Home Time

Oma and Opa left us and I am back on my own. It was the cutest thing watching E say goodbye. Oma and Opa had loaded up in the car and were about to pull out when E raced to the drive way and shuted "Wait Opa and Oma! Don't leave!" Then she ran down the drive and had me lift her up to give them a kiss through the window. It was such a fun a helpful visit and I am looking forward to them coming back in August for Duke's birthday. It's strange being alone after having had Jakob home (Since May 1st) and then traveling and having company. Everything is so quiet but we are keeping busy. 

Things were a bit too quiet in our house and I couldn't find Duke. Quiet is bliss but when you have children quiet is just suspicious. I looked for him for quite a while I checked the garage, downstairs thinking somehow he may have opened the door. Just when I started panicking I heard a little chirp from the corner. Duke had found a spot that he could just barely fit into.

When Oma is here we have a ton of fresh fruit. There is nothing quite like waffles with fresh whipping cream and fruit! 

Duke is officially in a crib now. He had out grown his pack n play and he is super excited about being a big boy... maybe he's too big. 

We have two lazy susans in this house and Duke {loves} to get in there and find some treats.

We like to bring in the slide and jump off of it onto the couch.

1....2....3!

So much fun!

This is the life! I was laying in bed last night i I just started bawling out of happiness. I have been so abundantly blessed. I have tow beautiful and healthy children. I have an amazing husband who loves, supports and respects me. He has a job full of potential that makes him happy. We are in a new and exciting city just waiting to be explored. We have a wonderful home to call ours temporarily. I have an amazing family on both sides who make my world a better place and are so helpful, supportive and encouraging. I have talents that bring me joy and allow me to create. I have the gospel which brings such joy into my life I can't describe.  I am blessed.

Mama van den Berge's Birthday

My Mama got to spend her 25th birthday with us! I felt so bad that we didn't have a big bash but with moving and all of the chaos that comes with it just wasn't happening. Mom assured me that it was fine and so we kept things pretty simple. 

We got some steaks from Costco which were mmmm mmmm GOOD! We finally own a little BBQ! Let me tell you I have seen the light! So the men did their thing outside. 

Little Manfred played peek-a-boo while the boys were outside. Talk about the sweetest smile!

There was no rest for this birthday girl. She was cooking up a storm!

Dinner: Steak, baked potatoes, asparagus, and fried mushrooms. SOOO delicious!!

Daddy was ready to dig in!

Mama and I went to a bakery and got some gourmet cupcakes E helped pick them out and was so excited to taste them all!

 Happy Birthday Oma!!

Of course E had the one with pink sparkles!

There were lots of kisses for the birthday girl!

Have I mentioned how much I love these two?

Mama insisted that we not get her any presents and I was going crazy. I figured that if I couldn't get her a present then I had better make her a bomb.com card. 

I made her a little mail box and inside were letters from each of her kiddos.

I made up little envelopes. 

 

And we wrote down 57 reasons why we love Mama. (One for each year.)

I don't think that I could have gotten her a better present. She loved it!

It was a wonderful low key evening spent together. Happy Birthday Mama! I hope you felt special and loved! We love you we do, we do!

Duke's Busy Board

I usually have a list of things I need done around the house for my Dad when he comes to visit. I call it my Daddy-Do List. He is the handiest man I know and can fix just about anything. I usually like to have a project on the go too so I figured I'd put Daddy in charge of a busy board full of locks and latches for Duke. Normally we would just hunt through the garage for odds and ends that would work but since we had just moved we had nothing we went on the hunt at Home Depot and Lowes. He was like a kid in a candy store. He was bubbling with ideas and it was the cutest thing. 

Then it was time to map out our plan. 

Then it was time for me to paint.

While I did that Opa was busy rewiring a light and hooking it up to a switch. Then the face plate was too big so he cut that down with an xacto knife. Don't worry, he still had all of his fingers after this project. 

Finished painting and now it's time to start assembling!

Mom was working hard too!

And she's done!

 I can't even tell you how in love with it I am!

 Two lights. The penguin is a simple push light and the top light is connected to the switch. Nice work Daddy! All of that soldering worked!

 And the door that opens.

I think we need to put a picture behind here or maybe a mirror? I am so in love with it! I can't wait to give it to him for his birthday!