Finally! The Big Announcement...

I think it is safe to put it on my blog now. I am pretty sure we have told the people we need to tell. This time around, we didn't think of kitchy ways to spill the beans. We just said it. So that is what I'll do here, too.

WE'RE HAVING ANOTHER BABY!!! Yes, I am very excited. Kynzie had been praying for another baby for quite some time. We have yet to find out whether it will be the girl she's been reequesting. We are only about 9 weeks along. No, I am not as sick as I was with the twins. Probably means there is only one... or I am just better adjusted this time???

I love to be pregnant. I love it even more when I don't feel sick anymore. I am going back to all my favorite pregnancy books and websites, refreshing my memory for this season in my life. It seems like it will take forever at the beginning, but then 9 months goes quickly.

Thank you, Lord, for this new life you have blessed us with...

Branson Vacation, Day whatever (Friday)

So, I realize I have been so delinquent in updating this blog that no one really cares about our last day in Branson over a month ago. But I am still going to post it. It just doesn't seem like I can allow myself to post other things till I finish what I started.

After staying up a little later on Thursday evening, preparing the condo for our check out in the morning, we woke up Friday morning to tornado possibilities. We kept one eye on the weather stations while trying to make breakfast, eat it, feed it to children, clean it up, and finish packing.

There were a couple of fairly frigtening moments, but it seemed that all the worst went on by. Now, would the rain, rain go away long enough to allow us to enjoy some time at Silver Dollar City? We packed all our stuff, loaded the kids in the van, checked out, and decided to take our chances.

We rode the train, and the kids enjoyed that, but the babies didn't care much for the train robbing show they put on; they felt it was too long. But it was hilarious because all the actors were baffled when one of the audience participators didn't answer a question as they expected.

Kynzie rode her first roller coaster, adn she's hooked. I knew she would be - after her mother's own roller coaster-ridin' heart. Max wasn't quite as brave this time around, which we also expected. But he did enjoy some of the more mild rides.

It rained off and on most of the day, mostly a sprinkling rain. We had umbrellas and a waterproof blanket I threw over the strollers while we waited at rides and such. We had a good time all-in-all. Two of the grown-up roller coasters were closed, one due to an unfortunate vomitting situation and the other due to rain. Delainey was only able to ride a few of the other grown-up rides, but, as usual, she was a great sport.

Scott took both girls on Fire in the Hole... I think Kynzie was a little unsure about how she felt on that one... Here they are right after that one.


Here are the boys having a little snack in the strollers underneath the waterproof blanket.

Branson Vacation, Day 4 (Thursday)

Thursday was a beautiful day! Would have been perfect for Silver Dollar City had it been open. We booked our time in Branson without checking the schedule for Silver Dollar City first. It just didn't occur to me that the park actually might be closed in May. But it was. Closed May 4th - 7th. Anyway, more about that in Friday's post.

Thursday, we visited the fish hatchery, the kids and Scott played miniature golf and played at the park, toured The Butterfly Palace, and finally had dinner out (the only time at a restaurant on our vacation) at a Japanese steakhouse.

Notable things here - Kynzie still talks about how much she loved the mirror maze at The Butterfly Palace. She also enjoyed the 3-D Life Cycle of a Butterfly movie they showed. Max still remembers how much he did not care for the maze.

Dennis did not mind when they set the table ablaze at the Japanese steakhouse (teppanyaki [sp?] style). Daniel, however, cried both when the chef did it at our table as well as at the next table. The funny thing is the waitress asked if we wanted to cover the babies' eyes right before he did it, but I didn't realize why she was saying that. I thought it was odd. But she said the babies always cry. Only half of ours did.

I think most of these butterfly pics were taken by Delainey. I know the first one of the blue and brown butterfly is hers. It took a long time and several shots for her to get one of that particular butterfly with wings open.

Branson Vacation, Day 3 (Wednesday)

Let's see whether I can remember Wednesday... I think our sleep in time was closer to 9 - 9:30. Breakfast, lounging, lunch. Duttons afternoon show. Dennis did not think it was fair that we were asking him to sit quietly and watch this show. And he let us know about it until he fell asleep in the last 5 - 10 minutes. So I spent a few songs walking around the lobby with him. But what I did see of the show, I really did enjoy. I think it may be the most family friendly show in town. And by family friendly I mean price-wise more than anything else. I think we only paid for two adult tickets and the kids were all free.

Mother Dutton, Sheila, said she had seven children and adopted seven more teenagers. So, I think that is why they are more sympathetic to the financial plight of families, especially larger families.

After that show, I think we visited the Amish store. I was looking for a couple of specific spices but only found one. I love the knives they sell there. I think we went home for naps and dinner then walked around by the river and shops in the newer Branson Landing area. There is a cool water and lights display there. We had dessert, and listened to a Native American man play renditions of famous songs on his wind pipe (?) thing. Pretty good, really.

Pet Squirrel, Homeschool Coop, Sleeping Beauty and Baby, and Other Random Cuteness

First, the random cuteness. One morning, Max discovered a way to climb into Daniel's crib. This is not something I normally condone, but Daniel LOVED having Max in there with him, especially when Max would jump up and down. Just adorable. In the second picture, you can kind of see Daniel's glee.

I put Dennis on the floor to change his diaper, and Misty mimicked the position next to me. Dennis loves, loves, loves the dog and thought it was awesome. Kynzie thought it was a great time to pet Misty, of course.

Kynzie began a new, simple chore chart and thrived immediately. She looked at the pictures and went right to work, getting dressed (she did pick out her own clothes as well), brushing her hair and teeth, and sweeping the floor among other things. She took it very seriously. She barely wanted to take the time to give me her normal smile-for-the-camera face in the second picture. A very proud mamma am I! Go Kynzie!

We didn't really have a pet squirrel, but it seemed as though we might. This little guy sort of imprinted on Scott and even rode around a bit on the top of Scott's shoe at one point. It was a little bizarre, really. We think he must have lost his mother. Delainey, Kynzie, and Scott peeled some whirly gig (?) seeds for the baby squirrel to eat and brought some water for him to drink. He left, roaming away even into neighbor's yards. Then, much later, found his way back to Scott (while Scott was working on the brakes). So strange. Eventually, after they had all pet him, Scott helped him back up into his tree, and he lived happily ever after. We hope.

The kids in my class at coop think it is great fun to remove the seats from the infant seating table and stand in the 'holes' to eat their snack. It also prevents the babies from being able to share their snacks with them when they sit on the floor. So, here are Kynzie and Max and one of their good friends.

One day while the kids were eating their snack in this manor, Daniel sized up the situation and decided he wanted in on the action at the table too. And all of the sudden his little head popped up through one of the holes! It was too cute! He started looking around for his share of the big kid snack. We had to give him something for his effort, so he scored some O's.

Here is Dennis at Coop having his snack the more traditional way.

Max held the honorable position as assistant to the bell-ringer at Coop. One of the teachers let him ring the bell first hour to let everyone know when they only had 5 minutes left in class. He loved this job and did it quite well. He knew how to hold the bell without letting it clang, as he is demonstrating in this photo.

Delainey spent some time holding Daniel for me during the fever portion of his illness recently. She must have been comfy cuddling 'cause she fell fast alseep along with Daniel. She looks as though she is awake in the second photo, but she really isn't. She didn't even know I took pictures of her until I showed her later. I thought it depicted a super sweet sister moment. Oh, and she is a beauty, isn't she?