Suggestions?

Later in June, Lee and I will celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary. One of our friends has graciously offered to keep Isabel for the night so we could do something fun and have a night to ourselves. We would like to go somewhere. Here's our parameters...not too far away (it will only be a few weeks before the baby is due), not too expensive, but something nice. Any suggestions?

Isabel's favorite things about MI...

Seeing the people she loves...

Grandpa and Grandma

Great Grandma

Second cousins Juliana and SebastianUncle Will is not pictured with Isabel, but it was definitely a highlight for her.

Playing on the playground by the Marina and going to the Children's museum...
which one is Isabel???

This museum just opened and reminded me of Otterville at Johnny's Toys. Lots of fun things to do.

Being with Daddy all day long...
Watching the Memorial Day parade...which as Lee said was, "the most pathetic parade he's ever seen." Hey, it's a small town. Isabel still liked it though.
It was a good trip. We got to see some family and friends we don't get to see often. The weather was amazing, quite unusual for that time of year in MI. The worst part was the trip home: Isabel hardly slept and had 5 poopy diapers in an 8 hour period meaning we had to stop 4 additional times we wouldn't normally (we made her wait the last time she went to get home before we changed her), making our trip extra long. I guess all the things above make it worth it though.

I almost forgot one of the most important things...going to Dairy Queen and House of Flavors...Mmm Mmm Mmm.

Oh yes...one more thing (see how my pregnant mind works). My dad built this amazing big girl bed for Isabel (in a day no less, he's quite the craftsman). I meant to take a picture of it. It looked like something you'd buy from Pottery Barn though. Dad you'll have to send me one. Anyway it can eventually be turned into bunk beds. It's so cool...thanks for doing that dad, Isabel loved it!

Happy Memorial Day

Day with Daddy

I had to work yesterday at our annual golf outing, so Lee stayed home with Isabel. They had a good time. They played, ran errands, ate out, and went to the park...which as Isabel said, "oh no, no ducks." Lee told me there were no ducks in the pond. Anyway, it was a good day with daddy.

"happy birthday to you"

Isabel's buddy, Jacob, turned 2 this past week and we had the privileged of being invited to his birthday party this past Saturday. It was a fun time! The party had a tractor theme and the Pie's were able to borrow a tractor from a neighbor for display and for the kids to play on...which they (the kids) LOVED...especially the birthday boy. Here are a few pictures. It was hard to get Jacob and Isabel to look the same way. There were so many things to look at on the tractor and buttons and pedals to push. After we got home Isabel kept saying, "happy birthday to you" all night long. Thanks for inviting us guys! We had a great time!

Urgency to have a clean house...

Today's been a nice day. We had a great worship service being reminded of our need to continually focus on the Gospel. Funny side note: The last service I listened to some of the sermon in the women's bathroom by the main entrance (you can hear it in there) and I had Isabel with me. Whenever Pastor Brad would yell out a word like, "Jesus," Isabel would yell it out too. It was like I was having a second sermon from this little person.

During the last service I started to have some contractions and these were not like the Braxton Hicks I've had before, they were painful, something I never had with Isabel until I was actually in labor. After church on the way home I was having painful contractions every 2 to 3 minutes. I think I was starting to half freak out myself and Lee. He kept saying, "we can call the Dr. if we need to." We picked up a quick lunch and brought it home and I told Lee I wanted to go straight to bed. The contractions finally subsided. Praise the Lord.

The entire time I was having the contractions all I could think about was, "what if I have this baby and my house is a MESS at home." I thought to myself how I needed to get it cleaned and keep it clean the next two months. So, after my afternoon rest, Lee took Isabel out for awhile and I have been picking up. It feels good. I needed a break though, so this it.

My whole life I've struggled with keeping things clean. My parents used to always joke about a tornado going through my room. I'm afraid it hasn't gotten any better in my adult years. It just seems like the dishes and laundry never end, and then there are all the little things you need to do...dust, mop, etc. Maybe I'll learn someday...for now I have the urgency to have a clean house...so I better get back to work:)

So much wisdom is painful

No, I am not boastfully claiming I am such a wise woman. I'm talking about my wisdom teeth. Last week I started to have this awful pain in my mouth. I went to the dentist today and yes, that pain is from my wisdom tooth coming in (and he said the other side is starting to come in also). I was hoping for a cavity, something where I could get some relief, but no...being 7 months pregnant there is nothing that can be done until after the baby comes. So for the next two months I have to tolerate the pain:( The dentist said if it seems to get unbearable they will see what they can do, but it is safer to wait until after the baby. If any of you have heard the Bryan Regan joke where he talks about pain and what level of pain he has...it sort of reminded me about that. Anyway, I guess I better enjoy these last few months of wisdom because after the baby comes I want these things out!

