Baby #3 Photo Shoot

I think I mentioned the baby pictures in my last post...I've finally scanned them but didn't crop them  so excuse the extra gray spots, please. 

There will probably be more pictures in August as I got called back to get another ultrasound (they didn't get a good picture of the heart).   Next week I'll have my 'third trimester' appointment- time is going too quickly.  Hopefully come November I'll be a bit more ready for baby to make his/her debut...right now it scares me!  My to do list is LONG and I feel out of practice with babies.  I am, much to my surprise, feeling great- better than I was my last pregnancy at this time.  I am so grateful as Julia continues to be a bit of a challenge some days.

Things, obviously from lack of posts, have been BUSY here.  The girls and I spent a WONDERFUL week up north at the lake with my family.  The garden has been bringing forth much fruit.  Thus far I've done two batches of fresh salsa (I need to post that recipe) 4 quarts each.  And this weekend I processed 9 quarts of  Portland Marinara Sauce (I need to post that recipe, too).  YUM!  We've also had homemade french fries, onion rings, Chinese cabbage salad...you get the picture.  We've also had company and are getting ready for more!   

The Week of the Fourth of July

Along with swimming lessons, this past week was a full one at our home.  Kurt's immediate family (his five siblings and most of their kids) was all here for the air show fireworks over the river on the 3rd along with quite a few other friends who came down to watch in our yard, on our deck and in our house with the a/c on.  We had company from the 2nd until just this morning.  It was a great time for the girls- cousins, cousins, cousins and Kurt and I appreciated all the help in the kitchen, working on the basement, in the garden and with other projects.  Here are a few pictures--wish I'd have taken more but oh well.

Cutting up smoked pork for the fireworks party! Yum!

Corn on the cob!!

Playing with cousins!!

Waiting for the fireworks- Julia asked to go to bed shortly after this picture.

Daddy's little baker

Homemade pretzels!

Playing with water balloons and swimming in the stock tank pool.

This week we'll wrap up swimming lessons (so far she's only had one day we went where it wasn't 90 degrees already at 9 a.m.) and work on processing some foods from the garden.  I've already got some peppers in the freezer (waiting for the tomatoes to ripen for salsa) and one batch of green beans to freeze.  Sounds like we'll be processing corn and some potatoes before the week is out for sure.  I'll have to get a picture of all the work Kurt and his brothers did in the basement this weekend! WOW!  And I've also got baby pictures to post from this week as I had an ultrasound and OB appointment, too. 

Swimming Lessons

This week Kate is taking swimming lessons! She is excited about it and JuJu wishes that little sisters could take them too (next year).  As you can see from an earlier visit to a pool this summer they are like fish in the water!  I hope to take some pictures as the lessons progress.  I am excited for Kate to learn and have fun but am not excited for the schedule and planning around an activity that comes with the territory.  I'll offer it up. ;-)

JuJu jumping in!

The swimmers.

Using the ladder

Swimming without help. JuJu insisted, "Swim MYSELF!"

Katie jumps in the pool!

‎You learn to speak by speaking,
to study by studying,
to run by running,
to work by working,
and just so,
you learn to love by loving.
All those who think to learn in any other way deceive themselves.

St. Francis de Sales

A Paint Job...

I've been meaning to post these for awhile now.  We've done some updating with painting some of the rooms/walls in the new house.  It really has given the space a needed facelift.  And I'm loving the colors!  I haven't included rooms where we haven't painted in this post.

Living room, this color is also painted in the foyer and hallway.

Living room window wall- you can't see the color if I include the LARGE window in the shot.  I like to call this color 'Fifth Day Bruise' - its a brown/grey/green hue. 

Bathroom

Other wall in the bathroom with me and the towels in disaray.

Accent wall in our bedroom (this is the only wall we painted in there) with boxes left to unpack/store.

Can you see the difference in the accent wall (left) and the original room color (right)?  I am LOVING IT!  Thanks Mom!

Original color in our room with some pictures hung.

Take Me Out to the Ball Game!

Take me out to the ball game...

Take me out to the park...

Buy me some peanuts...

And Cracker Jacks...

I don't care if I ever get back...

'Cause its root, root, root for the home team (or Brewers)...

A rain delay is a shame...

For its one!

Two!

Three strikes you're out...

At the 'ol ball game!  Play ball!

Picking up where we left off...

Well, you may or may not have noticed a brief hiatus.  There are many reasons-
One is that ever elusive balance of a life as a stay at home mom and homemaker. 
Two is that I haven't hardly been able to make it though a day without a nap this pregnancy.  So when the girls go down I've been going down and then have to manage, supper, laundry, tidying and cleaning while they are awake which seems to perpetuate a cycle as I am more tired in the evenings...do you get the picture?
Three could be that there just has been a plethora of other things to do and keep busy with around here.  It is our first summer here and I must say I have tried to enjoy every minute of it.  Each day seems to bring a new discovery (most of which have been out doors). 

Regardless, you're due for an update from our life on the Mississippi....

The garden is in full bloom.  And with Kurt's encouragement and perseverance on both our part is it the best looking garden we've had yet!  Weeds be gone! 

The Trumpeting Vines are announcing the beginning of June!

Everything in the landscaping has got at least a year to prove/show itself.  These massive trellises of Trumpeting Vines were a big question mark but they look BEAUTIFUL full of flowers.

Our orchard was spared frost this season and the apples, pears and plums are coming in like CrAzY!  With the mild winter and early spring here we'll be harvesting before we know it! 

Parties interested in helping with the harvest will be paid in fruit!

And in the fruits of the fruit...this is the beginnings of something old

Being made 'new'

Kurt purchased this cider press for his birthday while we were in MI and is in the process of restoring the basket and a few other pieces.  We were in awe of the size and are excited to see it evolve.

The idea is something like this but more on the antique scale.  I'll try to have a few more updating posts...I've had some painting done.  We've been to the zoo, MI, MN and celebrated two birthdays and an anniversary since I've last posted!