Tuesday, September 30, 2014

It's a ...

GIRL!!!
It's a girl and we're pretty excited  I love my boys but was really hoping for a girl so that Sadie would have a sister.  I cannot wait to start planning for another little girl to join our family!!!





Actually we have already started getting ready by setting up the bunk beds so that there is room for Cooper to join these two clowns in the next couple of months.


Monday, September 15, 2014

Weekends

Summer weekends look pretty much the same as they did in Glendora with the addition of a few animals. On Saturdays we play with the animals, we play in the water, we work on the cars, we help Daddy with yard work, and we work on the house.

Playing with the Animals
 Cooper is definitely our biggest animal lover.  He has no fear and cannot get enough of them.

 Uncle Robert brought us some hay for our newest addition a steer named T-Bone.  He's a cross between a Holstein, Jersey, and Hereford.  The kids will introduce him and say this is T-Bone we're gonna eat him.  Mommy's afraid he's already become a pet, but I guess only time will tell.



 My sweet boys

Water Time

Working on the Car
 Look at those grimmy little hands

 Fixing his bike while Daddy fixes the truck.

Helping Daddy change the brakes.
Many hands make light work????

Working on the House
Our first project here at the house was trying to seal the foundation.  When we moved in I complained that it smelled like an old lady, which made sense because it was an older couple that lived here before us.  We quickly realized that the smell was actually from about a dozen glade plugins all around the house.  We promptly unplugged them and returned the next day to find out that the reason for the plugins was that the house smells terribly musty without them, which is no good for this pregnant and very nauseous Mommy.  The smell is coming from water that is trapped under the house due to our foundation not being vented properly.  So, after talking to a lot of people Brandon decided to crawl under the house and create a barrier between the ground and the house with plastic.  Not a fun job but my awesome husband did it and it's already made a big difference.  We are now in the process of having someone cut out vents for the foundation and hopefully that will eliminate the remainder of the lingering smell.

Here we are August 1st getting ready to start some major renovations.  We are removing the back deck and adding an addition to the house that will be approximately the same size as the existing deck .  It will add dining space, kitchen space, and a room that will temporarily be used as an extra bedroom, creating space for the baby, and probably eventually be an office.
Wyatt's made sure that he has every tool he needs in his pocket.

Sadie's ready for whatever might come her way.

Cooper is confused about the tasks of the day but he's ready too.

 In the process of tearing off the deck we found a possum in its nest.  Gross!!!  Brandon wanted me to stand and intimidate the creature, assuring me they don't move fast, but I was less than convinced.  I did however retrieve his air rifle for him.  Oh the joys of country life.

Week 2
 We also discovered a big slab of concrete under the deck.  Bummer!!!
Brandon spent a good portion of our second demo week running a jackhammer.

The kids were very helpful carrying rocks to the dumpster as was Robert.  Actually Robert was more like a lifesaver.  We don't even want to calculate how many pounds of concrete he moved for us, but I'm pretty sure we're indebted to him for quite awhile.




Wheelbarrow rides also helped to keep the day exciting!!!
Oh to have Uncle Robert and Daddy's muscles.

 Week 3
On week three Brandon tore down the roof that was above the deck.  He was down to a section about a third the size of the deck and decided to take out a post and let the rest fall.
 Love Sadie, my cautious little Chimp

 Ya....Bummer!

 Sadie cried.

 Wyatt wanted to do it again.

Week 4
And let the digging begin.  
So exciting!!!!

Tuesday, September 9, 2014

Summer Fun

We've had a lot of fun this summer.  We're enjoying the longest days we've ever known, it literally doesn't get dark until well after 9:00, and the beautiful summer weather.  We're also loving that with Amy and Brian in town we've had friends to play with for the past two months. Yay!!!

Uncle Robert
In case anyone ever wonders if he loves his nieces and nephews, although I'm confident no one does.

Uncle Robert bought a new puppy Jace.  He's a silver lab and such a cutie, especially when he's cuddled up with Cooper!


We've been to the Albany pool a couple of times, which the kids really love.  They have a nice toddler area and a great slide which they even let Cooper ride.
So Brave!!!


 Here comes Sadie

 Auntie Amy and Wyatt


 Cooper's Turn

 Yay!!

Wyatt

We made a trip to the Portland Zoo in August.
Autumn, Payton, and Wyatt





We've also made it to the Trampoline Park in Salem a couple of times, or the "jumpaline place" as my kids like to call it.
Sadie and Uncle Ryan
My kids really do have the best uncles!!!
LOVE IT!!!

Robert made this awesome slip and slide for the kids.  Seriously, I need to find a way to bottle his energy and enthusiasm for playing with my kids.

We also went out to the Dahlia festival which was beautiful.





And we celebrated Payton's 4th birthday with a rainbow party a few days before they headed home.


 Great Grandpa

It was only a matter of time before they became swords.

In addition to this we've picked more fruit than I know what to do with.  We have two plum trees, a cherry tree, a pear tree, raspberries, and blackberries here at our house and we made a trip out to a local orchard to pick peaches.  If we get a garden going here next summer I think I may have my very own part time summer job on my hands. :)