We Are So Thankful...

for these two rug rats and the little boy who will join us in the next 3 weeks.

Life is very good!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Just in Time for Thanksgiving Leftovers...

After months of searching we finally found a refrigerator. Our biggest issues was needing a lot of cu.ft. but not wanting it to stick too far into the kitchen. As much as I wanted a counter depth one we just couldn't see feeding 5+ people out of it. So we ended up settling on this Kenmore Elite with 25 cu.ft.. Our last one was from 1992...and this one runs SO quiet in comparison. It is nice to have an ice maker again. It will take me a little time to figure out the best way to organize it, since it is set up so differently than our side-by-side.

New paint and flooring to come...

Fun with Uncle Pat and Corey...

Dad and I went to Minnesota to visit Uncle Pat and his girlfriend Corey. I really liked the Lego store at the Mall of America. We also went to the Science Museum of Minnesota, I really liked the hands on displays and the microscopes. We had lots of fun and I can't wait to see Uncle Pat again.

A boy and his godpapa!

Take A Gander...

So now that we are getting into the home stretch I thought it would be fun to have a little guessing game. Click on the 'ExpectNet' link to the right to enter your guess as to when you think Rusty will be born and how long and heavy he will be.

To make your guess a little more informed here is some information:

- Ultrasound confirmed we are having a boy...really...there is no doubt.
- Michael was 5 days late, 7lbs 15oz and 22in.
- Abby was 3 days late (induced - ending in emergency c-section, probably would have been born closer to her due date if she hadn't been so tangled up), 8lbs 8.6oz and 21in.
- I am going to attempt a VBAC. I am an excellent candidate for one and my doctors and midwives are very supportive of my efforts. I cannot be induced so if I don't go into labor on my own I will have another c-section (no date has been set for that).

If you need any other information to make your guess just ask! :)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

This year daddy went all out and carved us really fancy pumpkins. I wanted a Cobra (left) and Abby wanted a scary kitty (right).

Abby went as a beautiful butterfly (no video of her showing us how she can fly...sorry) and I went as a firefighter (what I want to be when I grow up)...yes...mommy realizes she should have checked my face for ketchup after dinner...oh well.

Curious Clare!

Waiting for Michael

Sometimes Mommy and I get bored waiting for Michael...today Mommy had her camera with her. Has anyone seen Lamby? This is the last known picture of Lamby...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOMMY!

So for my birthday (the BIG 30) Ben took me to Portland for the night. On the way we stopped and did some shopping (yey!) at the outlet stores. I was able to get some additional winter maternity clothes. We stayed at a very cool, very funky little hotel in downtown Portland called Hotel Lucia. It was very nice (we had a suite) and my favorite part was the pillow menu (a selection of pillows you could get in your room). Being 8+ months pregnant the body pillow was quickly ordered! We would definantely stay there again.


We had dinner at the Melting Pot. The entrance looked like a subway entrance and the resturaunt was under ground. The pictures are dark because...well it was dark in there! We had SO much fun. We sat in a cute little booth behind a curtain, very private. It took us nearly 3 hours to eat but it was so nice to relax and not be rushed through our meal. We had the traditional swiss fondue, a selection of meat/seafood/vegetables and the yin and yang chocolate dessert. It was SO good.

Thank you Dad, Kristen and Rebekah for watching the kids while we were gone...it makes it so much more relaxing knowing they are in good hands and having fun!

Pumpkin Patch Time!

It is pumpkin patch time again! This year was not nearly as muddy and cold as the past two years. Mommy brought plenty of wipes to the lower fields (where the pumpkins were) but didn't need them. I loved searching for the perfect 'little' pumpkin for me, da baby, and daddy.
Livi and me are ready for the wagon ride.

Here I am with one of my teachers, Ms. Kerry (and Livi). I super love Ms. Kerry.

pumpkins pumpkins...where are you...

This is a perfect pumpkin for my baby brother...he'll super love it.

Mommy, Me, Ms. Misty and Livi are silly.

I really liked playing in the corn box (like a sand box but filled with dry corn kernels).

Saying our prayers before snack time.

Halloween Treats! - update

So we got a visit from the present truck today. Nana and Dziadzia sent us some Halloween treats! We got cool cards (which are currently on our nightstand), marshmallows sandwiches, gummy tarantulas, eyeball gumballs, and gummy brains. You haven't heard anything until you've heard Abby say "Mommy, I want some brains!"

Thank you Nana and Dziadzia - you always get us the coolest stuffs!


ps - Thank you Penny for my very pretty purple ribbon. Abby LOVES it and wears it all the time!

Smile!

While we were in South Carolina I decided to take the kids to the local Picture People to have some pictures taken. I haven't had very good success with our local Picture People locations in Oregon...actually had a couple down right bad experiences. This time, however, we had a great time! The girl who took the pictures was very good at relating to the kids and listening to me. We were in the front window of the store and I had many shoppers stop in to compliment me on how beautiful the kids are and how well behaved they are. Poor Michael though, in the middle of the session he became kind of listless and I discovered he had a fever. He was a trooper but we didn't get as many pictures of him as I wanted. Abby on the other hand was a total ham and LOVED posing for the camera...as you can see the camera loved her right back. So I highly recommend the Picture People at Haywood Mall, Greenville, SC.

<-This picture cracks me up! She looks so much like my sister Kristen here it's scary! (for those who don't know Kristen is adopted).

**please remember that these pictures do not belong to me, they are the property of Picture People. Please do not duplicate them.

Dishwasher...I Haz It!

So we have been without a dishwasher since March...and it has NOT been fun. Well we got our new one and Ben installed it (by himself!) today. I'm so proud of him!!

Our old (14 year old) dishwasher

and now wait for it...

...

Our brand new intigrated dishwasher!

Say it with me everybody: "Ahhhhh...Oooooooo!"

it might be the happiest day of my life!

we also have brand new flooring and hopefully a new fridge to come!