Haircuts by Jeff

We decided that Jeff could try and give the boys a hair cut.  So, we ordered the clippers, they came, and Jeff shaved away.  It didn't go exactly as planned, I guess you could say . . . what do you think?  To me it looks like they got sheared.  Poor guys.

 Owen bravely goes first.

 Not a convincing look

 Owen post haircut

 Daddy starts in on Chase

 He unfortunately ended up with a buzz cut given, well, some mistakes made.

Trip to SD

We took a long awaited trip to my parents' house around the beginning of April.  It was nice outside, luckily, and we were able to spend some time frolicking in the yard.  Chase and Owen got to ride on the tractor with Grandpa, which they liked for a bit.  Then they wanted down because they were scared.  We all took a ride in the bucket together, which was really fun, as it was something I used to do as a kid.

Chase and Papa

Owen in the bucket

Getting ready for a ride.

Chase is learning how to control the bucket.

I showed the boys how to climb the tree, prego and all!

After many attempts Jeff resorted to using a ladder to climb the big maple. 

Chase and Jeff.  Owen didn't want to go up again.

Owen tries to climb the tree too.

Owen giggles while he feeds the sheep

Owen had so much fun feeding!

Chase feeds the ewes too

They are coming at him!

Here sheepy

Look at all the sheep waiting on Chase

Chase and Owen had a blast playing on the hay bales and silage.  It was very windy out and when they were on the silage they got a good mouthful of it.  They came running down and were spitting.  I looked in their mouths and the silage was just coating their teeth.  Yuck!

April 23rd!

If you didn't know . . .

 . . .we are having a GIRL!  We actually found out February 17th, right before we left for Florida.  It was a fun day to watch her squirm on the ultrasound.  At my 12 week appointment I had an ultrasound and the technician predicted a girl based on new ways they have at determining the sex.  She asked if I wanted to know the sex and Jeff wasn't with me, so I asked her to put it in an envelope.  When I left my appointment I called Jeff and he said, "Well, open it!"  We had not really discussed if we would find out the gender so I asked if we could wait until we got home.  I had a feeling it was a girl because of how different I felt this time.  When Jeff got home we looked at the envelope with excitement.  Jeff opened it and a huge smile spread over his face and his eyes got big.  He said with awe and a little amazement, "It's a girl!"  I smiled and we hugged.  He said, "You're not surprised?"  I just felt like it was a girl and I wasn't surprised.  We were both very happy.  We would have been equally happy had it been a boy, too. 

Seeing her on February kick around, hide her face with her hands and to see all her body parts growing and typical was a blessing.  I got tears in my eyes when the tech announced it was a girl.  It was the first thing she saw! No head, no limbs, just the girl parts.  All the chambers of the heart, brain, kidneys were looking good. PRAISE GOD.

The boys were soooooo excited, as they had been wanting a girl.  I held 2 blocks behind my back, one blue, one pink.  I told them what each color meant and then showed the pink block.  They didn't get it. :)  When we said it was a girl they smiled and laughed.  They are so proud to be having a girl and love to tell everyone about their baby sister.

We are in full swing decorating the baby's room.  I've made a mobile, which I just adore.  I need to figure out the other aspects of the room now but at least I have the mobile, which is my inspiration.

We are excited to welcome our little girl around June 30th.  Hopefully sooner because I'm feeling big and ready to be done, already.  29 weeks this week . . . long way to go.

Jesus, Eggs and Bunnies

For Easter we made lots of Easter eggs.  The boys were very excited to color the eggs and had been asking for days.  I forgot all the prep work involed.  We needed to hard boil some eggs, then blow some out.  It was a lot of work, but the boys and Daddy were a great help.

Chase blows an egg out

Owen blows an egg

We had our annual Easter Egg hunt at the park, in the freezing cold marshy area.  The kids had a great time!

Receiving instructions

Chase eagerly awaits the hunt

My two lovies

Preparing to raid the eggs

A neighborhood friend.

Owen and Chase were off and I couldn't find them!  Chase went to the playground and found tons of eggs.

Chase

Owen went to the open field

Easter morning was lots of fun, but we made sure to remind the boys what the real reason of Easter is.  One of my traditions growing up was that the Easter bunny left a small gift at the foot of our bed.  Chase woke us up at 3:30 a.m. to tell us the Easter bunny had left him a present on his bed.  I didn't know if we'd get him to go back to bed, but he did!  When he got up at his normal time he made sure to go in and get Owen and tell him the Easter bunny had come.  Jeff went downstairs to see if the bunny had left and I crawled out of bed.  The hunt was on.  The boys remembered that they got little toys in eggs last year so that's what they were hoping for.  They didn't like the candy inside, which made Jeff and I laugh.  They found their big baskets with toys and were very very excited.

Chase finds some eggs

Owen tries to sneak by Chase

Finding their baskets

Chase, Owen and I before church

Owen claimed this was a smile.  :)

Clearly these pictures are out of order and I just don't want to deal with fixing it.

Owen's looking for more eggs in the snow

Chase

The Easter bunny brought eggs for all

Chase, Paige and Owen, all born within 6 weeks of each other.

Our family

Love this one

Owen and Chase had to look in their eggs right away, so they went to the picnic table and opened up their goodies!