Slackers in blogging... not in life

• My computer is still broken and I'm so unbelievably frustrated using Dan's computer to find pictures. Where and Why does a PC store 3 copies of a picture downloaded? Its so confusing.  Anyway, here's some updates and some phone photos.  I'm hoping to get my computer fixed soon and up and running with some new pictures.  

 

• Dan opened an office! He found out on a Wednesday and was there full time on Friday. His name was on the door in a week. We are so proud of him as he is working immensely hard. His hours have paid off and will continue to do so in the next few months and years. Dan is busy, but its good. Come visit and send potential clients (wink!).

• Ari is 3! (And it shows!) She's learning new things every day and is so very smart. She is helpful and yet makes major disasters around the house. We are de-cluttering and rearranging upstairs and she loves their new big room where they can make messes and she can read books in her chair.  Her heart is growing big and her sweet spirit shines through. For example, she prayed for Ashlyn to "feel better, in this moment" and she said she'll love her new sibling.  Ari has a spirited side and her opinion is fierce.  (I love the leader we're shaping).  She loves to paint, eat, help in the kitchen, collect random trinkets and hoard them in various containers. She currently loves Tinkerbell and a tiny babydoll she received from a friend.  

•  Ashlyn is 19 months or so and is what I'll gently say: a roller coaster. First she's high and so adorable, family clown, making us laugh and loving sweetly. The next minute (literally), she's flailing, screaming, screeching, whining, unhappy and feisty.  The highs are memorable but the lows are soul-crushing (I sound extreme but it is true and the last week has been so tough).  I know its a stage and it will get better but we're trying our best to rear the child to control her temper and walking on egg shells to see what will tick her off.  It will get better, I know.  She has a great vocabulary is continuing to impress us with her communication skills. She also sleeps and naps well and will even ask me to go take a nap...How can I resist this sweet thing? 

 

• We're 23 weeks along in our pregnancy and we found out last week that IT IS A BOY! We screamed in the ultra sound room and cheered so loudly that a nurse came by to check in on us.  We are thrilled (we would have been too if it was a girl... but to be honest, we were really really excited it is a boy). He is healthy and growing like a baby should.   I feel okay. Heartburn and tailbone pain are my biggest complaints and if anyone wants to go for cheeseburgers and fries, I'm game pretty much any hour of the day.  We're still due at the end of May and are gearing up to make his entrance as  sweet as possible.  And we'll be blessed by family and friends too with gifts, showers and hand-me-downs.  We're so grateful for the people in our lives. Katie (Dan's sister) has been here for a few months trying to land a job and I'm secretly grateful she hasn't because she's been helpful putting away dishes, cleaning my kid's faces and watching them on nights I have to work and Dan has late meetings.  We'll miss her (and access to a second car) when and if she moves. Well, I hear one girl asking for a 'nack... my time is up. Our days are filled working and raising these two hooligans and we wouldn't want it any other way.  

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