New Old House

One of the best things about this pregnancy has been our house.

Last time, we had no basement and our roof leaked. There was no bedroom for the baby and so Jackson slept with us until he got too big, and then slept in the dining room.

The dining room was where the roof was leaking, so Jackson's crib was in a space full of buckets collecting water during the winter and spring months.

It was awful.

But slowly, magically our old flat roofed house...

full of leaks...

got a new roof and basement...

and it has felt new to me ever since.

Thank you for my new old house.

Miss baby girl Bennett, get out of my body.

Sweet Innocence

Ahh, young love.


Me and David 12/2006, pre-marriage & pre-engagement.


David looks about 10 years younger!

Baby Girl Bennett... I want you to come early!

Costa Rica Flashback

In 2005, my sister Heather and I went on a trip to Costa Rica.

It is definitely on my top 5 list of favorite vacations, ever.


Look at this volcano! We traveled all over the country by rented car.




Hmm... maybe I should cut my hair short and dye it blond again...

I took so many pictures of flowers, I was asked if I was a botanist.



1 1/2 weeks until Baby Bennett.

Cowboy Boots!

Aunt Staci found Jackson these adorable cowboy boots at the local thrift store (D.I.) for $4.





She gave them to him at Aunt Heather's, where we had a wonderful 24th of July dinner.

Best $4 gift EVER! :)

Jasper happenings

I finally got some of the baby stuff out, including this basinette. Jackson saw it and quickly ran and put a doll inside.

This is a doll that Jasper had when he was a baby. Jackson affectionately calls him "baby Jasper"

Jasper has had such a full summer and it is coming quickly to an end.

• Tomorrow he heads off to Scout camp for an entire week.
• The week after that Football practice starts, 5-6 days a week.
• Then 7th grade starts!

Just last week I took him to get his 7th grade immunizations and a physical exam for boy scouts.

Not surprisingly, he is in the 98th percentile for height (5'7" and 1/4"), and in the 92th percentile for weight (133 lbs). He is big. I have to brag about this because little Jackson is destined to be below the 30th percentile for his entire life.

Question: What is the point of giving birth to a 10 lb baby, if it doesn't pay off later on?

Answer : There is no point.

Here's hoping my little girl is not so chunky.

I'm super excited/nervous for Jasper to start Middle School. He's just growing up too fast.

Lately he won't let me take many pictures of him, so I have to post what I can get. He's gonna love me for these.

2 weeks left!

Two weeks left of this pregnancy. What better way to celebrate than to head off to the local zoo?

Jasper took off with Jackson and showed him all the cool animals.
Although Jasper might think the zoo is boring lately, he was a good sport and a great big brother to Jacks.






Jackson getting crowded out by another little girl, both anxious to see if they are as big as a gorilla.

(he's not)

Can't pass up the lion drinking fountain!




Or a shoulder ride with Dad!

Overall, the zoo was fun. Especially for Jackson.

It was super hot and I looked for benches in the shade, more than I looked for animals. :)

Really Pregnant

I'm 9 months pregnant. That came fast! I have 3 weeks left and I'm feeling it.

However this pregnancy has been MUCH easier than my first, and I'm not sure if its because I exercised, because its a different sex, because its not my first, or because I'm only working part-time... probably a combination.

Whatever the reason, it has been a good pregnancy, and this little girl moves A LOT.

Jackson and I just finished our last Mom and Tot swimming class a week ago.

I don't know if I'm brave or crazy to have ventured out like this, but Jackson enjoyed it.

Jasper on the other hand did not enjoy his forced swimming lessons, but they are over now too, thank goodness!

Jackson and I ventured out to Classic Waterslides a few weeks ago (they have a great summer pass deal, too great to resist). We had a good time, until Jackson and I got stuck on a waterslide.

He was scared about the slide to begin with. He wouldn't sit on my lap on our way down the slide, so he clung to my neck, and as we rounded a curve I fell onto my back. No big deal except I have no stomach muscles and a baby clinging to my neck! I couldn't sit up for the life of me!

I wiggled and he screamed with his face stuck in the water and me on my back. I cried out to "stop the ride" only to remember it's not a ride that can be stopped. Finally I wiggled my way to a sitting up position and made it down the rest of the slide. Poor Jackson was so horrified that he laid on his towel and refused to budge the rest of our time there, even for candy.

But, I would pay a lot of money to see the whole thing replayed. I know it looked hilarious.

Poor guy!

4 years!

I can't believe its been 4 years!

I love you sweetie pie.

(Our honeymoon)

4th Amendment

Jasper recently got back from a 4 day camping trip with Grandpa McKinnon. He had a lot of fun, and when I asked him what was his favorite part of the trip, his answer was, of course "shooting guns."

My dad went with 3 of his friends, and those friends brought their kids or grand kids. They also brought lots of horses, and guns for shooting targets. David and I stayed home with Jackson.

I can't think of anything more fun for a 12 year old boy (besides Xbox of course)!

In preparation for the trip, Grandpa packed for days before, loading up the horse trailer and camper. He never packs light to camp.

A couple of days before the trip, we met at a restaurant to celebrate Grandpa's birthday, and we also brought Jasper's gun for him to pack up. In the parking lot we transferred the gun from our vehicle to his, and I explained to Jasper that we should probably wrap the gun up in a blanket and not just carry it out in plain sight in the middle of a parking lot.

Jasper: Why not?

Me: Because you can't just walk around with guns. Even if it has a lock on it and no bullets, and the safety is on.

Jasper: Why not?

Me: Because its scary and people get freaked.

Jasper: Well I'll just pull out my 4th amendment on them then!

Me: Smile

The 4th amendment guards against unreasonable searches and seizures.

Jasper meant the 2nd amendment, which protects the right for people to keep and bear arms.

But I thought it was pretty clever anyway!

Picture below is of Jasper a week before the trip, doing some practice riding.