Pregnancy #4: 32 Weeks

We got to see more pictures of our 4th little sweetie a couple weeks ago! We're so thankful everything looks healthy and normal. The technician even said she looks like her brothers. Aw!

Today is actually the last day of Week 32. Time is flying! I do feel like I'm starting to slow down and I have to ration my energy.

I'm still walking, but I've cut back to 1.5 miles 5 days a week. So far that's been easy to do, but I'm glad to have a goal set and the accountability of reporting how it's going here on my blog, or I'd find every excuse to not go!

In the last month it's officially become fall, we've enjoyed a few family outings, I turned 40, and my prenatal visits are up to twice a month. Everything looks great though, so we're thankful.

Some kind ladies from our church went together and bought us a beautiful white crib and matching changing table! I just love it! The current nursery is super tiny, so we had to move the dresser we had in there out to the mudroom. It's holding hats and scarves and things and will be moved back into baby's room in our next house. For now, there's a huge built in closet with drawers and plenty of room for storage in the nursery.

There's also a baby shower scheduled, hosted by more ladies at our church! I'm so glad to be welcomed by these ladies and hope I can make some real friends. Moving to a new area is always hard in that regard!

Baby's Auntie is making a mobile like this for her! I'm so excited! The butterfly punch is detailed and so pretty with the different scrapbook papers. It's going to be so adorable above the crib!

Our boys are excited to meet their sister! Poor things have no idea how much their lives will be interrupted with a newborn around! I'm so thankful for Grandmas who will be with us for several weeks, plus Gary practically works from home. We'll just stick close to home, rest a lot, and stay cozy and warm together.

Ok, so notice how the bump has grown? Check out Week 29 compared to 32! I guess that's a good thing, right? (And isn't it silly how my face is a totally different color in each of the pictures below? I guess photo edits and filters do make a difference!)

Thanks for reading! Only a couple more of these updates to go!

Project #walk365 {September}

On Monday, my birthday, I walked my 365th mile this year!

But that was October and this is supposed to be about September!

I walked 46 miles in September, which I'm so proud of, but I didn't quite meet my monthly goal of walking 2 miles a day, 6 days a week. That's ok--I still did a great job. But there were days I didn't make walking a priority and days I just didn't feel up to it and let it slide. Because of that--feeling overwhelmed some days--as well as darker, colder mornings and the ever growing baby bump, I set my October goal as 1.5 miles 5 days a week.

Let's get on with the run-down of my September walks!

1. Today's walk was so very beautiful! The clouds are amazing and the mountains are back after being hidden by smoke for a couple weeks.
2. I walked in the rain this morning. It wasn't more than a sprinkle but my clothes were wet and I can't say I liked it. At least it wasn't hot. Or smokey.
3. It's so pretty in Idaho! Today was both hot and cold, depending on the wind.
4. There was rain last night and this morning the clouds were so beautiful! It was also cold! I had to go back inside for another layer and my gloves.

1. I walked with the whole family today on an old road into Bonners Ferry. It was a mile down and a mile back up and I didn't die! Only added a few minutes to my usual time. The view helped.
2. I walked with my two younger boys today, so we drove a little way to avoid crossing the highway. This pond is almost dry but there's a sign that says "water over road". We'll see how full it gets in the spring.
3. Gary is still out of town, so I walked with my boys again. They're great walkers/bikers!
4. Doesn't it look cold?

1-2. (From the same walk.) My walking buddies. Filtered sunshine.
3. Starting to see fall colors on my walks!
4. I'm soon going to have to change my walking time--it's getting darker! It was a cool 48* this morning.

1. Two more miles on this dark and chilly morning.
2. Another day, another walk.
3. Back out walking after taking the weekend off. It rained last night but thankfully quit about the time I started walking.
4. The sunrise today was so pretty! I also saw a couple dozen deer, 40+ turkeys and a dozen horses. Also, I walk faster when it's cold!

1. It was frosty this morning! It took nearly the whole first mile to warm up. 350 miles total-getting close to my goal!
2. Fall colors in Northern Idaho.
3. The whole family got to walk through Ross Creek Cedars in Montana this afternoon. It was a beautiful day, perfect weather. The walk was very interactive and the boys loved it!
4. I love weekend walks with the family! This one was by a lake and a stream in the forest. So pretty!

