The Fourth

We went to my aunt and uncles for the fourth. They live on the beach and all the neighbors put on big firework displays. Estelle loved the fireworks and spent a lot of the night freezing things like Elsa. She has such an imagination. Lane found some new friends to hang out with around his age and I hardly saw him all night :) The lanterns were a big hit. The neighbors just a few doors down had a ton of lanterns let go all at the same time. So beautiful! 

My aunt Barb does such a great job putting a big party together! She has such energy and enthusiasm! This picture  captures just a bit of that!

Washington Pics So Far

The kids and I got to WA on June 25th. Since then we've been seeing lots of friends and family and even made a trip to Moses Lake to see Michele's family.

We stopped by the Dutch village mall to check out the Koi and do a little shopping.

On our way to Moses Lake we stopped at a Disney Store! I knew Estelle would love it! But what did she pick out? Not a princess doll or a dress, but a Brave bow and arrow!

Estelle and I doing a little thriftin' in Moses Lake.

Estelle bossing some kids around at a park, not surprising.

Aunt Cortnae has a lot of baby bunnies that the kids love to hold!

We went to the waterslides with Lesha and her family. The boys had so much fun and went non stop!

We stopped at the good old C shop in birch bay too. I have so many great memories if that place!

The Girls Room and 34+ weeks!

The countdown is on!  I leave for WA in 3 days to have this little girl!  No I won't be having her in 3 days, but I do need to travel down there before 36 weeks.  So I will probably be there around 6 weeks, maybe less if she decides to come early.  I have been nesting just a little.  Shampooing the floors of my car (a little out of character for me), picking invasive weeds out of my yard by hand... you know.  I have finally got the girls room done.  We added a crib and an extra dresser.  The room is a little tight, but that's why we have a playroom downstairs.  It's not like Estelle plays in here a lot.

 No name banner for this little one yet, mainly because she doesn't have a name.  But when she does have one, her banner will go just above Estelle's I think.

 I bought an old beat up dresser with hopes to sand and paint it, and make it just beautiful... it was a huge pain in the butt.  We tried to strip it.  I tried first with a stripping agent that was not supposed to be harmful to breathe in.  Well, it didn't work.  Then Reese did it with a more heavy duty one, ehhhhh it kinda worked.  Then we sanded it and scrapped it and sanded and scrapped it.  Finally we got the paint on and it turned out pretty well.

 I ordered the knobs from Hobby Lobby.  I ordered 9, I needed 10.  Pregnant brain.  So I had some green ones in Estelle's room already.  I just used those on the two end drawers, adds to the whimsy I guess. So this will serve as Estelle's new dresser.

 And last but not least, my 34 week belly.  I am super uncomfortable some days.  Other days I feel pretty good. She is super low and it hurts when she moves.  I am not looking forward to taking 3 different flights with the kids to get to WA.  Hopefully that will be a day I'm feeling pretty well (fingers crossed).

The Past Month and a Half

 Haven't been much of a blogger the last couple months.  So I'll start after Easter.  Copper joined our family when Reese's parents came up for a visit and brought him up for us.  He's pretty a cute, a big pain in the butt though.  Says the 71/2 months pregnant, stay at home mom who gets to deal with him all day.

 We had fun with Reese's parents being here.  A little hiking and site seeing etc.

 Mop and Poopa (Grandma and Grandpa) got to go on Estelle's very first field trip! It was to the Coast guard base and we got to check out C130's and the helicopters the rescue swimmers use.

 Pretty much Estelle's expression all day...

 Lots and lots of baseball! Lane is having lots of fun with his team and his coach is great.  And to top it all off we've had WONDERFUL weather for him to be playing and us to be watching in!

A fun Spouse Appreciation Event at a local salon, complete with deep conditioning, blow out and style, manicures, and 15 min massages, with these fun ladies!

 Lot's of time spent with Emmy and the rest of her family before they moved :(  Estelle and Emmy = BFF's!

 Lane sold Krispy Kreme's at Crab Fest, such a cutie!

 The girls on their last day of preschool.

 Lane and his buddy Kyle at their end of the year field trip to Mill Bay.

 Daddy and Estelle at the Crab Fest parade.

Lane IN the Crab Fest parade with his team.

We've had a busy couple months and it's about to get busier!  I am hunkering down getting everything ready for baby!  I am coordinating the Mothers of Preschooler's group here next year.  I am trying to get a bunch of things done for the year before I leave to have the baby at the end of June, so I don't have to do it all when I get back with a newborn!  So lots of projects for me, kids to take care of and a dog to kick around look after.

30 weeks

Time flies! All of a sudden I am 30 weeks! I feel like I look about the same as I did with Estelle.  This little one likes to move.  Her head is down and her butt is sticking out constantly on my right side!  I am so thankful that this pregnancy has been totally normal and uneventful so far.  I think the doctor that I see (who was a little freaked out at first), is feeling a lot more relaxed about me being pregnant on this remote island in Alaska!  I leave in about 4 1/2 weeks to get up to WA to have this little one!  I have lots to do before then!

I haven't had a lot of time to be nervous about having another little one in the house.  But a few times this past week I have been waking up during the night and can't get back to sleep.  First I think about all the stuff I need to get done in 4 1/2 weeks!  I also wonder if I'm going to be a little crazy having another little baby.  Will I check on her constantly, be anxious??  I was with Estelle way more than the boys (understandably).  I just don't want it to take over and be something that gets in the way of life and enjoying my kids.  So I am praying and hoping that God will give me peace and strength to get through those little baby stages.

Easter 2014

 We had a Easter party with everyone from Reese's command yesterday.  We had a big egg hunt, games, and food.  Estelle did really good egg hunting this year!  It was cold and a little windy as you can see in the picture but thankfully the downpour held off til after the hunt!

 Lane was quite focused.

 There was an egg throw competition.  Lane is intense and has a good arm :)

 Estelle and her very best friend Emmy.  This picture really shows off these two's personalities.  Oh my.

My two sweeties.  Next year we will have another!  Can't believe she'll be here soon!

Home Improvement Project

The previous owner of our house was a glass artist.  So she had made a backsplash for the kitchen that was removable and she took it with her.  So it left us with no backsplash which was fine, but I always thought the kitchen would look a lot more finished with something there.  So in January we went to the local home improvement store.  We picked out some mosaic tiles and ordered them, they said it would take about 3 weeks.  Well It is now April and the backsplash is finally complete.  No, not because Reese and I are procrastinators.  Because the company that the home improvement store ordered the tile from, "lost the order."  So we went to pick that up when it finally did come in in March.  But they were the wrong tiles... So we ordered them again. And finally last weekend we got them and put them up the same day!  Such is life in Kodiak.  Don't even ask me about the couch I ordered on March 1st.  Another "lost" order, which has delayed that too.  Thank the Lord we didn't buy a fixer upper!

BEFORE

 Well, I do love the new backsplash.  It was a super easy project (says the person who didn't do all the work), and it didn't cost too much.  Click on the picture to make it bigger and see it a little closer :)

AFTER