The latest

I have been a blogging slacker. Slacker, slacker, slacker! :-) The problem with blogging is once you're behind, you feel hopeless to catch up. So I will briefly bullet some details.

We took our family vacation to MT this past week. Stayed with our adopted grandma, Betty, and saw many many good old friends-turned family. I definitely felt like my cup overflowed hundreds of times, with each interaction from the past. I didn't know I needed this rejuvenation, but it was amazing!

-I got to meet 2 new babies, and 3 more babies I hadn't met! I love babies!

-Had a pinnocle reunion with my most dear competitive gal pals

-Had lots of dinners with friends we had done a lot of LIFE with and have grown spiritually close to

-Fell in love with wild west Montana all over again. I think we were crazy to move!

-Got to see everyone at church, and was so relieved to see the church is thriving after much change.

-Laughed and laughed and laughed

-Also.......got the phone call that we bought a house!

The house thing is a big miracle. Many of you know the whole story. We had pursued buying a house just recently with the promised tax credit. Everything fell into place so fast, and the house we fell in love with seemed impossible! It was a "short sale" or preforeclosure, also known as "very long sale." Our realtor who is not a believer gave us practically no hope that the bank could approve the deal in under 30 days. Normal time frame is 4-12 months. It just doesn't happen! So 2 1/2 weeks after we made an offer, it was approved! It was inspected today and we plan to close in 2 weeks. Crazy! New house in time for new baby, what miracles! As always, please come visit us in Wisconsin, we definitely have room now!!!

In other news, we get to "view" our new little one tomorrow. Jason can't wait to find out what she is, but I am in no hurry. Sooo, after tomorrow night anyone who wants to know can beg, hound, bribe Jason. :-) Just don't tell me if you find out!

Have a great Easter! HE LIVES!!!!!!! He chose to sacrifice everything so we can live forever! I like to ponder Mary's reaction when she realized He was alive!

A picture post

This is to catch up on pictures. Since our computer gliched, I haven't been able to upload pics by my own expertise. So when Jason is kind enough to do it for me, I update. :-) The product is randomness.

This represents potty training Jonas. He took to it right away and I am so thankful we are all but done! Dry nights, dry naps, only very occasional accidents! Great job little J! However, now with 2 toddlers standing to go potty, I have to clean my toilet/floor/walls multiple times a day. FUN! Since the boys have heard about the new baby coming, they are very into playing "dolls" with their animals! They all have names and are nurtured very well. I am hoping Jonas doesn't handle the new baby by the neck, but he is trying! (from L to R: Kissy bear, Benjamin, Jacob, and Lamby. :-) They are warming up by the fire, obviously.

Temperatures have been milder, so we have been taking lots of strolls to go climb snowbanks! It is so nice to have an outlet to burn lots of energy, particularly for the little people.

Caedmon has a little keyboard and I have tried about 3 times to have a mini piano lesson with him. All of us girls started when we were 3, but I will definitely not be homeschooling if it goes like the piano lessons! I'm not even sure he knows where middle "C" is yet!

This is one of my new favorite pictures. It is more of a moment in time, representing this stage in our lives. I am treasuring their adoration for their dad, Jason's willingness to have FUN with them, and the silliness that 2 little boys bring to our lives.

My sweet Jonas has such a loving temperament. Even as he is jumping the gun on the terrible twos, his disposition is still so enthusiastic and childlike. He will cuddle your socks off and melt your heart.

I couldn't believe how old Caedmon looked in this picture. Yikes! I am loving watching him learn. He absorbs so much, and you can see him meditate deeply as he processes new information. Last night the toaster set off the fire alarm for about a minute. Caedmon became obsessed with what happened, why it happened, how it happened. He has brought it up no less than 30 times since, and has dialogued about it with his toys. Love this bright kid! And that's us in a nutshell.

spring fever

I am somewhat less than inspired to write lately. Part of it is not having any cute uploaded pictures to write about. Mostly though I think I'm just lazy. But I am determined not to prove my sister right that I won't keep up a blog.

Our lives have been feeling sick, house hunting, and house hunting. It is a very overwhelming process! We have found several homes we like only to have them have major problems that outweigh their cheap prices, or they have sold out from under us. God has a house for us so we are trying to be patient. We have an excellent realtor and have enjoyed it so far. I am hoping after buying a house that Wisconsin will start to feel more like home.

The weather is finally a bit warmer, so we often take walks to go play on snowbanks. A couple days ago the boys happened upon a 20 foot long puddle of melted snow. They ran back and forth splashing for about 20 minutes until their soaked muddy snow clothes gave them frostbite. Hot chocolates all around.

Jonas' new phrases are "no yet!" in a very stern voice, meaning 'not yet', and "ogoat" for yogurt. He loves his ogoat! Caedmon has been frustrated lately that Jonas is catching up to him developmentally. He wants Jonas not to be able to say words properly, and to respond to him like he did when he was a baby. I told Caedmon when the baby comes the baby will think Caedmon is very funny and he will "waugh" for you.

Both Caed and Jonas have taken a big interest in this baby. I saw them with their monkeys stuffed up their shirts last night, and they have started playing "dolls" with their animals a lot more. They are convinced it is a brother! Their eyes got big when they got to hear the heartbeat today. They keep pulling up my shirt thinking maybe they'll be able to see it.

That's about it from our land. We are all feeling ready for spring, biking, and parks!!!