1. This was moonset in the west while sunrise happened in the east. I was tired, the weather was cold and getting out the door was hard! So glad I did it anyway!
2. I'm glad I have my #walk365 project to keep me motivated.
3. I see dozens of deer on my early morning walks. They're very alert and afraid of me and usually put up their tails and run. However if you're in a car they just ignore you!
4. Total for September: 46 miles. Total for 2015: 359 miles!

So there you go! I'm thankful my husband is supportive of my walks. He has been making breakfast so I can go for a walk during the week, and on weekends we usually go out somewhere as a family. I'm proud of myself for sticking to this New Year's resolution!

You can follow me on Instagram (gibsongirl726) and read about my walks by searching #walk365 or #runwalkhike. Those hashtags aren't exclusively mine so you'll find lots of other motivated walkers too.

Have a good one!

Project #walk356 {August}

I'm still walking! In August I walked 52 miles for a total of 315 miles in 2015! I completed my August goal of walking 2 miles a day 6 days a week. On weekdays, going for a walk is the first thing I do. On weekends I walk with my family later in the day and in different places.

You can follow along on Instagram (@gibsongirl726)--or join me in the challenge! I use the hashtags #walk365 and #runwalkhike.

My walks in August were all in Idaho except for one in Montana. I challenge myself to find something new to photograph every day, even though most of my walks are on the same two routes. It helps me not get bored! It also helps me appreciate what a beautiful part of the country I live in!

1. Two miles on Tuesday. It was hot! Glad that's done for the day.
2. Thankful for cooler weather for my 2 miles today.
3. It really is me out there logging the miles! Another 2 today.
4. I was back at my 2 miles today after taking the weekend off. Local fires are making the sky hazy and orange.
5. Bonus hashtag shot.

1. Family selfie from picture #2.
2. My 2 miles today including crossing this swinging bridge at Kootenai Falls, Montana.
3. Today was supposed to be a rest day, but the family and I walked 2 easy miles around City Beach and downtown Sandpoint. We made it feel like a rest day by walking slowly, going through a couple shops and stopping for ice cream!
4. Wildlife of northern Idaho. #moo

1. Got birdhouses? I think this is a great use of an old dead tree.
2. There's this property on my walk that is hidden in the woods. All you can see is a glimpse of the roof and this inviting driveway. I'm so curious!
3. You might just live in the country if...
4. There's a hint of yellow in those trees! They say we're a month away from frost. Since the next tree days are going to be in the upper 90s, fall sounds lovely!

1. We walked 2 miles on a mountain! Glad our kids were noisy to scare away bears!
2. Gratuitous Lake Pend Orielle shot from walk #1.
3. It's hazy today and the air smells like smoke from nearby forest fires.
4. Making tracks with a deer.

1. Oops. This wasn't a walk picture, but it's still pretty. Sunset out my window.
2. Two more miles walked on this smokey day.
3. Saw a cute blonde on my walk today! Also, my next walk will put me over the 300 mile mark!
4. Just keep walking...

1. Gary went for a run so the boys and I hiked up Myrtle Falls, out to a photo blind and scared a flock of geese, and chased frogs by the river. Our 2 miles took the same time as Gary's 7 mile run!
2. I walked earlier today than usual and it was cold! I'd rather be cold than hot and sweaty!
3. It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood!
4. Sometimes on hazy, smokey days, you have to look up close to find something pretty.

1. Good morning from smokey/hazy northern Idaho!
2. The air even smells like smoke today.
3. We're out camping this weekend at Meadow Creek Campground! The family hiked out on the Overlook Trail and looked down on the river we're camped by. Right after I took this picture we say a bear down there!
4. Yesterday's rain made today's walk fresh and clean and a little chilly. My kind of walking weather! 52 miles in August; 315 miles in 2015! #proudofmyself

My goal for September is the same as August; 2 miles a day 6 days a week. I walk at 6 AM now that my oldest son is in school, so I think the coming time change will help with the light (I won't walk in the dark here--animals and cars!). We should start getting frost and cold weather, so I'm hoping it won't be too bitterly cold by the end of the month. My biggest challenge is that I'm starting September at 27 weeks pregnant so I'll be in the third trimester and starting to slow down. We'll see!

Have you been walking lately?

Project #walk365 {July}

I'm still walking! In fact in July I started walking two miles a day at least six days a week. I was on a trip for a few days to see family, but other than that, I stuck to my goal and walked a total of 44 miles in July!

