One of Many

I am so proud of Matt. One of our many projects was to build a gigantic deck off the back of the house. Let me tell you, I would never have called Matt handy before, but he is now Bob Villa in my eyes :)

The planning probably took just as long, if not longer, than the actual build. Second step, delivery of materials. That, I must say, did not go off without a hitch. Lowes brought the special order, but didn't deliver any of the special order pieces, and failed to tell us that they were not being delivered as planned. Oh, minor kink since my dad was driving up from out of town to build this with Matt. No worries, after a day of calling literally 30 lumber places who laughed at us every time we asked if they had any of the boards in stock...we were able to locate the boards we needed and they were only a 1.5 hour drive away. Oh, just kidding - the boards were 24 feet long - no way to get them -

After lots, and I mean lots, of frank talk with Lowes, they did deliver - literally- they had their truck drive the 1.5 hour trip and were able to deliver part of the wood 2 days later and the rest of it several days later...so my dad and Matt were able to squeak by and finish most everything before Matt left out of town on business.

Third step- build - well not really - Matt had to plan out exactly where all the support beams would go, and dig post holes - fill with concrete - and attach the posts to these babies. Yep, there were 16! And if you know anything about Austin - you know that we literally sit on rock - so digging these 16+ inches was no simple task. We did luck out...as our sprinkler guys were finishing up reworking the lines - they offered to pour the concrete for Matt, so in about 15 minutes they had all the concrete mixed and poured saving Matt hours of work.

Next up went all the ledger boards and frame. And if you can't tell by now, our yard has all kinds of slopes and hills (that seem subtle -that is until you build something that needs to be level). Again - props to Matt on the planning!

Dad - couldn't have done this without you! My dad really is Bob Villa in his own right. This man built two rooms onto our house growing up - and renovated our cabin that was seriously damaged by fire. He knows just about everything there is to know about everything! We were so glad to have him here, and although I tried to keep him from doing to much - he of course did too much! He really did help Matt to have confidence in the things he had never done before and taught him a thing or two along the way.

It was so fun to see the joists go up and to see it begin to take shape.

Everybody pitched in! Including me. I couldn't do much - obviously no lifting boards - but I kept the kids out of the way as best I could - filled up water and tea glasses - sorted screws - helped snap chalk lines - and caught smaller boards as they fell off from being sawed. The boys counted and lined up literally hundreds of screws as Grandpa and Dad screwed in the deck boards.

Even when Matt had to leave for work - dad was out there working. We kept telling him - we didn't ask for his help so he could be our slave while Matt was gone - but he kept going like the energizer bunny. Shhh, don't tell him, but I think he kind of liked all the hard work - and we sure appreciated it!

Whoo hoo - after 3 or 4 days this is what we had! Not finished, but we could walk on it - and envision it! After many little snafoos along the way - we were thrilled to be this far and have done it ourselves!

Just after Easter weekend - Matt began to work on the railing. I had to get a little action shot in here! There was so much sawing, hammering, drilling, screwing, and leveling!

Bob The Builder.

Benji the destroyer

Don't be fooled by this darling little boy - he chewed and ate just about everything involved in the build - even the neighbors skill saw electrical cord - oh yes - I almost killed him - he is lucky to be alive. Just kidding. No - really.

Matt completed all the rest of the deck all by his lonesome. Again - I tried to give a helping hand when I could - but it was probably mostly annoying to Matt who just wanted to finish - instead of hearing me say - "is that a little loose, or crooked -or does that need to be tightened" I do have to make a comment about my hubby's rockin calves though. Check out those muscles! Whew!

Hallelujah! It's finished - well - almost - the stairs proved to be a big pain - but now they are finished too! Thank you Matt and Dad for building this awesome deck! Now all we need is landscaping - hmm -that will have to wait till the fall - or at least until Benji the destroyer learns some manners :)

The Bump

The bump is hardly a bump anymore. In fact, it is quite large now. Holy cow, I really do forget sometimes how ridiculously large prego bellies get! Last week, I had a doctors appointment and I knew Mel was going to be in town for a few hours, so I actually got dressed in real clothes. I thought since I had no pictures of this belly, I better take one. I really don't like posting pictures of myself, but what the heck, just this one time won't kill me.

There it is, that little alien that is supposed to pop out sometime in July! We still have no name, and have not even started the baby room yet, but that is because we are crazy people, and have been consumed with all kinds of other projects (more on those later) in my second trimester energy boom (that sadly has now ended).

This pregnancy has had its fair share of crud. My first, easy-peasie really, except for the gestational diabetes. My second, harder, sicker, gestational diabetes, and one yucky hospital stay and blood clot - short lived, not too bad. This one- not so much fun. Lots and lots of sickness in the first and very beginning of the second trimester, and lots of little concerns that have just been not so much of a fun ride. But I really can't complain, b/c this little guy is healthy and most everything has turned out just fine. That is except for the gestational diabetes, AGAIN! I had to test early so I got the absolute pleasure of doing yes, count them 2 one hour glucose tests that I failed and oh yes that means 2 -3 hour tests. Last week was my second 3 hour that was just really no fun! I love my doctor and all the staff including the lab, but either my body was just saying "not this again...oh no you didn't" or the guy in the lab had it out for me that morning, b/c this is what I ended up with, and now a week later...it doesn't look much better. Yep, 3/4 sticks totally exploded and hurt for a few days after. I really am fine. It's just super ugly isn't it? I knew it was coming and next week I go see a perinatologist & nutritionist to give me the run-down on the fun diet and other goodies I have to watch for the next two months, but, other than being a pain, having lots of swelling and numb feet, I can still count my blessings :)

Anyway, Brody was so excited to see his cousin Amber, I had to throw this picture in too. He adores my sweet niece! I wish that my phone took a better picture....and the one of Mel and I just didn't turn out, but having her to distract me from the gestational diabetes blues was great!

