Busy busy

Sorry it's been awhile. My keyboard sticks so I'm gonna make this short. Things lately have been busy but fun! Christmas was great! Here are a couple of pics - didn't end up taking very many - my mind isn't what it used to be, lol. Not a lot else going on. We're loving having Beanbah and Grape here! And a week from today I'll be on here with ultrasound pics!

Baby Sounds

Here's the heartbeat at 15 weeks along. He/She must be getting bigger because it didn't take more than a minute to find it this time. Everything is fine - bloodwork came back perfect. The great news is that we'll have our ultrasound on January 5th and we'll be able to see if it is a Sam or a Sarah. Alex didn't really care too much about hearing it, but Avril had pulled her chair back up to the side and was laying on me while we were listening. She's so funny. When we were done she took my face between her hands and very sincerely asked if I was doing okay. Then she hugs and kisses the baby. I just wonder if she'll like it so much when it gets more lap time than she does. Lol.
Alex went to the doctor on Monday and she said he still doesn't have pneumonia, just a terrible respiratory infection so she finally gave him antibiotics and we'll see if that gets rid of it. I think already he's feeling better.
I haven't had the time to go through the videos and pictures from Thanksgiving, but I will get to it asap. Unfortunately my house seems like i left ten guys in it for the week instead of the two, so I'm a little behind in getting it clean. And our Christmas tree is still naked. And I have to work the rest of the week. So it may be a few more days until I can sit at the computer for awhile.
Love you all.

Baby!

I finally got to the doctor the other day and as far as I know everything is fine. This is audio of the heartbeat. Mine is the lower sounding one in the background - the louder faster one is the baby's. It took about fifteen minutes and two different nurses to finally find it, but it's there and strong sounding. I go back on Dec 2nd for a more thorough exam and won't have an ultrasound until sometime in January. Avril was so cute after we finally got to hear the heartbeat, she pulled a chair over to the table and climbed up and hugged my belly. lol. She was so excited. And she's still insistent that she's having a sister and Alex is having a brother. Doesn't matter how many times I tell her there is only one in there and we don't get to pick what it is, she is for sure they each get one. So that will be a difficult bridge to cross later on.
We're all still having a hard time getting over colds. Alex's cough is getting worse - he stayed home from school today and both of the kids are going to the doctor again in the morning. I'm hoping we're all feeling better by next week! I can't wait to see everybody!

Singing

We've all been sick these past few weeks. This is Avril entertaining herself while waiting in the doctor's office.

Wurth Farms

Here we are at the local pumpkin patch. We went with Abby, and the kids had a ball riding horses, feeding ponies, taking a hayride to the patch, and basically just playing around.

Magic House

More Stuff

Okay so I realize I have more video of Avril. I'll try to get some of Alex next time he's up to something. Things here have been pretty slow this week. Spent some much needed time with the fam over the weekend and had a greeat time. Grandpa passed away and I'm totally bummed, especially since I can't get to the memorial service. That's a big part of my life that is over. Since then I can't think of anything productive at all except I've read two paperbacks and finished some laundry. Of course there is always Avril's tumbling class. Saturday we'll be taking the kids to the pumpkin patch so that should be interesting.
Here is Avril enjoying a praying mantis.

Zoo

Here we are having a fabulous time at the zoo with nana. The kids had a ball! Okay, so did I. ;) The St. Louis Zoo is without a doubt the best zoo in the country in my opinion. Now we're getting ready to leave for Beanbah's. Bye!

:)

It's been an oddly busy couple of weeks around here, but I can't place my finger on exactly what we've been up to. The month started off with my best friend having a baby and shortly after, me finding out we're expecting another one ourselves! We're very excited, and it is due May 23rd. Other than that, nothing really has been going on. Avril is still really enjoying her tumbling class - hopefully the videos will upload correctly. They're a bit dark; we look through a tinted double-sided mirror. Alex is reading better all the time and I think he's having a great time doing it. Frank is knee-deep in classes and I still don't really get to see him often. I'm only six weeks along, but appear to be at least three months. After two c-sections my tummy muscles are next to nothing. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. Oddly, I don't really feel like eating that much even though I'm not sick. But I do feel like just laying around not really doing anything but reading. Next week is Alex's fall break, so it's going to be fun - mom and I are taking the kids to the Magic House and to the zoo. And that weekend we'll be (hopefully) visiting Beanbah and Grape. So I'll have more pictures then.

Avril at her new tumbling class

I'm testing out my new video camera. It's zoomed in all the way here, so it is blurry - that's the only bad thing i've discovered so far. If this loads okay, I can do more of these video things.

Just Around the House

Don't have a whole lot to say, just thought I'd put up some new pics. This is about as goofy as you'd ever see Alex act.
I'm making great progress on the decorating of the den. So far living in this house, it is the last room to be worked on. I adore this paint color. Please ignore the empty frames and the "Body by Jake" contraption. ;) You do what you gotta do.


Just general playing around the house.

Lately

We've been very busy lately and I'm not sure exactly with what. Seems like the days I have off from work have just been plain full. Nice though, some of them have been full of time spent with friends. Anyway, here are some pictures taken last weekend when we went with the in-laws to the "Homeplace 1880", a fully functional farm set around 1880 that acts as a living museum. The kids really had a great time!

Frank has started what we hope will be his last year in college! Can't wait till it's over - between his classes and job we only get to see him on Saturdays and Sundays. I'm still enjoying my job very much. I think accounting is something I'm just designed to do. And at church I'm the new Nursery Director! Alex loves kindergarten and is learning how to read. Avril starts her new tumbling class in two weeks, and I think we're all looking forward to her having something constructive to do. Plus I will have some cute pictures from it.