We live next to a busy highway in a rural area, so I don't have many options as to where I can walk. I try to capture a different picture every day but it's proving more challenging as time passes! 

1. Just a quick mile this morning before it got hot. I walk a little bit down this highway to get to the pretty, quiet streets. Both of them.
2. I walked right by this barn today and didn't realize I was being watched!
3. My boys and I walked in 90* at 9 AM in Walla Walla, WA, so they enjoyed a refreshing dash thru a sprinkler.
4. I envy the birds this cherry tree.
5. I love this garden with the sunflowers! Not the fence-deer and moose are a real problem in northern Idaho.
6. I saw turkeys and horses on my walk today.
7. Isn't this little garden shed adorable?
8. It was a cool morning walk. Say hi to my wild turkey friends!
9. Hay!

1. 20 weeks!
2. I can't get over how pretty Idaho is!
3. The whole family walked to Snow Creek Falls with new friends from church. It was beautiful and cool in the shade of the forest! The best part for me was NOT feeling like I was going to die on the walk back up to the cars.
4. We walked around Roman Nose Lakes checking out camp sites. We can't wait to go...except for the bear warnings.
5. I felt really energetic on my walk today. Idaho is pretty up close too!
6. Cloudy, breezy and 65! So nice to walk without being overly hot.

1. (Includes barn, view of pasture, and mailbox.) Every time I pass this barn the horse is standing there watching. Do you see his nose peeking out of the barn? The tree is an apple, the view is amazing and the name on the mailbox? MacDonald.
2. It's a deer. It's a bear. It's a boat! What do you see when you walk in the woods?
3. We live near an airport. Today I walked a path paralleling the highway and discovered the airport is one mile away.
4. I tried a new route today as my two standby routes are getting old. Not sure I'll repeat it, but for today it was a good change.
5. A few clouds can sure change the look of a place!
6. Another two miles done! #babybumpphotobomb
7. Can you see the purple in this alfalfa field?

If you want to follow along on my adventures every day, you can find me on Instagram. I'm gibsongirl726 and I use the hashtags #walk365 and #runwalkhike. Thanks for reading! 

Project #walk365 {June}

June. June was the big move month. June included a 5-day trip from Nebraska to Idaho by way of Yellowstone National Park. June had us sleeping somewhere new every few nights! June was "uncharacteristically" hot!

Our whole family walked together in Scotts Bluff National Monument and each of the two days in Yellowstone.

We walked during our lunch break on the last leg of our trip to Idaho, then tried to get out and take walks while we stayed in a trailer in the church parking lot waiting for our house to be ready.

Then we went to camp meeting in Washington. The kids and I stayed busy walking places around campus, and taking frequent breaks to flex our muscles and watch ladybugs on our knees. After camp meeting, we moved into our house and I took a full, intentional week off from walking.

Once we got a little settled, I started going for walks again. The small pictures above are on my two routes from our house. The larger picture is something I'm proud of, though my kids walked better than I did! We went to the local ski resort, Schweitzer Mountain. We took the ski lift up to the top of the mountain and walked the 2.5 mile trail back down. It was super hot, we had no water, and the trail was rocky and steep, but we did it!

Even with a week off, I walked 23 miles in June bringing my year total to 218!

Project #walk365 {May}

I know. May? Why bother? Well, cuz it's important to me. And I want to share.

I started walking shortly after New Year's Day. My original goal was to walk 365 miles in 2015, an average of one mile per day. I knew winter walks would be hard. I knew summer walks would be challenging. I knew we were moving but didn't want to let myself off the hook, so I added the additional challenge of walking every day. I think January was a week old before I started and I made it to May before it got derailed.

May in Nebraska is beautiful. There were so many pretty flowers, lawns and gardens to enjoy in our neighborhood!

May included Gary's graduation and a houseful of guests. That's when I inadvertently skipped a day. It was after 9, I was exhausted and finally sitting down after a busy day and realized I hadn't gone for a walk. :( I picked it up again after that and finished the month strong.

After graduation, we started packing up our house, then drove to Missouri to spend time with Gary's mom and leave the kids with her while we flew to Idaho to look for a house. Gary walked with me each day while we were gone! Some of the walks on driving days were pretty short, but I was intentionally walking!

We spent the last week of May back in Lincoln finishing our packing and taking the last few walks. In all, I walked 35 miles in May, bringing my year's total to 195!