Oh, yes, and last week Brody and Colby both went to the dentist, and I can happily report that they both did awesome! Totally awesome! I didn't get a picture of Colby but I managed to snap one of Brody saying "aaahhh"! Colby was a good sport when he got some sealant put on all his many permanent teeth, and Brody was just an angel!

Easter

Our Easter came and went so quickly, I almost didn't even have time to get out decorations. I have to admit, I have a hard time deciding what pictures to blog about. I know most of you probably don't need or want to see all 8 million I post each time, but mostly this is for me anyway right? We started out our Easter celebration on the Friday before with our Primary egg hunt at Founders Park in Dripping Springs. It was so much fun. The Primary Presidency did such a great job. They had breakfast for the kids, games, and an egg hunt. It was a super windy day. All the kids cups and plates were blowing everywhere. Juice was spilling and food was flying, but no-one seemed to care, it was really lots and lots of fun!

I love that the kiddos look like they are in the middle of no-where-land.

I kept trying to get Brody to get more eggs, but he just wanted to stop and open every egg to eat it.

Easter morning Colby woke Matt and I up super early and he had already scoped out his basket. He was so excited to tell us what the Easter bunny had brought for he and Brody.

Brody was the cutest, most excited little boy. Totally animated. He held up everything he got yelling out what it was and jumped up and down with sheer joy.

Later that morning we had our traditional backyard egg hunt. The boys LOVE it. Colby remembers that every year there are one or two eggs with a little money surprise in them. He gets so excited to find this, that he races as fast as he can through the hunt so he can open up all his eggs and find the one with the money.

Can you tell Brody loves chocolate? Isn't he yummy? He is my chocolate. I could totally eat this little boy up. I love him so much.

After Colby found his money egg, he sorted and organized all his candy. He is sizing up how many chocolate coins he got. They were his favorite this year because they had krispies in them.

After church, we were able to get a picture all dressed up thanks to Auntie Marcie!

Marcie came over for easter dinner. I promise we didn't try to coordinate, but we look pretty cute, hugh?

The ginormous chocolate bunny was such a hit! Look at its crazy eyes...seriously this was the least getto one, the easter bunny could find. And he even went back to his factory to exchange said bunny for one that was not cracked, and got the VERY LAST ONE at 9pm at night! It was totally worth it!

Bluebonnets

I absolutely love this time of year. About a month ago, things were beginning to bud out, turn green, and the wildflowers were starting to pop up. This year the bluebonnets were not as thick as years past, but there were still plenty for me to drool over for a several weeks. To say it was an adventure to capture bluebonnets, the boys, and Benji in any posed picture is an understatement. The bluebonnets cooperated just fine, but getting the boys and Benji together, well, that was less than spectacular cooperation as you can imagine.

If Benji was looking, the boys were goofy.

Most of time, no one was looking

Just when the boys started to behave, Benji was not. So then they got silly.

If Colby and Benji were looking, then Brody wasn't.

In the end, out of 233 pictures, we had about 20 that were worth editing, and you know what, it was okay by me that they weren't posed and perfect. These are the moments I will remember, not the ones of perfectly posed children, right!?

What a beautiful neighborhood we live in! Really. It is awesome. This is just down one of our streets. I am just loving all the trees, flowers, and and green wide open spaces. It is total eye candy!

Wok On Fire Miracle

It's not everyday that a miracle occurs in our house, so I thought it was appropriate to share this inspiration with all moms out there. It was indeed a broccoli miracle. Brody has NEVER eaten veggies, and that is the truth. He really didn't even like fruit until just recently, and there are still many fruits he won't eat. He doesn't like juice, none of it, in fact all he drinks is water (which isn't a crime, right). We have gradually tempted him by slipping him smoothies and things like that, and he has been broken with fruit, but never has he eaten anything green or any other color that represents vegetable material, that is, until our BROCCOLI MIRACLE!!! And I have the pictures to prove it.

Friday night, we ate at a little restaurant called Wok On Fire. It is in fact the restaurant I ate my last meal at before embarking in the journey of motherhood. Yes, right before I delivered Colby - just a few hours in fact, I ate at this restaurant. Little did Matt and I know it would be our last quiet meal, sigh :) but I digress...Brody ate his usual "Chinese" fav - Sesame chicken and rice, then he discovered some unusual vegetable on the plate...and low and behold that child picked it up, dipped it in leftover sesame sauce and went to town, trimming that tree!!! OH MY GOSH! I think he kind of liked it, because not only did he eat the tiniest piece on his plate he went back for more of one of the big pieces.

I can't be sure if it was only because we were at a "brand new to them" place, or because he was in some kind of sesame seed coma, but I will take it!! Now, I have pictures to prove that he ate a green vegetable and didn't die from it being on the same plate with the rest of his food!!

PS: The fish tank was really cool at this place, and Colby really loved that. Colby on the other hand has always loved broccoli - his name for it - "trees" He likes to eat the tops off! Love those boys. Love em!