper) to create my own portfolio for people to look at when they want to see my pictures. I'm hoping to have my photography built up enough this to try and make it a 'real' business next year. I am still continuing on with my Scentsy business too. I love Scentsy and even if I dont get further from where I'm at now, I'm ok with that. I would eventually love to sign a few people under me and get people under them and so on, but I know that will take time.

Also, I am on a DIY kick. I picked up an metal frame chair at the antique shop too. I have already taken out the cushions, as one is broken. I'm going to sand off as much old paint as I can and re-paint it. Then I'm going to make all new cushions for it. I'm planning on doing several other projects that Eli will be able to help me with.

Fan has been busy this past month. He quit working at Dolese and started working for a wireline company. He is on call 24/7, so when they need him to go out on a job, he has to go. What he does is he is a service operator. Him and another guy load a 'gun' in a pipe and the engineer will send the pipe down a hole and then plug it and shoot the gun. Then another company will come do their part in order to release oil from the ground. So all in all, good job, lots of hours, but away from home alot too. We are managing and I know in time it will get easier and we will get use to the craziness of it.

That's life as it is now.
Lovies
Fan, Sara and Elijah