And one more thing...

Okay- real quick-
anyone have any advice about how to teach children (namely 41/2 year olds) how NOT to interrupt? Jaedon will come into a room and just start talking to whomever he deems worthy of his conversation - with no regard to who else may already be talking - Shocking I know! ;)
Any ideas?

the CLICKING!!

When I was pregnant with Jaedon I remember Jan, my mom-in-law, telling me about her pregnancies. (Why can't we resist doing that?! ;) haha)
Anyway, she told me a story about how in her last trimester with Andy she would hear a soft, slight clicking noise. Just one click every now and then. She didn't know what it could be. She asked her doctor and he was just as clueless. He thought maybe the baby's fingernails were tapping together?!! (which doesn't make any sense since they're so soft) but that was the best they could come up with. So after Andy was born and maybe a few weeks old, Jan was changing his diaper, lifted up his ankles and 'click' - heard the SAME clicking noise! His ankles (and Jans...and Brads too) still 'click'.
I thought this was a funny story and what makes it even funnier-

THIS baby must have some creaky ankles because Brad and I have heard the CLICKING!! Brad is wondering which ankle it is ;)

kitchen part 3

So this is rather hard to capture via camera - but the glossy stripes are done. The first two pictures make it looks really bright- it's not!

Anyway, we decided we'd wait a bit to finish everything else. (wonder why?!)

The BIG question is...do we paint the doors and trim WHITE or a creamy OFF white? (vote on the left). I just know this is of vital life importance to EVERYONE!!! =P

So, to help you with your voting expertise ;) here's a few thoughts to help you make the best possible choice. (again, eternal value stuff here ;)

1. our counter tops are cream colored.

2. our cabinets and table are light-med. colored wood.

3. our microwave and refrig. are white. Our stove is cream.

4. our floor is very neutral- mostly off white marble look.

Baby Update part 2

Well, my OB office just called and I "snagged" the last opening for inductions beginning next week. So, Baby 3 has until Sunday night to decide we can do this on our own- otherwise I'm scheduled to be induced on Monday - at (are you ready for this) THREE A.M.!!!!!!! I am a bit disappointed b/c I didn't want to go the way of Pitocin again- and I was willing to wait until next weekend to give the baby another week to make progress- but, alas, they did not have any more openings later in the week.
So it goes....

and maybe we'll go before then anyway!?!

Baby Update

Due date week is a catch22. No one wants to call the mom and ask "So...how are ya doin'?" and then the mom thinks -"hmm...no one must care about me because no one is asking how I'm doing." BUT- if a person is brave enough to ask "the question" - the mom may just roll her eyes and be ANNOYED to have to answer. This is all hypotheical you understand ;)

Sooo....without any questions asked or feelings hurt- ;) I thought I'd let you know....

No. I haven't had the baby yet and yes, I'm doing ok. =)

Actually, things are progressing naturally for me more than they have for the other two so I am hopeful. I've had 2 nights (not in a row) of "hmm, my lower back is really achy." and "where did I put that timer?" BUT- nothing to do much except interrupt my sleep a bit and get my hopes up. They go away in the morning.

I had my "overdue" appt. today and for those of you who don't live in GR (or hid under a rock today)- today was NOT a good day to need the hospital. A medical helipcopter crashed on the helipad on top of the hospital around 11. All the streets were closed and they were evacuating the tower of floors below the helipad- including maternity! My OB's office is connected to the hosptial and therefore also blocked off. My appt. was for 11:30 - great timing!! I found a residential street and walked....a long way....to get to the office, had my ultrasound (just look at those chubby cheeks ;) a non-stress test (the baby wasn't stressed out at all!! He didn't have to walk the mile round trip ;) And we've decided (this is news to my husband too if he's reading this before he gets home) that if the baby doesn't want to come on his own by next Wed. or thursday that they can induce me. SOOo....the end is near! I'm hoping to go into labor on my own - just not TODAY!!!

Because of all of the evacuations, my doctor said 2 of her patients were evacuated WHILE IN LABOR (and of course they couldn't give epidurals b/c they needed to have them walk!)

SO- instead of being depressed that things aren't progressing today, I'm VERY thankful that God knows best and baby is still snug as a bug.

For now.

One of Three new posts... keep reading!

Our first offical kickoff to summer fun- We had a bonfire last night, sang silly songs and toasted some marshmallows.

mmm...

Check out our gooey fun...

complete with smoke in the eyes!!

The beginning of the Moms Group

Our moms group starting meeting in the Fall of 2003- with three itty bitty boys that we traded off swings, bouncy seats and midnight feeding stories with. Elizabeth (and Teddy), Jen (and Elijah), me and Jaedon. I couldn't find a picture of the three of them from back then. Since our first get together we've had several other mom friends join us - and our numbers just keep growing!

Jaedon and Teddy- 2004
The three "original" members- Jaedon, Elijah and Teddy- 2008

This past Thursday we all visited the Fredrick Meijer Gardens (our family's third trip this month!) Typically our group does things like parks and mall playplaces but once and awhile it's fun to do something bigger together. The kids had fun having so many buddies to play with and it was a fairly nice day to be outside.

So from our days of letting the babies lay on the floor and coo at each other while us moms could sit around and visit, this is a picture of the group that met on Thursday...

