Could we be ready?

I think we are pretty ready for the new baby!  I still have a few pictures to put in an album and some baby clothes to wash.  Oh and the wall stickers I bought for the baby's room to hang.  But otherwise we are waiting!  This weekend we got more things crossed off the list.  And another closet organized!  We bought a new dresser, gave it to Will (it has drawers he can open) and moved Will's This End Up dresser into the baby's room.  We also got some wooden cube things from Lowe's and Justin and I spent an exciting Saturday night organizing our closet!  We did go to a friends house for dinner and fun first.  Also this weekend I have made 5 dinners and grilled lots of meat and have it all ready to go in the freezer.  This is the first time I have done this.  With Will we moved when he was about 7 weeks old (and had Susan for 3 weeks!) so I didn't want to have to get rid of tons of frozen dinners.

This is the mess (fun) that the kids made with the box the dresser came in.  They kept saying over and over this is sooo fun!  They even helped clean up.

My closet before.  Justin's side looked identical.

After and so much better!!

Eric we are ready for you whenever you decide you would like to meet us all!!

Monday Monday

So Mondays are boring around my house, if you ask Will anyways!  You see Monday is cleaning day.  Dusting, vacuuming, laundry, cleaning bathrooms, and that sort of thing.  Not something a 4 year old is very fond of anyway.  He is a pretty good helper, I must say, and his favorite is washing the mirrors for me.  I didn't get the bathrooms cleaned but I did get both up and downstairs dusted and vacuumed, 4 loads of laundry washed and folded (2 more are in the machine).  I also switched the kids drawers over from summer clothes to winter.  I also made homemade bread to have with dinner.

The kids enjoyed some water coloring and later some playdough this afternoon.  It keeps them in one spot so they can't mess up all the cleaning that I did earlier!

You can sorta see the flowers on the window.  I stole the idea from my cousin Laura (thanks!).  This is a count down to when I am due.  5 petals and 2 leaves for a week and there is a little more than 3 weeks until my due date.  I did let the kids know that we might not get all the flowers colored before Eric arrives but this was the most it would be!!

You will definitely know how the coloring is going!  Caroline let us know the count down for her birthday is only 10 days!!

fall colors and a belly

Yesterday I mentioned how much better the weather was this year compared to last year.  Friday I pulled over at the end of our street to get a picture of the gorgeous fall colors.

I am a few days late getting the peak color in this picture.  Typically the bushes look like they are on fire and it is amazing when the sun shines on them.  Still a cool picture of the fall colors.

Then here is what my belly is looking like these days.  I took this last night after the kids went to bed.  

36 weeks

pumpkin patch at church

Today the kids and I went to the church to help unload pumpkins.  Last year when we helped unload pumpkins we were wearing toboggans, jackets and gloves!  Much better weather this year.

the kids were a great help making the border out of the little pumpkins

having fun sitting in the wagon.  Will is trying to pull up his hair like the girls!

A portion of the pumpkins in the front yard.

I received lots of comments asking why I was hiding a pumpkin under my shirt today.

Kitty Heaven

Well it took about 3 weeks but the kids finally realized that Jake, our favorite cat, isn't coming home ever again.  Jake was an indoor/outdoor cat and was AWESOME!  He was sweet, cuddly, soft, and loving.  He would bring us gifts of birds and moles to our front or back door on a regular basis.  One of his favorite spots to curl up and sleep was on the top bunk, Caroline's bed.  He was a great carefree, easy cat to have around and he will be missed.  We aren't exactly sure what happened to him but one morning he went out like he usually does and he never came back.  We don't know if he got hit by a car or someone took him.  He was microchipped and had a collar with my number on it.  

Somehow the kids mentioned him on the ride home after picking up Caroline.  I said well, Jakers is in kitty heaven now.  And that started the crying!  They both said how much they loved and missed him and how sweet he was and that he was the favorite.  I made sure that they knew God was taking care of him now and he was just fine.  The seemed to be good with that response.  But the crying continued until we got in the house and I could hug them both.  And then tell them that that was enough crying.  They both wanted another Jakers (caroline wanted to make sure that it was a kitty and Will said it had to be black with a little white on its chest).  I told them one day we would but not for a long time.  See we still have a cat (that we don't want anymore) and a great dog not to mention a new baby coming and a husband deploying next summer.  Now I might be crazy but not THAT crazy.  And grandparents please don't listen to them and get them a kitty.  It will live at your house!!

Jake got along fine with everyone including Miles.

Last year we even took the cat to the beach since we were in the process of moving to MI.  He loved the beach and his big litter box!

Did I mention he was also a very tolerant cat?!  He would let any kid pick him up even if it was upside down.  He was a good cat for kids that's for sure.  He never once bit or scratched at the kids.

So this is the first pet that the kids have lost.  I know it won't be the last either but the first one is always hard.  Have fun catching things in kitty heaven Jakers!!

preschool field trip

This morning I went with Will on his preschool field trip to Westview Orchard.  It was a nice morning (no rain) and Will wore himself out!!

This is his best buddy, Aidan.

View of part of the orchard.  It goes all the way back to the big building in the distance.

The playground area.

Will is crouching near the top in his Yoda hat and blue jacket.

We got to go on a wagon ride, have cider and donuts, and see a few farm animals.  Then the kids played themselves silly.  When we got home Will told me he just wanted to take a nap and went and got in his bed!  He did sleep for about 45 minutes before we had to go get Caroline.  I needed more of a nap than that and it wore me out too!  It was lots of fun and good to get to know some of the other moms and kids from his class.

Wedding pictures

It is an absolutely beautiful day today!  Low 70's and sunny.  The trees are just beautiful and I really enjoy watching them change colors as I run errands around town.  Justin was off today and Will and I have really enjoyed having him home.  Neither kid wants dad to go back to work tomorrow and neither do I.  We have run errands together and he also mowed and cleaned the bathrooms!  With everyone out of the house tomorrow either at school or work it will be quiet for sure.  I just might take a nap after I go to the pool for some exercise!
Here are some pictures from the wedding.  I don't have many and I didn't get to see the slide show at the end of the reception (heard it was great) and can't wait to see them.

My handsome boy in his bowtie!

Before the ceremony.

Checking it all out

Candy appetizers!

Dancing with both his cuties

Will and Margaret waking hand in hand.

If the last picture shows up it is susan and Graham dancing the night away!