Uh, are you... I mean, your belly...ah, did you cut your hair?

For those of you who don't know, or have been wondering, or have been talking to someone who thinks they might know, or thought you saw something "there" the answer is yes. I cut my hair off last week. I know, the hair doesn't look so good here, it was late. I just wanted to get the picture taken so I could blog about this and be done with it.
I am not one to go around telling people this, especially when I have done it a few times before.
But,this is actually the announcement.
We are expecting baby number 4 in mid-August! I am trying to think happy thoughts about being pregnant during the summer, so please help me by not telling me how awful it was and how swollen you were and how fat you felt in a swimming suit!

Eighteen weeks and counting.

We are not finding out the sex of the baby. So, you will find out when, or I guess soon after, we do!! Feel free to guess though. We can take a poll!

Ridin' Bikes

A couple of weeks ago we all went outside to enjoy the nice weather. Coincidently, the plumber was in the basement working that day. All of our kids love, love, love being outside! I am sure this is true of most kids. Pictures of daddy helping daughter.


She finally got the hang of it.

Here is the little guy. He would stay outside all day if I would let him or had the time to do so myself!


Here is curly cutie riding her new Christmas bike.


It started getting a little chilly so we put bikes away and headed inside. The plumber finished his work....

.....and headed off only to return to our door with this in his hand.

Someone's bike didn't actually get put "away." This is what is left of the new Christmas bike, which I will remind you has only been ridden a few times because of the wonderful white winter we have thus far enjoyed this year. We are just so grateful that no one was attached to the seat at the time.



We didn't tell her right away that this had happened, fearing the reaction of a four year old who is prone to overreacting in most situations. But, a few days later we open the garage and the bike is sitting there with the seat on the ground. She picks up the seat, sets it on the bike where it should be, and says "What happened to my bike?" Me and my quick thinking say "The plumber ran over it." And she says "Oh, ok." She must not have been that attached to it!!! And now we get to add in the price of a new bike to the basement budget.

Do NOT Try This At Home

Ok, everyone knows when you start some huge project you are so excited and you think "this is going to be so fun! I am going to learn some new things, and it isn't going to be as bad as other people say it is." Well, our wonderful, huge project for the past YEAR has been finishing our basement. Yes, we started last March and the end is somewhere in the not too distant future. Ok, realistically, HOPEFULLY we will be completely finished, meaning all finish work, by winter of this year.

My father-in-law and mother-in-law have been amazing, traveling from California at least 5 times just to help us with this beast! We feel lucky to have their expertise, because frankly, we would still be standing in the basement one year later staring at the bare walls and thinking "wouldn't it be nice to be able to actually use this space." We have also had friends and family come periodically to help with the framing, heating, and wiring. It is so nice to have people who love you enough to support you when you take on one of these insane projects!


We had a plumber come in and "rough in" our plumbing about 2 weeks ago. This was a major milestone for me personally because my mother-in-law and I were the ones who pounded out the concrete with a hammer and scooped out all of the rocks to get to the tub pipe that the builder had kindly concreted over instead of just adding on the extra pipe and bring it up to the surface of the concrete when they built the house! I was a bit bitter, but was able to take it out on the concrete. It is exciting to see the tub in place and know that all of our hard work had paid off! Our little handyman had to get in on the action.



He was instructed by Grandma to cover his eyes so she could do some more pounding. Look how obedient he is!

The man of the house has been working hard this past week finishing up the little things (I did help put in a few nails and pull some wire) so that the sheetrock can be put up in a week or so. Not by us, we are letting the professionals do this one.

Using a nailgun, one of the new things I learned. Guys can't have all the fun!

Look how much fun they are having!!!

Wahoo!!!

I know nothing about computers and have been trying for some time to change the look of my blog page. I finally found (or stole from someone else, thanks Sarah and Emily) a website that can change the background. I know I am probably the last person to figure this out, but I don't have a plain jane background anymore. Now I have these beautiful shamrocks, not only for St. Patty's Day, but it goes so well with our blog name!!!!!

My Big Helper

I was busy in another part of the house and realized I hadn't heard from my bud in a while. I went looking for him and this is what I found.




What can I say, he loves to clean. After this I made him clean the bathrooms!
P.S. That is just comet on the floor. No children were harmed in the making of this blog entry.

Bert-na-nie and YW leaders

Bert, New music for you. I am assuming it was you who left me the nasty note and not big "T". If it is you big "T", we will be playing Nerts every time you come to my house for the next 6 months!

A new post for the wonderful ladies who stayed up until midnight last night making gifts for New Beginnings. Just practicing for Youth Conference this weekend.

Disneyland

NO, we haven't gone yet, but we need some advice from all of you who have. I personally have never been to this magical paradise. Before you think I have committed some grave sin, I am the 9th of 11 children and I grew up in Wisconsin. I think that explains it. So, advice please. We are trying to go at an off peak time, what to bring, where to stay, good ticket prices (websites with info), should we take a 2 year old, anything else you feel like sharing. Thanks for the help!