Where have we been?!?!?!?

For anyone wondering why in the WORLD it has taken so long to have another blog post (all 3 of you!)...I apologize! 

The past few months have been a whirlwind around our house and I will try to briefly (or not so briefly) catch up!

In March, we found out that Rich's company was sending him to a week long conference in Washington, D.C. Since my home town is only about a 3.5-4 hour drive from there, the kids and I quickly got our plane tickets, packed our bags, and came with! It was SO WONDERFUL to be home for about a week and see my family. We are all incredibly close on my mom's side and the last time I had been home, it was Thanksgiving of 2010 and Matty was just a few months old. Rich drove us up to my mom's place and the kids and I stayed there while he was at his work conference. We had an awesome time (and my family spoiled my kids ROTTEN!) and then Rich, myself, and the kids went to D.C. for about 2 days of just touring and sight-seeing. It was great! Gorgeous weather, cherry blossoms in full bloom...absolutely lovely! We didn't get to do nearly the things we wanted to - children don't care very much for museums! :-) It was our first and only family vacation pretty much ever (outside of going to see family). The plane ride with 2 little kids and a pregnant mommy, though...not doing that again for a LONG TIME! 

After we arrived home, the pregnancy nesting really came in full force. I grew up with a mother who faithfully spring cleaned her house from top to bottom every single year. I had never been able to fully do that to our home here so I was DETERMINED to get it done before I get too big, too tired, or restricted. I am STILL spring cleaning but slowly getting there. So, the past month or so of being MIA on here, I've been cleaning out kitchen cabinets, closets, drawers, etc... I probably watch "Hoarders" too much - I'm in a major purging mood. I can't stand clutter and "knick-knacks" of any kind so I've been pretty strict on my "get rid of" pile. It's very freeing but taking FOREVER! As soon as I make some headway, something comes up (or little hands are undoing everything I'm trying to clean and organize!). I came back home and soon we were battling some bad colds. Then allergy season hit early in Colorado, and I was in bed for a day or two with a horrible sinus infection with very little I could take due to the pregnancy. Finally back on my feet, the pregnancy exhaustion hit again. Some days I could hardly make it to the kids' nap time before I'd have to collapse on the couch and just rest or sleep. This is probably the worst I've ever had it. Everything is starting earlier - Braxton Hicks, exhaustion, aches and pains, expanding rapidly...And of course I have a few KIND HEARTED women at my church that act like I am the largest pregnant woman they have ever seen. Add to that my defense of "I've actually only gained 4 pounds" and you'd think I said I sprouted wings and a 2nd head. I'm getting close to seriously hitting someone.

So, that is what is going on. Since finding out that our precious little baby is another boy, I've been pulling out all of the baby clothes out of our back storage/guest room in the basement and sorting. The good boy clothes are all washed in Dreft (HEAVENLY SCENT!!! It's almost as good as smelling baby lotion!), line dried, and sorted into age appropriate bags. The used things are in bags for Good Will. Then all of the girl clothes are being sorted into "donate" and "sell" bags. This is our last baby for our family (9 months of vomiting x 3 children = a lot of stress on the body!) so the dreams of another baby girl are over. I've been incredibly, INCREDIBLY emotional with this pregnancy. I never used to cry...now the stupidest little thing sets me off. I'd be sorting Cae's old newborn onesies and just burst into tears. I see a Pampers commercial and bawl. I look through Cae's baby album and sob. It's borderline ridiculous and sometimes I'm laughing at myself as I'm crying. My poor husband - he's not used to this side of me! ;-) 

That, in a nutshell, is our lives right now! I'll do separate posts on the kids b/c it seems like they have been changing and growing before my eyes, especially the last few days! I am in full "baby prep" mode, with mental lists, goals, and timelines. Rich is working on a huge outdoor sandbox in the backyard for the kiddos to play in (we have a park about 8-10 minutes walking distance from our house but I've just been too exhausted to push 70+ pounds of children there). We are TALKING (just talking, mind you!) of getting a Golden Retriever puppy for the kids, most likely AFTER the baby comes, so the "puppy fund" has begun. We are trying to prepare for a yard sale in the next month or so, and we have my beloved aunt flying out to visit us for a week starting next Tuesday. I've been trying to tie up loose ends at church with different ministry responsibilities and be 20 steps ahead so it will be seamless when the baby comes and I have to step down for a time. Lots to do (sometimes even busier than when I was teaching full time!) but we are so thankful for what the Lord is doing in our family and in our lives! The blessings just keep coming! :-)