Ramdom things...a GREAT "WOW" Day!

What a nice weekend. Finally some dry weather! We spent a lot of it outside. However, somehow I still look a pasty white. I'll need to work on that.

Lee and I continue to work on Isabel's "big girl" room. We purchased a bed rail for her big girl bed, but found out many (all but one really) of the bed rails don't work if you don't have a box spring (which her bed doesn't, it's a daybed). So, we returned that one. We found one on the internet that would work, but it was going to be $40 plus shipping. So, we decided to make our own. We purchased a $6 board, put in a couple of hours (Lee and I joked no one had ever paid us $40/hr for work, so I guess our time was cheaper) and we had a bed rail that works great. Like how we use our garbage cans for our woodworking projects (Melissa don't show your husband):)?
For Mother's Day my dad and mom had sent me a gift card to Lowe's to pick out some flowers for the front of our house! Thanks dad and mom. They look so nice! So Saturday we ventured out and found some nice flowers. I went low maintenance this year...wave petunia's...they are easy and they end up looking great with little work...good for a summer with a baby coming. We also got a couple of regular petunia's for Isabel to plant in a couple of pots. A fun activity for her. She liked playing in the dirt a lot!:)

It was windy enough yesterday we decided to try and pull out a few kites. However, the wind wasn't quite strong enough. We couldn't ever get them high enough to really get going. One summer when Lee and I were dating we really got into kite flying. Living only a few miles from Lake Michigan, it was always pretty windy. We would get two roles of 500' string, tie them together, and have the kite flying 1000' in the air. It would literally take us 45 min. to an hour to get the kite pulled back in. One person would pull on the string, while the other would wind it as fast as they could. So yesterday brought back memories. Lee was trying to teach Isabel to run with the kite to make it fly, however she just isn't quite fast enough yet. He would say, "Isabel, run, run faster." I would say, "Lee, she is running, that's just as fast as she can go.":) So the kite would usually trail on the ground behind her, but she still really liked it.

We also bought this weekend a fun looking sprinkler we found on sale. Even though it wasn't overwelmingly hot, Lee couldn't resist the urge to try it out (he picked it out).:) Here is Lee and Isabel running through the sprinkler.

Here is Isabel's reaction after running through the sprinkler.:) Hopefully it will get more fun as the summer goes on. So back to the "big girl" room. Isabel has been so excited about her big girl bed for weeks, since her Lolo and Lola brought the bed from MI and we set it up. We weren't sure when to put her in it. We knew we needed a rail cause she is a wiggle bug in bed, but thought we might do it after the baby is born. However, since we finished the rail, we decided to let her try sleeping in it last night. She did great! She slept all night in it and loved it. When I told her it was nap time today she said, "big girl bed?" So we let her sleep there for her nap also and she did great again! She is in there again tonight. It looks like this transition (at least for now) has been easier than other transition we have had with her. We hope it continues. None of the rest of the room is done yet. We still have to paint, finish her dresser, the bookcase, etc., but that will get done...eventually.

Today after we got home from church and lunch, Isabel went to look at/smell the flowers she had planted. She asked me to take a picture of her, so here she is.

I had such a great "WOW" day! Thank you Lee and Isabel for making it so special for me and making me feel special. I love you guys so much! (and thanks for cleaning the kitchen Lee...I love you)!:)

Was there a flood somewhere?

You know your daughter's pants are too short when someone says, "was there a flood somewhere I didn't know about?"

Okay, so it was Lee that said it, but still...

I put some pants on Isabel today cause I thought it was going to be cooler (and it was this morning), but her pants that have lasted all winter are now looking on the small side. Good thing shorts/Capri's are looking like they will be part of our future because I refuse to buy her new pants before summer. In the mean time, she just looks a little silly.

Anyway, the pants are being retired for baby Kate or baby #2, anyone other than Isabel.