Various pictures

Charly and Philip
Charly

Keegan

Charly and Daddy enjoying some treats;)

Shared meals

Today we are starting our new meal plan. I have written before about how I plan my meals out weeks in advance and do bulk grocery shopping. Well, we are still doing that, but now we are buying a little more. We will be sharing meals with Mark's parents every night.
They don't get home from work until 5:30 at the earliest, so it is hard to put something together quick and it is hard to prepare things ahead of time. And really, they eat over here at least once or twice a week anyhow;)
So, I will be doing all the cooking, they will stop at our house on their way home from work and have dinner. They will also pay for a portion of the grocery bill.
I thought at first what a great way to save on money and food waste. But, really I think it will be great for the kids as well. Having their grandparents over at meal times is a very good thing to grow up with.
I always say how kids are raised by a family or community...not just the parents. So, I am glad for the opportunity to keep them close to their "extended" family. Especially at meal times!

It's a girl!

Well, we were only slightly surprised. I was thinking that this baby was going to be a boy. But, I had only recently decided on that....I truly had no idea and no indication either way. Not like I did with the first two.
Little Peyton is growing just fine. She is 11 oz and looks to be as healthy as she can. Her heart was beating at about 150. And she even turned to me and waved. Ok, no she didn't. But, she looked so peaceful, I just can't wait to meet her.
We had the whole family at the ultrasound. Charly was a bit confused about what was on the screen...but, she understood the fact that she is getting a sister! And she is excited about that. Aydan fussed through the whole ultrasound, which made it very hard for Mark to enjoy looking at pictures of his little girl, but he got to see a lot of the ultrasound before taking Aydan out.
My due date is still at August 4th or there about, so we are right on track. Half way there!

Good day

Today is going to be a good day. How can it not?

1. It is supposed to be nearly 70 today...and sunny.
2. We get to find out if this new little one is a boy or a girl at 1pm.
3. I get to go grocery shopping.
4. I am only working half a day due to #2
5. Mark has the day off, so we all get to go together to #2 and #3.
6. Aydan didn't get me out of bed until 6am. He may have cried a bit earlier, but he didn't need a bottle and must have gone back to sleep.
7. I am 20 weeks today....half way there!

Needless to say, I am happy and looking forward to the day. I have my shopping list ready. I was able to go to the bank yesterday. I am ready to go.
Well, I still need to drink my tea, take a shower, and get the kids ready, and work for 4 hours....then I will be ready to go.

Spring Fever

I love Spring. I love Fall. I just love the "transition" seasons. The weather is perfect, there is lovely smells in the air. How can you just not be happy when it looks beautiful outside.

Anyway, I know it isn't quite Spring yet, but I am enjoying being able to open up the front door and let some more light in. Even if I am not comfortable taking the plastic off the windows yet.

A friend of Mark's had some extra laminate floor leftover, and Mark went and picked it up last week. Well, the other day, I got around to putting it down.

Well, we thought there was plenty there...but it turned out there wasn't enough. We were about 4 planks short. I went to Menards and Home Depot to find out that the flooring will not be that easy to buy more of. Bummer.

Well, Mark's friend found a few more scrap pieces and I was able to rig up an entire floor. I still need to work out trim work, and fix the hole were the vent goes, but the floor is down and it is serving its purpose.

I was so tired of having carpet in the dining room with two small children...this is just night and day. I am not afraid of giving the kids spaghetti. It cleans up much easier on this floor, then on carpet.

When we are ready to redo the kitchen floor, we may just tear this up and do everything new, but for now...this floor is working great. And did I mention it was free? Yeah, you can't beat that.

While I was at Home Depot, I passed by the paint section...well, I ended up buying a gallon and am in the process of painting the dining room. It is mostly paneling, so we are seeing how well paint goes over that. But, so far, so good. I only did one small section and will just do a little here and there. I can't open the house up much, so fumes are a problem...so a little at a time is good.

I think with the new floor and lighter paint, it will really open the room up. And with our 840 square feet...we need all the help we can get making the rooms appear bigger;)

What would you do?

You learn a lot about yourself in certain situations.
What would you grab if your house was on fire?
Late last year, I found out that I would grab my two kids and my cell phone and that is it.

Well, today my kids are gone with Oma and Opa and what is the first thing I do after they leave?
Well, I eat. Yes, I enjoy a HOT meal. Ya never think to appreciate being able to eat food while it is hot, until you have kids. So, I am having an egg and cheese sandwich.
What is next on the list? Oh, I don't know maybe a movie from start to end...did you know that you can actually watch something without pausing or missing half of it?? Crazy, I know.