12 kids between the 5 of us moms that could make it (we were missing some too!) PLUS...

3 more on the way!
What a riot we have together.

Garden Fun with Friends

Here are some pix of the moms group Garden day.

Happy Anniversary to me...

It's my 14th anniversary today! Wow. That makes me feel old!

May 20, 1994 (that's 14 right? ;) was my last chemo treatment. For some reason I remember that date (and my first treatment) more than the any others of that year. Although I still had 3 months of 5 day/week radiation treatments, I can't tell you any dates of those...SOoooo...I remember May 20th every year instead.

For those of you who didn't know me 14 years ago (or at least don't know me very well right now) I was diagnosed with Hodgkins Disease in November of 1993- a few weeks after I turned 15. I had 6 months of chemo and 3 months of radiation and aside from hypothyroidism, 3 surgery scars and 6 penpoint tatoos - I'm doing just fine today. 3 children later to boot!!

For those of you who DID know me 14 years ago- why in the world did you let me KEEP wearing that dreadful HAT?!! =D

God is good.

Random Pics

How we went on a walk the other day- Seth in pjs and Jaedon as Buzz.

Seth ch'laxin
wrestling/head squishing time
3 mowers for 3 boys.
Our indoor starter plants and flowers. The cupcake tray ones are cukes and cantalope and the other are marigolds. They have safely made it into the garden - it remains to be seen if they survive and thrive ;)

How we found Jaedon sleeping today!

Mothers Day

We had a rainy day here in MI yesterday. But, seeing as how both little men in the household have been fighting fevers and such for several days, it kinda fit our MO anyway.

I did get a willow tree figurine (I collect them...sortof;) and a bird feeder that Jaedon and Brad painted themselves. I think we're going to have fun with it. I told Jaedon that it made me feel special that he worked so hard to make something so nice for me and he said

"Mama, you're special just the way you are." ;-)

In the evening we went to spend time with the Howells' clan. We just hung out, played some Catch Phrase and went out for ice cream (yumm!!) We had a really nice family day -

Kitchen Progress...

Brad has been working his tail off to get the kitchen project moving. He's doing a great job too. The kitchen is a tricky room for a job-in-progress! You can make the mess that painting is but you have to clean it up to make the room functional- only to make the mess the next day. hmm...
I started painting the light green color that we have above the cabinets and around the pantry door-- and I hated it! It was MUCH brighter than what the color swatch looked like. The second coat has muted it some but it's still a few tones brighter than what I was looking for. I LOVE the dark green color. I don't know if you can see the contrast in the pictures or not. Anyway, we still have a whole wall to prime and paint and do second coats. THEN we are putting on a glossy "stripe" .... I don't know how to explain it ;) but here's the progress so far.

Perfect Day for Garden play!

Earlier this year I decided to "invest" in a membership to our childrens museum. The boys are at a perfect age for it and LOVE going there. Well, during the summer months they also team up with other kid-friendly places in the area and you get to go to that specific place as many times as you want that month for free! This month it's the Fredrick Meijer Gardens. We went this past week with the Gurk girls and had a fantastic time visiting the Children's Garden. They have a sand pit you can "discover" bones in, nature trails, a log cabin with old fashioned wooden toys, a climbing structure with spyglasses to look for "animals" (namely fake ones they place out in a tree =) They have two animal-shaped bushes (a beaver and the moose pictured here). We had a great time.

Enjoy the pics!

Be still my beating heart...

Lookie what WE found!!!

I think I must've fell on my head as a child because there are times when I do things that really just equal insanity.

This month, for example, is a bit busy. Besides the normal oil changes, getting a haircut, doctors, dentist and chiro. visits, we have an orientation for Jaedon's school, a "school day" for him next week, a few Sunday School socials, Brad's spring concert, and then there's Mothers Day, my niece's 1st birthday (!), a wedding reception, a small group potluck. Oh and there's that other little thing... having the BABY!! =P

So my theory about the fallen-on-my-head kicks in when I hear myself tell Brad- "HEY! let's redo our kitchen." Ok, not a TOTAL rehaul. Just paint. And...some light fixtures...and.... ;)

Just call me Eve leading my husband to ruin - he thinks it's a great idea!

So on Saturday we, okay, HE- peels off the wallpaper that is there and I try to take the paneling down that is covering the only major wall in the kitchen. OH...and what did we find there? Take a look...

1960's wallpaper - TWO layers of it. Isn't it purty? ;)

So today Brad is picking up dry wall and we're hiding it! =)

For mom...

My family doesn't get to witness the great expanse that is me these days... I don't like GETTING pregnant pics...but I like having them around for the baby's scrapbook.

Anyway, Dr. says I'm "textbook" 35 weeks - baby is head down but still floating ;-)

Speaking of baby, I told Jaedon the latest clue posted on the right : "The middle name is a book of the Bible". Yes, I realize that means it is quite guessable but that's ok- it's the middle name afterall. Jaedon started guessing - I'm not kidding- "Hosea? Nahum? Mama, is it Samuel?"

"No, Jaedon it's not Samuel."

"What about SECOND Samuel?!"

HA!!!

He also asked about Ruth and Chronicles...in which Brad responded this would be the Third Chronicle ;)