digging and visiting alex

Last week, I took these two pictures of Livie at home.  The first, she is pant-less, wearing ski goggles, and trying on my running shoes - all to her own doing :).  The second, I found her in bed with her legs propped up on the crib bumper and her face covered in her little blankie :).  I know I talk/write about Livie a lot...but I love this little girl sooo much.

News on the lot...last Friday we started DIGGING!!  They finished the job on Saturday, and things have been progressing since then.  Today, they poured the footings...so the foundation walls are next.  Here's some pics of the big dig:

Septic:

The ravine (the grass we planted is growing!)

Basement:

Also, on Friday, we took a road trip with Traever, Andrea, and Adalai to visit Alex.  It was wonderful to see him and we all got some good bonding time together (maybe a little too much???).  Never :).  The girls did great.  I think Livie only bit Adalai 5 times the whole weekend (biting is her defense mechanism when someone is taking something she wants...not good...we're working on it).  Other than that, they had a blast playing, laughing, and just being together 24/7.

Adalai has been potty training, so they brought her little potty chair on the trip.  And I have say, I was so impressed with this little girl.  No accidents!  This was a typical scene in the car:

We visited the creation museum on saturday.  It was awesome to see the Biblical perspective they presented on creation.

By sunday, we were all pretty tired.  Chad grabbed the camera for most of these...

he likes close-ups :).

Traever's amazing photography skills on this one.  Chad said, "Vicki Taufer couldn't have caught it better."  I don't know about that, but it is pretty cute :).

All in all, the trip was so worth it.  We love you Alex!  

Just a note on the above pic.  Andrea is due in just 3 weeks...doesn't she look amazing??  I'm due in 12 and look bigger than her.  I'm going to blame it on the fact she is wearing black and I'm wearing white :).  

Love this last pic of the guys getting the girls ready for the trip home.  Happy mother's day to us!

heart full

My mind is blank, my body is tired, but my heart is full :).  Not because things are going well, or because all situations are perfect, but because God is so good and so faithful.

"...in all these things we are more than conquerers through him who loved us.  For I am sure that neither death nor life, no angels, nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, no anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord!"  Romans 8:31-36

Here's some of my fav pics from last week:   

Chad reading Livie her children's Bible

Stopping for a phone call

Livie's new favorite cabinet to empty and climb into.  Yes, those knives are completely sealed!

LOVE this face.  So serious...

Looking forward to a weekend away with Chad, Andrea, Traever, and our girls.  We all are going to visit Alex!  

be still

The past couple of weeks have been really calm around here.  That is, calm in our daily events.  But, at the same time, there are several storms going on around us in the lives of those we're really close to. So, in the midst of our calm days, it's been easy to get emotional, discouraged, frustrated, etc.  But, I've really been challenged to be still and know that He is God in ALL situations.  The Almighty is in control...I'm so thankful He is our Rock, who knows all things, and uses all things to make us fit for Him and His work!  We are excited to celebrate the cross and resurrection this weekend.

One crazy, wonderful, and exciting thing, is that we have a new nephew!  Nikau, a sweet little 8 month old boy, has been adopted into Dave and Michelle's family.  Their story is an amazing testimony of God.  To check it out, go to:  http://michellesblog6.blogspot.com/2011/04/our-adoption-story.html

Some other updates:

Livie has been busy.  She's becoming quite the hoarder...she loves carrying everything she can fit in her little hands/arms around the house.  Her favorite things are definitely her large blankets from her crib.  After each nap and in the morning, she makes sure all that was in her crib is now out and in her hands.  She's also starting to put two words together.  Last night, we went and looked at the lot, and on our way home we stopped at Dairy Queen (my idea).  In the presence of ice cream, it was amazing how many words she put together!  We heard, "more please!", "dad, more!", "dad, please" over and over.  Too cute.  Oh, and she got her first haircut last week.  She did not like it at all...but that little mullet that was growing in the back now looks sooo much better!

The lot...it's still there.  Just no hole yet.  All this rain has held us up quite a bit.  Once it dries up, we can dig.  So, we're just playing the waiting game.  I have a feeling that with building this house, there is going to be a lot of that.