Don't worry, about this time tomorrow the novelty will wear off and Mark and I will be crying because we miss our kids....aah.

Family time

As the kids get older, the easier it is to have "family time". When they are babies, it is more about cuddle time, or tickle time. But, as they get older, you can have game night, craft time, baking time, well...you get the point. It is easier to get in to stuff with them, because they understand and get involved and get excited.

Mark and I look forward to more and more of this as the years go by. We love to just turn the tv off, turn the music on and dance around the living room. Last night we all made donuts together. Not bad for our first try. We all enjoyed them. Charly kept eating the dough before it was cooked...not sure I would have liked it that way. But, I guess Charly did.

Today, Oma and Opa are picking up the kids for a visit. I really look forward to some alone time, but I already miss the kids, and they haven't even left yet! It is amazing all the little things you don't enjoy during the day, but when it is gone...you miss it. Like the early morning alarm clock, called Aydan. The constant..."mommy? mommy? mommy?" from Charly. The little person called Aydan pulling on your arm while you are trying to click with the mouse. The little girl saying "I want something else" for the toons when she hasn't even seen what is on yet. The little boy constantly standing up in his high chair...at least 10 times for each meal. The little girl doing something to her brother...putting a leash around him, laying on top of him, trapping him in the closet...

But, then there is everything that makes me smile.... the cuddle time both kids need as soon as they wake up from a nap. There is meal time when the kids are just laughing at each other and having a good time. The play time where Charly will make something to eat for Aydan in their kitchen. Aydan trying to learn to walk and getting closer. Tickle time, because they are both so ticklish - Aydan with his feet, and Charly on her sides. Charly walking around in high heels talking on the phone. Aydan turning off the tv...and frustrating his sister.

Our day consists of so many things, and without the kids, it seems so dull I guess. But, I will enjoy the alone time and try and "regroup". A little time where I don't have to get up every two minutes is much needed. This little baby #3 needs some rest time too. Lately I have been so exhausted. It seems like more then the first trimester. I know it is supposed to be the other way around. But, by the end of the night I get nauseous and just need to crash. I think the next couple of weeks is when I really start to "round out". So, with that comes some discomfort. We will just see how it goes, and I will take it in stride.

19 WEEKS!

I JUST HAVE FUN COMPARING FOR SOME REASON:)

CHARLY AT 19 WEEKS

AYDAN AT 19 WEEKS

MYSTERY BABY AT 19 WEEKS.

NEXT WEEK TUESDAY WE GO IN FOR OUR ULTRASOUND. MARK AND I CAN'T WAIT. IT SEEMS LIKE WE ARE MORE ANXIOUS TO FIND OUT THIS TIME. BUT, A WEEK IS SO FAR AWAY AND I JUST WANT TO KNOW IF THIS IS A BOY OR A GIRL;) I REALLY AM NOT SWAYING ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. I WOULD BE TRULY HAPPY WITH A BOY OR A GIRL.

I THINK WHEN YOU FIND OUT WHAT YOU ARE HAVING, IS WHEN YOU REALLY START TO GET EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW EDITION. YOU CAN PICTURE HOW THE FAMILY WILL BE AND IMAGINE WHAT LIFE WILL BE LIKE.

THE LAST APPOINTMENT WE HAD ON THE THIRD OF THIS MONTH WENT WELL. NO SURPRISES. HEARTBEAT WAS GOOD AND STRONG. THE MIDWIFE WENT OVER A FEW MORE THINGS, BUT IT IS PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING I HAVE HEARD BEFORE.

THEY WON'T GIVE ME AN EXACT DUE DATE UNTIL THE ULTRASOUND, BUT SHE SAID THAT MY UTERUS FEELS ABOUT LIKE AN 18 WEEK UTERUS (WHICH IS HOW FAR ALONG I THOUGHT I WAS), SO OUR DUE DATE FOR AUGUST 4TH, IS PROBABLY PRETTY ACCURATE.

THE BABY IS KICKING QUITE A BIT THESE DAYS. ESPECIALLY WHEN I EAT CHORIZO...HMM. BUT, I FEEL THE KICKS MORE IN THE EVENING. BUT, THAT MIGHT JUST BE BECAUSE IT IS WHEN I ACTUALLY SETTLE DOWN AND RELAX AND AM PROBABLY PAYING ATTENTION MORE. I AM NOT CERTAIN WHEN I ACTUALLY FELT THE FIRST KICK, BUT I THINK IT WAS AROUND 15 WEEKS.

"Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid."

