before the rain came...

We've had a surprising amount of rain and cloudy weather for our area this past week. Its been blustery and chilly out and both of the kids have slight colds. Seems strange to be keeping them inside with colds when its nearly June. ...But before the rains came we had some very warm weather!!! Since I didn't have the pool out yet we filled a couple big bowls of mine with water and since we conveniently still had a sled out hanging around from winter we filled that as well. I gave em a few cups and spoons and the had a blast!

Our redneck side showing a little. :D

Doing her best to make the most of her small swimming pool. :D

So while the kids were busy with the water... i was busy with the paintbrush! Finished painting all the trim for the playhouse and Mr. Wise Guy worked on getting the roof finished.

I also got the ceiling primed...well, at least half way primed.

A little someone got into my primer bucket during lunchbreak and apparently stepped in his mess. (Note the heel prints going in circles) He left his tracks around the lawn as well.

This shows our progress to date.

Oh yeah, and I finished another dress that weekend also.

I have finished a few other sewing projects now too but haven't taken any pics of em. I still have several things I'd like to finish in the near future though... while i'm on a roll in the sewing department. :)

I filled a little wading pool for them on the second hot day. This is what they were actually doing while Mr. Wise Guy and I were working on the playhouse together. The pics are from the day before when I was painting all the trim. Enjoy!

Better Late Than Never...

Finally getting around to posting about our trip. Each time I get a couple more pics than the last...but that is still not saying much. I only had the camera out in Seattle and after that I just go on everyone elses pics. So here goes. We had such a fun time at U. Phil and A. Mary's house! We even got to spend some time with Mr. Tech & Sjo + Boys...mostly Sjo +Boys. I got some cuddle time in with this little cutie and he even ventured to show me his dimple a few times.Peek-a-boo! There it is!

It was plently warm while we were there and the kids were able to enjoy the kiddie pool a little with Great Grandma there to watch them while us moms went to town on the scrapbook. Aunt Mary put in many hours of babysitting herself along with the scrap-booking and the extra work that goes with company. :) Thanks so much A. Mary!

Leroy

Miss Kate

Phi

3 busy kiddos...scoopin' and dumpin'

with Great Grandma to keep them in line. :)

Sneakin a drink of the water cuz he wasn't supposed to drink it. :)

"What doesn't kill ya makes ya stronger...so why shouldn't I drink some too?"Phi and Miss Kate getting along nicely for a while. :)

Pouring their water back and forth into each others cups instead of seeing who could get the most things that the other person wanted first.

MISCHIEF 1 & MISCHIEF 2

Watching MISCHIEF 3 out the window...and I don't mean Great Grandma. :D

The little Escapees doin their thing.

Look out little Jeffy, we have come to toughen you up! :)

Actually Miss Kate did surprisingly well with him although she had to get used to him crying...that made her worried. :) She sat and continually wiped his mouth with his blanket every time he started to drool, and found him very facinating over all.

And so concludes my handful of pics. We continued on to the Portland/Vancouver area from here and had a wonderful time with friends and family in spite of the heat and swollen ankles and over-eating. :D

We arrived home Sunday evening to a roasting house (above 80 degrees F) so we stripped to the coolest we could find and cranked on the AC and waited for things to cool off so that we actually felt like moving. Home at last with so much work to do that we needed some relaxation time first. :)

The best way to chill with some nice quiet down time after a long trip...

She crawled up onto the bed and got the Bible off the dresser and proceeded to stretch out on her side and prop her head up on her hand with her little elbow sticking out. By the time I dug the camera out she had further reclined to pillow her head on the mess of blankets piled on the bed.

I believe she was reading in Revelation....which is where we have been reading evenings. She gets into it with exclamations of "hot!" and "Ow" whenever fire is mentioned. Also a loud "NEEIGHHH!" at the mention of horse ...and the bottomless pit is "waaay down" with a dramatic reaching as far as she can toward the floor. Last night I told her if she listened quietly to Daddy read the Bible we could sing some songs when he was all done. So every time it started to get a little boring she kept requesting the "wise man" song with the pounding of her little fists one on top of the other. She loves all the songs with hand motions. :) It is so fun to see her starting to participate in the Bible reading and singing.

P.S. I'll try and do better with posting. I know I have been pretty slow getting them out and have a couple of things waiting to go, but I have been getting slower and slower it seems. In the morning I feel like I could easily go for another month before this baby comes...and by evening it seems I must surely be having it this very night. :D Ah, the joy of those last weeks. :) Sometimes that belly seems so in the way and I keep trying to remind myself that in spite of the swelling and aches and that too-full feeling this is the easiest stage of taking care of the baby, since its being all taken care of without taking any of my time. :) ....But still... it's so worth the time loss to have it in your arms to snuggle, instead of just a little live wire doing backflips in your belly. :) And still I have not gotten any newborn clothes ready, got the basinet out and the changing pad, rearranged the room furniture to fit the baby bed in our room, packed a hostpital bag for myself or baby, no newborn diapers yet, or diaper ointment, or nursing stuff....but I did get the garage cleaned and organized on Sat. and I feel like cleaning the house today! :D

Oregon Strawberries!!! YUM!

Uncle D & Aunt M sent us a whole flat of sweet 'n' lovely Oregon strawberries via cousin A who was visiting there this past weekend. So we spent the morning putting up strawberries for the freezer...and of course eating them by the dozen. Mostly eating them by the dozen. :) Mmm Mmm Good!Miss Kate usually tries to keep her hands fairly clean...even while eating.
But after a small bit of contemplation she decided the berries were worth the sticky fingers and she thoroughly enjoyed them. :)
Did I mention that we love strawberries! :) And for those of you who can view them, here are a couple of videos of what we do when its time to freeze strawberries.


FIRST WE EAT ALOT!!!



THEN WE WORK A LITTLE...



THEN WE SORT OF GET DISTRACTED AND HAVE A LOT OF FUN. :)
At least the kitchen was thoroughly washed by the time we were done. All I had to do was grab a rag and mop up the floor and wipe down the counters. There was already plenty of water to go around. Hope ya'all enjoyed the show. :) Happy week to ya.
(P.S. Please ignore any bit of "the belly" that snuck into the camera lens while videoing...TOTALLY UNINTENTIONAL. The camera was just sitting on the counter so I didn't know til later that I was sticking out so far.) :D