Oh Goodness

It's been forever since I've been on here. The past month has been insane around this house, but soon it will settle for awhile luckily. Alex has started kindergarten this week and there isn't a more excited kindergartener in town! He loves everything about it. Avril is really excited to begin her adventure in Cubbies in ten more days - she wanted to be a Cubby all last year. It will make Wednesdays hard around here though since I will be at work then they go straight to Awana and won't be back until bedtime. On the upside, that will give me one evening a week to be at home by myself and accomplish whatever needs attention. Frank is still working 3pm-11pm each weekday, so combining that with summer classes in the morning-afternoon, I only see him on weekends. I began a new job about six weeks ago that I really enjoy, and I only have to go on Wed, Th, and Fri. So anyway, in the coming weeks when Awana starts for the kids and fall semester of college starts for Frank, we'll get into a better routine around here.
At the moment, we're just getting by one day at a time. I want more days at home; I would also like to have more free time to spend with friends and out visiting family, but we do what we have to do until Frank graduates. That may happen this Spring, we'll just have to see. I'll get more pictures up on here as time allows, I'll definitely take a picture of Alex in his school gear.

Life

So not much has been going on around here. We're gearing up for Alex to begin school - trying to fit in all the sleeping in and vegging we can. Next Thursday we get to go meet his teacher then go school clothes shopping. Avril on the other hand is totally excited about starting Awana. You've never seen a more eager Cubbie. I only have a couple of cute pictures this time around. This one they had set up a gun store. They crack me up when they do stuff like that. There are times when they can play together all day long but there are also times when I have to separate them to keep them sane. This evening, they would take turns running the store and buying the guns, and charging amounts like a zillion cents. It was pretty cute.

Last night Alex decided he wanted to learn to read again so he got out his practice book and said he was going to read until I went to bed. I went to go fold clothes and came back to check on him and he was completely passed out. He stayed that way for an hour until Frank came home and put him up in his bed. Again, pretty cute.

The 4th

Sorry it's taken me awhile to get these on here. It's quite a daunting task to sit and go through all the pics I took and choose the right ones, then devote enough time to get them uploaded. But here they are. Let the record state that no matter how hard you try, pictures of card games all tend to look alike. So I just tried to get shots of various things that went on.

Uncle Butch and Aunt Tammy's house is really great for entertaining a large group of people, and they are fabulous hosts. I really enjoyed being around everybody, and it was especially fantastic to see Aunt Kelli and Uncle Steve again. (boy am i glad i didn't bring howard; i do still sleep with him every night, but he doesn't come on vacations for fear of losing him) Anyway, the one picture I wish I had was the sand sculptor. We completely forgot to go back and look at it, and the first time through I didn't have my camera.

Two of the bestest aunts in the world.


This is Avril doing a beach ball impression. She had such a great time that whole weekend, she still asks for me to sit with her and look at the pictures...again...and again...and again.


It's Michael, Avril's favorite napping buddy! Some of the only times in her life she requests to sleep is when Michael is around.


Proof of the cheating that took place!


Not really sure who's having the better time here.


The men just gravitate toward any toy that requires gasoline. The neighbor had a remote controlled airplane and it was pretty cool.


I love this picture - they look like soldiers.


Here's Josh, Missy's main squeeze.


I had to get a shot of Beanbah with a basketball in her hand. She actually beat out several of the guys, I'm not lying.


She loves older men who give her attention. The read to her and give her food - it's a beautiful relationship.


Missy. (love the long hair by the way)


General card-playing. This is typical when they're in their natural habitat.


Avril loves Missy.


We all love Grape too.


Just like this picture.


Alex had a blast.


Lounging. The best part of vacation.

Long Time No Write

Sorry - been a bit busy, not really with anything terribly important, just a lot of summertime stuff. We took a quick weekend trip to Beanbah's and went to Holiday World. We had a fabulous time there - and discovered Alex really doesn't like water parks or fast rides. He loves things like the carosel and the bumper boats. Avril on the other hand is the free-spirit daredevil. It was pretty cute to see them play around on everything but I completely forgot the camera. And it was nice to see everyone again - thanks to Beanbah for hemming my pants. They're perfect!
We've set up a small pool on the patio and the kids are loving it - we refill it about once a week and keep it clean with a spatter screen and a drop of bleach. They play in that for about an hour each evening before the "bitey buggies" come out. lol.


Abby came over to play for the day earlier this week - she is such a sweetie.


Alex went fishing with daddy and actually caught something!

We also went miniature golfing, and he's actually pretty good!


You can definitely tell he's turning into a big kid now. There are always those points between newborn and baby, baby and toddler, toddler and preschooler, and preschooler and big kid. Someday in the future we'll watch him go from big kid to preteen; I'm definitely not looking forward to that one.
Our garden is coming along alright - Frank has some nice corn, tomatoes, peppers and cabbage coming up. My blueberry bush is doing nicely and already has edible berries. I'm not sure that the strawberries are going to fruit this year, but they're filling out nicely and should berry well next year.
The raspberries I've transplanted from Beanbah's aren't looking so well, but I'm holding out hope they'll recover and grow better next year. Avril loves to water the garden. This morning she wouldn't quit; she just kept saying "They're so sad and thirsty!" I think the sunflowers might be a bit drowned. I had to tell her they were very happy to get her to stop. lol.