Bad blogger

I have really been slacking on the blogging lately. Life has been busy and really have been just blogging to put a few facts down here and there. I often go back and check old posts and I like being able to recall certain information.

Life in my world, let's see...
I really have been doing much better at balancing my duties. Some days my kids suffer and other days my work suffers, but I hope it all balances out in the end. But, it is all a matter of prioritizing in the moment. I try and cram and get work done while the kids are sleeping and I try and take time out and play one on one...on one with the kids when I can.
A lot of days I feel trapped in this house, but because I am a home body at heart, it isn't nearly as bad as it could be.

Mark and I are getting caught up on some bills, which feels soooo good. I love being able to pay things off. At this rate, we are on a good road to become debt free. A ways off...but on the road. And if we can do some work on the house in the mean time, well even better.

Mark started a new job with DeVisser Landscaping in Oshtemo a week or two ago. They are still trying to sort out what his hours will exactly be, it might be less then full time. But the company is awesome and the people are great to work with. It is a family owned business that has been going for 70 years. With the economy the way it is and less people may be spending money on their lawns this summer...there is question as to how things will go of course. But, since Mark has been working, he has already landed an account with the casino in New Buffalo, which is huge for the company.

We are just praying this is a good fit for Mark. Mark keeps trying to steer away from sales as a career, and it keeps getting pushed back in to his face. This job came because a friend referred him to the company and they called Mark. It is crazy how things work out. He is excited about the job and it is a business he knows well. There is an expo coming up and he is geeked about working it. Of course...Mark with just the whole day to talk to people?? It is his "heaven".

My work is going well. I still have the two jobs. My first job is still just 8-4 every week day. Some days are crazy busy, and other days not as much, but working with my mom and brother are great. I feel much more connected to them, because I talk to them every day.

My second job is going well too. It has really picked up lately, it is actually turning in to almost a 40 hour week...so I am basically working two full time jobs. But, I can't complain about the money. The last two paychecks have been about 4-5 hundred more then I budget for, so I have been able to pay off those people that keep bugging me;) And guilt free grocery shopping has always been on my happy list. The hours might not stay the way they are going, which is fine either way. The company might be taking a turn...for the better and either my hours will go down, or my duties will change. Either way, I think my job is safe. Ebb and flow...I just go with it.

This summer Cindy and I are going to start a garden in the back of her house. We will start out as big as we can, but will probably start out on the small side and we can always add more next year. We are going to build boxes and put up some sort of fence around. There are a lot of deer, gophers, rabbits, cats....well, you get the picture, so in order to try and protect the crop we need to put up some "defense". Our list of food we want is quite long...so we may need to pare it down, but it is hard. I get so excited about fresh fruit and vegetables that I start going on a tangent. Plus, there is something that everyone wants. Mark and Garry like certain things...asparagus...radishes... and we need lots of fruit for the kids and ya gotta have corn! Not to mentions, tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, peppers, garlic, onions, potatoes, carrots, strawberries, watermelon,....ok, so you see how we can get ahead of ourselves?? How do you pare it down? How do you choose? We will see what is available I guess...and what actually grows! But, I am excited to say the least and I hope it all works out. I also bought a small box for at my house and I am going to do some herbs in it. I so miss fresh herbs and they are just too hard and expensive to buy at the store. So, I will just grow my own!

So, life is good. We are all happy and feel blessed on a daily basis. I can't ask for too much more then that.

My new nephew

Keegan was born on March 4th around 6am. He was 6lbs. 12oz. and 20-1/2 inches long.

Beautiful baby boy.

Here is Gavin, Keegan's older brother.
And the proud parents, Cody and Ashley

Birthday Videos

Birthday Boy Aydan!

On Saturday Feb. 28th we had a birthday party for Aydan. We had it at our church, which was nice, plenty of room for everyone.

We had pulled pork sandwiches, baked beans, coleslaw, pickles and some chips and dip. We had cake/mini cupcakes for dessert along with banana cream pie and oatmeal chocolate raisin cookies.

Everything turned out lovely and quite a few people were able to make it.

As usual, I didn't get pictures of everyone...I always wish I had taken more pictures. But, that is ok...we have a lot for memories.

Aydan opening some presents....or watching mom open them for him;)

All the cousins - Luke, Aydan, Zion, and Charly

Luke, playing with the ice.

Do you notice a similarity between Charly and Mark's smiles??:)

Charly girl.

Aydan eating his cupcake.

Still eating the cupcake

Zion and Amanda

Aunt Dana, Aydan and Uncle Dan

"Grandpa and Grandma" Hall with Aydan

A group shot of everyone.