Countdown

The countdown is on!!! We have just a few more weeks until the big day. Pants is excited and we are too....a bit nervous/anxious as to how the dynamic will change in the house, but we are ready. We've been busy preparing, organizing, cleaning and packing. Pants had 6 days off of school this past weekend so she's been home. We had Thanksgiving with Nana while daddy traveled and now we are ready for the week to start. I can't believe it will be December this week.....where has the year gone!?!?!? She thought the little bit of snow we had was the best thing ever and was pretty sad when it all melted.....I told her not to worry as there would be P.L.E.N.T.Y. of it over the next 5+ months.

We will keep you updated on everything and I will try to post a couple more times before baby gets here!! We're up to weekly appointments finally and all is well....apparently we're growing this one big....

She has mastered the game of Kings in the Corner and made dozens of Christmas cookies already. The tree has presents under it and we are waiting to see if Santa thought she was naughty or nice this year.....

Mommy is actually more worried as to how the dog will react with the new baby...I am pretty sure she thinks she's the baby now.

Preparation

We've been busy preparing for Fall, Winter and the arrival of our new little man. I can't believe how fast time has flown by since school started. Miss Pants absolutely LOVES school. She claims that lunch and recess are her favorite, but between her reading abilities beginning to sprout and her math comprehension she has been practicing daily, I have an inkling that she likes more than just lunch and recess :)

We almost are ready for baby to arrive.....car seat is here, crib is ready, recliner (for Daddy and his 3 kids) is on layaway and we should be able to get it after Thanksgiving, itty bitty clothes are washed and put away, Nana has her vacation time scheduled and Mama is trying to rest as much as she can!! We have a feeling it will be the most magical Christmas!!

Pants had a great MEA weekend with her best Nana....the baked, read, went to the pumpkin patch, played games, and hopefully got a lot of rest!!!

I will try to keep this updated better as the Holidays approach...we had our last family of 3 pics taken and are anticipating our first family of 4 ones after little man gets here!!!

Misc.....

First Day of School 2011

She's officially in Kindergarten now!

It's a .....

BOY! We had a great Dr. appointment Friday and found out that we are expecting a boy along with more importantly that everything looks great and he's right on track. What a blessing.

Pants has been busy shopping for Kindergarten and her new baby brother :) I can't believe she starts school in less that a month...now I'm not so sure that I'm ready!

Big News!

Yikes. Are you ready!?

Way too long....pics of the 5 year old!!!!

Can you believe Pants on the Loose is 5. Oy. Watch out Kindergarten!!! We've survived a dance recital, prechool graduation, her 5th bday party and are hoping for a peaceful summer!? I have NO idea where she gets her sass!!

Miss Pants has new paint!

Here are a few pics of before and after....Her bedroom and bathroom look at least twice the size they did before with that ridiculous paint!! Her bathroom was purple...like almost Vikings purple. We are waiting on a new Birthday bed for the finishing touch, but I will post more pics then!! It took 2 heavy coats on the ceiling, 2 heavy coats of primer and one good coat of "Super Paint" from Sherwin Williams to cover all of that crap up. In BOTH rooms!! Now I come to realize that all of the ceilings will need to be painted as we move forward....I think it's time to work on outside work!!!

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Movie Time...Saturday night.....can you find the doggie :)

During the process.....

Prettiest girl in the WHOLE WORLD! Trying out her summer clothes....the warm weather can't come fast enough!!

My shiny new stove....probably one of the main things in this entire house that works right!

Hopefully after Friday, our water problem (on that side of the basement) is solved. Lord help me if it's not. For those that have listened to the freaking out, complaining, crying on and on and on....I owe you guys BIG TIME.

Pictures

Miss Pants on the Loose....freshly home from Noodles and in her jammies!

Here are a few pictures of our very own "Money Pit". Our awesome fireplace :) WOOHOO! Too bad there is too much crap in front of it now to use!

A little bit of water and rotten wood...

Source of water....point of entry.....getting fixed Friday.

Really big NOT GREAT hornets nest in the floor truss area.....removed last Monday.....

Wow

It's been too long since I've blogged. Boy, do we have a lot to tell. I can't find my camera to upload pictures, but will hopefully find it this week. February was crazy...we took the plunge (and what a plunge it's turned out to be) and bought a house. Glad to have our own space, but it seems like all that could go wrong has happened in the first 2 weeks we've lived here.....We got the crud, strep throat, coughing, etc. Pants missed school, daycare and a few nights of activities, Dad got to relax in the sunshine while Pants and I tried to unpack, keep the water out of the basement, fix a sink, pick shingle colors out for a new roof, shovel snow, fix a clogged drier vent, go on 400 trips to Lowe's and Menard's....you get the picture.

Needless to say, we are READY for spring....although it will consist of a lot of raking and re-grading around the house, it is ours and we can fix what needs to be fixed the right way and know that it will last. That is one thing we are excited about....lots of $$$ but at least we know it will pay for itself in the long run. A safe, warm, beautiful home that we can be proud of.

Pants has been growing like a weed. We had Kindergarten round up a week ago and she is super excited to go all day and ride the bus! I am pretty sure Nana will take that day off and worry about her the entire 8 hours she is gone :)

She also moved up to the next level in gymnastics, which we are so proud of her for!! She wants to start swimming lessons, but we need to get the dance recital out of the way first. Pants also has a nice new swing set/playground in the back yard as well that she is excited to use. This is the first time we've had a yard and anything for her to do outside since we've had her. Sad, but it's also made purchasing this place worth it for her happiness. We are looking forward to lots of summers of grilling out, having fires and s'mores with family and friends!!

January.....

No pictures this time...we are recovering....I can hardly believe it is the end of January! We made it through one month of 2011-that is an accomplishment in itself! We are looking forward to February--finishing up ice skating lessons and progressing in dance and gymnastics. Recital outfits are picked out and ordered :) We are on to planning what types of treats Miss Pants will be sharing at daycare and school.
On a side note.....she is quite musically inclined. LOVES to play the keyboard we have and listening to music all of the time. Hoping she has the desire to play the piano :) Now we just need to get a real one!

Videos!

WE ARE SO PROUD!

Our first day of ice skating lessons! P and buddy T did AWESOME! We are so proud. A few tears, but I can guarantee at 4 1/2 the last thing I would have done is go ice skating much less done so well the first time!