Baby News & Beach Week 2012

For those who may not frequent Facebook, we found out yesterday that we are having a healthy baby girl! Which means I got my wish! 4 times! And now we can be done. Very good news! No more morning sickness, exhaustion, or pregnancy brain! January 17, 2013 will bring the end of my human being manufacturing days. And the beginning of another round of ribbons and ruffles!

My sister-in-law posted about our beach week, which feels like ions ago, but it was really earlier this month! I guess a baptism, an ultrasound appointment and school starting are all pretty big deals that make beach week seem like another lifetime ago.

But it was tons of fun, as always! I love my family. And I love that my kids love them too. Click on this link (For a good chuckle at my expense, click to enlarge the kayak pictures of Travis and me and look at our faces. Note: I am not a risk taker. Getting in the kayak was way out of my comfort zone. For good reason, as you'll see. But it was fun, and I'm glad I did it):

http://amykayhansen.blogspot.com/2012/08/beach-week-2012.html

Another Awesome Baby Shower

We threw a baby shower for our dear friend, Lauren. When I say "we" I mostly mean Brittany, but we did help come up with and help execute some of the ideas. Lauren is having a boy after three girls. I very well might be more excited about this than she is. I am exstatic, because I want everyone to get to experience both genders, and love helping people try to make this a reality. Lauren is a big reader and a writer, so this Book Themed Shower was just perfect for her. We had so much fun. I am very sad that we didn't get a single picture of us as friends. But enjoy these pictures of the shower: http://birnel.blogspot.com/2012/06/laurens-book-theme-baby-shower.html

I am so grateful to have such loving friends. They bring such joy to my life!

Campout

 You know the drill.  Click here to read a post my friend did that involves us.  It was super fun, as always!

http://birnel.blogspot.com/2012/05/3rd-annual-campout.html

It was Harrison's last day of school today.  We had a fun lunch at the park with other friends who go to our school.  And we had our 2nd Annual Last Day of School Backyard Family BBQ.  I introduced our new summer jobs/rewards system.  I hope it goes as well as I'm envisioning.  I'm always trying to come up with new ways to get my kids to do what I want!

Harrison is very sad about leaving his teacher and his friends.  He's an emotional, sentimental child (wonder where on earth he gets that from).  He told his friend, "I miss school.  There are a lot of depressing things when you're 7."  Maybe I should sensor more of what I say around him.  Why does he even know the word depressing?? We really did LOVE his teacher this year.  It was her first year, which made me nervous because I've been there.  But she was amazing.  Way better than me my first year!  Perfect for him. He behaved well for her and learned so much!!!  I'm so glad we repeated Kindie.  Otherwise I'd have a 3rd grader on my hands.  It's sad enough that I already have a 2nd grader and will have to say goodbye in 11 years.  Depressing, even. 

As Promised

Why have I just discovered my newest sister-in-law's blog? Well, she did a post about our beach trip, which I know is like so mid-2011, but I did promise that any blog post I found containing anything to do with us would be copied and pasted here. And heaven knows I will likely never do my own beach posts, so here is another blog-lifted beach post from a different perspective.

Side Note: My kids are hilarious. Just today they have each cracked me up.

Harrison at dinner when I said anyone who eats a strip of bell pepper will get a quarter. "Mom, that is not very motivating for me." (He's 7)

Elizabeth at church while I was holding her and rubbing her back and I asked if she could tell how much I loved her said, "Yes, but I'm not positive or negative that I love you." Also when Nate commented that my outfit looked a lot like something a friend at church would wear (quite a compliment in opinion) Elizabeth said, "Except that she always has on a little yellow. Like yellow shoes or a yellow necklace." It's true, this friend does wear lots of yellow accents. Crazy that my 5 year old would notice that.

Johnny has added to his knock knock joke repertoire. Thus far it's just been "Knock, knock." We say, "Who's there?" He says, "Cow." We say, "Cow who?" He says, "Moo!" Well as of this morning he has added "Monkey/Ooh, ooh, ahh, ahh" and "Frog/Ribbit." We've never even taught him that a frog says ribbit. I think he learned it from his favorite show that he requests in his best DJ Lance voice "Yoooo Ga Ga." But seriously, how many not-even-two-year-olds do you know that make up and tell knock knock jokes? Glad to see we've got another entertaining extrovert on our hands. Really don't know what we'd do with a shy kid!

Ok, don't forget the link about the beach! Quick, someone else blog something about us so I don't have to!