our family will be growing by two feet!

 This is my happiness!
We have five bedrooms upstairs and they are filling up fast!
It sure is hard to mark papers and keep my mind on grocery list items lately.
Everything in the nursery is still intact we just need tot restock and evict the tenant....his new big boy bed in his new room just isn't quite interesting enough to him yet.  He will get there, when we are all ready!
 

For now we enjoy sporadic baby talk. In the middle of a meal baby name discussions, holiday planning (one last trip as a family of four!), and summer vacations plans that will need to happen around the arrival of this must anticipated and long awaited bundle of joy.  My email is full of "I knew it would happen soon, glad your wait is over!" and "can't think of two more deserving Parents!"  My heart is full and although number 3 didn't happen as quick as we would have liked we are so thrilled and excited and happy that we are blessed again!
I love the cleaning out of closets and the pantry while the 3 boys play in the hot tub or in the snow.  My mind wanders as I build hotwheel tracks and lego creatures to how lucky I am to be a Mom once again.  How important the support and love of family and friends are. It reminds me to take nothing for granted, every breath, every kind and thoughtful person in our lives, every second is precious.  Each snuggle with my sons and each movie night or workout with my husband.  (workouts, yes, I have to build up stamina for an upcoming trip that will involved LOTS of walking and bathing suits!)

 
My Mom was in my dream last night.  We were visiting and talking and then I remembered that  I hadn't told her I was pregnant and it was suddenly time to go.  I touched her warm arm and said, "Mom, I didn't tell you I am pregnant!" She smiled so warmly and said, "I know Honey, I know."  When I woke up this morning it was like I had really talked with her.  In my heart I feel that she does know.  My Mom was always one of the first people to hold my babies in the hospital.  She also slept with the phone while I labored for 26 hours with our first son. Other than my husband and myself there was no one I trusted more with our brand new baby than my Mom. My heart aches that she will not be there in the hospital room this time.  I know I will wait to see her and she will not come. 
Life is a blessing. Each day.  Being prego makes me emotionally in a really good way (most of the time!).  I play "run" with my favorite 2 year old instead of unloading the dishwasher.  I draw and journal with my favorite 5 year old instead of checking my email.  I put off marking to go on a quick date quick my husband.  I have tea with my Dad more often instead of blogging, like I am about to do now.
 
 

We are so excited to share...

It has been a hard secret to keep!
We've known since the first week in December!
So excited, happy, blessed to add to our sweet family once again!
(this is why we ordered the TWO sets of log bunks for the cabin this summer! We knew it would happen, we were just waiting and waiting and waiting!)
 
Love your Mommy and Daddy!
 

a little taste of some big news!

 There is a sweet new baby in town!
Seven pounds and 3 ounces of sweetness to be exact!
 Sweet baby and family are doing just fine.
What an amazing world we live in!
More photos and details to follow.
I am too smitten to blog and have way more pictures to take!
There are two siblings at home who need to get in on the photo action.
 
 

winter weekend

 "Nothing in this world compares
to the comfort and security
of having someone
just hold your hand." 
 
 
 Richelle E. Goodrich, , Smile Anyway









 
 
 Our first outdoor fire in winter.  It was wonderful.  We smelled like campfire for the rest of the trip!
 We write like this in the sand in summer too!  I know I will look back on this and smile.....wait a minute I already am smiling!

 Peeking for fish.
Walking back to our warm cabin.  It is amazing we can walk with so much clothing on.  Layer are great.  We spent the rest of the weekend visiting with a friend who owns a local hotel and out for dinner.  We all slept cozy in our quilted log beds that night!

art show clay handbuilding


 We have a home full of snails, fish, butterflies and trees.
 The snails are super cute.


 Just about as cute as my little artist!


Who knew that a major in art could bring so much joy.
Don't get me wrong, five years of looking at slides of art on a Tuesday night art history class at University while eating corn ships made me very happy when I was 17 through 22, this is just a new happy. (We used to get in trouble for talking and eating and giggling-we were so bad!)
I just received a new contract with the same University I used to attend.
 
I love my job, four years has flown by. 
  Completing my masters was a great decision. I can't believe I stay home with my kids AND still keep my career. 
 
Making snails, thick text books and a healthy mind.
Happiness.

art day


 
 

 Being five is like a being in a world of new doors each with something interesting to offer.
I spent a few hours Wednesday am with his class working with clay.
So we spent three hours at home, just us, creating while our minds raced with ideas and our fingers hurried with tools.
 We talked.  I listened.
 He tried new tools in new ways.  He was so happy with his new techniques.

He loves fish. He could eat fish everyday. He made clay fish.  The most beautiful clay fish I have ever seen.  His snails are spectacular.  The first few were difficult but by the 20th one he had no problems!  He wants to take the snails to the lake.  Perfect for the secret garden.

 Then this little guy came over.  Climbed up on his chair and as I passed him a few clay cut outs and tools he went right to work.  No directions needed.  He poked with toothpicks, pencils and tools.  Analyzing each mark he made.

Then glowed with accomplishment.
 It seems like yesterday he was a baby napping while I did this with his big brother. 
 
Both my boys, a box of clay and a warm home filled with a desire to create art and love.
Family day is technically tomorrow but today was one of my best family days ever!
Off to load the kiln...






karma cleanse

Working on those high standards.
It is good to do a self check along with the sun salutations each day!

standards

I am so lucky to have a life filled with good people.
 
Great family.
Great friends.
 
Never perfect.
Never the expectation of perfection.
 
 
 

thankful for today

Today was a day that we spent together making memories, laughing and having fun as a family.  I look at these pictures and want to hold them in my heart forever.  Each moment is a blessing. Each minute we share together a gift.  Knowing our future will be bright because of love for each other.
 We are so lucky.
 We are happy.
 We are healthy.
 We have family to love.
 We have a warm house, a full fridge and time to spend together.
We have each other.
Today was so good.