Baby #2

We are pregnant!

I am 15 weeks along, due April 20th, 2012.

Millie and this baby will be just under 21 months apart...just how we planned it. :)

I think it's a boy...for some reason. 

(maybe because we have a girl name that we love, and no boy names?  It was the other way around with Millie.)

  

I have consumed two jars of kosher dill pickles by myself in the first 11 weeks.  

Not because I crave them, but because they are so delicious!  

Something about me, pickles and pregnancy.  

We all go together so nicely! :) 


We are thrilled to welcome this new addition to our family!

Ward Halloween Party

This year for our ward Halloween party, Cason and I were party poopers.  But Millie joined in on the fun of dressing up.  She was our little Millie Minnie Mouse. 

We filled up on chili, apple cider, homemade root beer and corn bread and chatted with friends.

Millie ran around with the big kids.  She was in pure heaven!  She kept trying to get Scooby-doo the dog, but he scared her and made her cry.  

We didn't quite make it to trunk-or-treat, because it was way past someone's bedtime, so we left early.

All in all, it was a great night!  

ps.  If any of you have figured out how to take pictures in the cultural hall...please share your secrets!

Klackles Weekend

On Saturday, we went to Klackle's Orchard with some friends (but of course no pictures of said friends).

It was a huge orchard with tons to do!  

we didn't have much time (stake conference) so we just taste tested apples, enjoyed homemade donuts and cider.  

It was a crazy windy day, and cold cold cold, but we still had fun!!

Millie loved the pumpkins.

Hope you had a great fallish weekend!

We sure did!

Learning from Children

I have found it quite amazing what little kids catch onto and what they learn.  There is a great deal we can learn from children if we just take the time and humble ourselves.  Even my little 14 month old teaches me new things everyday.  Whether it be patience, to enjoy the small things like every little leaf that has fallen on the ground, or remembering when to say a prayer.  

Anytime I feed Millie something, whether it's just fruit snacks, apples, breakfast, lunch or dinner, she folds her arms ready to say a prayer.  Often times, she is the one who reminds me that we to pray.  I tend to forget when it's just us two.  Sometimes, she'll even say "men" at the end of the prayer.  And other times, she has moved on and has a mouth full of food before I finish the prayer.

It's the thought that counts right?!

Oh, how I love her!

Home Tour: Kitchen Photo Gallery Wall

Finally!  Finally!  Finally!  

In our kitchen there was a big empty wall.

We didn't want to purchase more furniture 

(because who knows if it will fit in a future home down the road)

and we didn't want to leave it blank.

So, we filled it with these Ikea frames. 

We (mostly Cason) hung them and the empty frames hung on our wall for a good six months.

We couldn't decide what to put in them. Family photos? Pattern designs? etc.

But I am so glad we decided to put some of our favorite family pictures in them. 

It adds so much to the kitchen.

(Thanks to my brother.in.law Jeff who printed them for us!!)

  

Stayed tuned for more of our home tour.

(mostly for my fam, since they don't get to see it, but you can enjoy it too. :) )

Monday Night Family Outing

Every year in Grand Rapids, they host an art event called Art Prize. 

Many people submit their work and the public votes.  

The winner gets the worlds largest art prize of $250,000.

On Monday night, Millie and I met Cason after work downtown.  

We ate PB&J's for dinner in the Rosa Parks Circle and then walked around town looking at the amazing art.  

Mad.  Probably because I wasn't feeding her an apple fast enough. :)

Here are a few of the pieces we saw. 

-Gerald R. Ford: statue made out of fiberglass, resin and bronze

-Reflection of a fallen soldier (looking at this one almost made me cry)

-Under Construction: construction workers spray painted bronze

-eye picture: made out of many little pictures.  When you step back you see the eye.

It was a great night to get out on the town and see such amazing talent. 

Hope you had a good Monday night family night too. :)

A Few Favorites

This little lady is at such a fun stage.  She understands just about everything, can say a few words and tries to say words that we tell her to.  She folds her arms when we say a prayer, and her primary form of transportation is wobbling around walking.  Except when we're outside.  She won't walk.  We have to hold her.  Weird.  She's obsessed with babies, the swings, dogs, and Cason.  She doesn't much care for me when he's around. :)  And she's also obsessed with, her newest favorite thing, going down the slide.  I lifted her up and down, up and down on that slide and my arms were sore the next day.  

She also knows most of her body parts.  

It's my favorite! 

Here's a video of her showing a few.

I have about 50 videos but she'll never do them all for me on camera. 

She knows what I'm doing I guess.

So here's a little glimpse of what she can do.

Naptime Spying

When Millie went down for her second nap today, (yes, she is still taking two.  I'm too nervous to switch to one) she didn't fall right to sleep.  Instead, she stood in her crib and dilly dallied.  No crying.  Whining.  Or fussing.  Just a few chatty words here and there and that was it.  I went to peek on her through the crack in the door and this is what I saw: 

 

Finally, after a few minutes and a quick diaper change, she was out.

I love watching her.  She is just precious.