Project #walk365 {April}

I'm way behind in blogging about my walks, but I'm happy to report that I'm still walking! Even when life gets crazy, the weather is bad, I'm super tired or don't feel well, I still walk. That's an accomplishment I'm proud of!

I'm not going to take the time and recount my impression of or mileage for each walk here. If you'd like to follow along, you can join me on Instagram at gibsongirl365. I do want to point out the beautiful spring we had this year! It seemed prettier than last year, but maybe it was because I was out in it more, looking for it!

My goal for 2015 is to walk an average of 1 mile a day, hence #walk365. So far I'm keeping well ahead of my goal. In April I walked 42 miles, my best month yet!

I even managed to walk every day while our family flew to another state for business with my husband! Yes, I logged mileage in the airports, but Gary was keeping track on his Vivo Fit and airport days were over two miles!

My second goal is to walk every day, and I kept that this month. Yay me! In fact I've gone something like 14 weeks without skipping a single day!

As the weather warmed up during April, I found myself taking kids to the park more often. Hey, it's a mile and a half round trip, they get to burn some energy and have fun, and I get my walk in!

Project #walk365 {March}

What a difference a day makes! Sunny, 40 degrees, no wind or snow. Missing two layers that I needed to stay warm yesterday. 1.5 miles.

Just out doing my thing. 1.6 miles today.

My walk tonight was cold and windy! 25* with 15 mph wind. 1.06 miles. 

1.12 miles today. 28 degrees and sunny but that breeze is cold! 

I didn't even notice my walk yesterday brought me to the 80 mile mark! Tonight I walked 1.22 miles in 25 degrees. Looking forward to warmer weather! #walk365

Walked with my sweeties today! 1.21 miles, warm and sunny. 83+ total miles this year. Today completes an 8-week streak! 

My boys, MIL and two dogs were my walking buddies in the Ozarks today. 1.4 miles in 60 degrees and mud!

My MIL and I walked a mile down the road today. Our motto was to just get it done!

Can you see the path? I walked 1.19 miles in the woods following a path my FIL made. Kinda cool now that he's gone.

The Ozarks are ready for spring. 1.25 miles today.

I only went .68 miles today, but it included raking off the path in the woods. That's hard work!

My walk yesterday was a quick jaunt up and down Main St. in Salem, MO. My .6 miles brought my total to 90 this year!

I followed my middle boy and our dog along Grandpa's path in the woods. 1 more mile of #walk365. Today also marks 9 weeks without missing a day!

We're having a heatwave! It's 80 in March. Our 1-mile walk was hot and sweaty!

I didn't get to my walk until 8 pm and it was only mostly dark! One more mile toward #walk365

Wednesday's walk involved sunshine and a good chat with my friend! 2 more miles of #walk365.

One in the stroller, one walking, three on bikes. Sometimes walks with the kids (mine + daycare) kill two birds with one stone! 1 mile of #walk365.

Just me and 5 kids on my #walk365. 2 miles on a beautiful spring day!

Today's walk was with the whole family and in perfect 70* weather. It's also the century mark for me, and completes a 10-week streak! 100 miles of #walk365!

I so enjoyed my walk today! A good chat with my friend, warm sunshine on our faces, and signs of spring in the neighborhood! 2.5 miles.

It's a gray day out, but I took my boys on my walk with me to look for signs of spring. We found daffodils, crocuses, and this magnolia in our own backyard.

The benefit of putting off my walk until late was I didn't have to be out in the rain! One more mile of #walk365.

The grass is turning green! My 2+ mile walk was cold, but such is spring. #walk365

Two shorter walks brought my total to two miles today! Both times it was something I'd normally drive to. Yay! #walk365

There are plenty signs of spring, but these white specks aren't dandruff! #walk365 1.5 miles today, 111 miles this year.

Enjoyed the sunshine on my 2 mile walk today. This completes 12 weeks of walking every day without missing! 

Enjoying the heat of a jungle! Counting mileage at the zoo is totally legal. Runkeeper didn't keep up, but MapMyWalk figured it to be over 2 miles. I'll take it. 

I ended up taking a short walk yesterday because the kids got an invitation to play in a friend's backyard. That's important too! 1/2 mile of #walk365.

Last walk of the month! I'm somewhere around 43 miles in March for a total of over 120 miles this year. Runkeeper won't update.