Pregnancy is progressing well :).  I'm approaching 26 weeks, and some things are starting to get uncomfortable.  For one, this little girl is a mover!  She is constantly kicking me and making me aware of her presence :).  Night times have started to include bathroom breaks and charlie horses.  I'm starting to get tired again during the day.  My femoral nerve is getting compressed somewhere...cause my right leg gets numb when I stand for awhile.  And my appetite is up!  Somethings I've been living on lately have been apple juice, tostito chips, and fruit.  Random, I know.  But, all in all, it's not that bad.  Only 14 more weeks to go!

growing up & getting out

There's been a lot of little changes for Livie since she got sick 2 weeks ago.  She's growing up.

For one, we took her bottle away that week.  The doc recommended I do it before 18 months, and well...she wasn't drinking it when she was sick, so it seemed to be an opportune time.  And she hasn't missed it a bit :).  BUT she has been more hungry.  She's refusing to drink the milk out of her sippy cup...so she's been making up for all those calories in her meals and snacks.  This little girl is NOT picky about her food!  One of her favorite new things is eating sandwiches (instead of me breaking them up for her). It's pretty cute.  

Also, I've limited her paci use.  I'm really trying to only give it to her during sleep times, when I need her to be quiet, and when she's really fussy.  The first few days were terrible...but she's starting to get used to it.  Now I just find her putting all sorts of things in her mouth...

Also, since she's been feeling better, she's developing quite the personality :).  She was kinda crazy before, but now...she's just really crazy!  She'll run around the house yelling (yeah, she has a loud voice) about all sorts of stuff, laughing, and getting into a lot more.  It's so great to see her so happy.  Oh, and she's discovering the world of accessories too.  She's been loving these purple mardi gras beads lately.

  

On Friday, Chad took off work a little early and we headed to Norris for the night with some of the Hermans.  Our plan was to work at the lot on Saturday, but in the morning it was raining.  So, we decided just to stay at the lake for the day.  Around noon, the weather changed and it turned out to be beautiful, hot, and sunny.  Such a treat :).  We had fun playing with the kids in the hot tub, fishing, having a lunch picnic on the trampoline, and just hanging out on the beach.  Livie LOVED it - the sun, the sand, the water, the kids...she's going to be a busy one this summer :).

 

the lot, mystery dinner, and baby bump

So, we're still working cleaning up the lot.  No digging has happened yet.  Last week, our dig date was given to another Noah Herman Sons client :).  And the business comes first, right?  No big deal though because we still need our building permit...and Chad has been swamped with work lately, so it may be another few weeks before we even get that.  Although it would be fun to get things going...it's nice not to be rushed or have a timeline with this house.  

Here was the lot yesterday...a gorgeous day of 65 degrees and sunny!  Our house will be framed by the two big trees. 

Here's our wood pile (so far).  And neighbor Louie :) off to the left.  He's probably upper 60's/low 70's, originally from Hungary, but worked for CAT for years.  He's now retired and loves to "shoot the breeze".  Chad has gotten to know him a little over the past few months and really likes him.  He's laid back, friendly, and just a do-it-yourself kinda guy.  He told Chad yesterday, "I had to take a break from working outside today cause we're going out tonight."  :) - Such a cute old man. 

I did help a little yesterday...cleaning up sticks and branches from the side of the ravine that Chad had burned earlier.  These little flowers were everywhere...truly beauty from ashes.

 The ravine that soon will be a lake!

Chad made this seat out of a tree stump :).  He says it'll be right at the waters edge...

perfect for sitting back and fishing.

 

Last pic at the lot...a nasty deer skeleton that I kept running into.  

Just proof that deer are on this property!  

Then, last night Chris and Amanda hosted a mystery dinner called "Murder at Mardi Gras".  It was so fun!  They always come up with crazy ideas for the posse to dress up and be silly.  There were lots of laughs as everyone played out their characters.  And Traever ended up being the murderer...doesn't he look so suspicious in this picture?

And here are the couples:

  

 

And, my baby bump :).  I haven't taken a pic since about 12 weeks, and thought it was about time. The first pic to the left is when I was pregnant with Livie at 23 weeks.  The pic to the right is from today...at 23 weeks.  A little bigger with #2!