My feet

ARE KILLING ME! But we had fun in Paris and walking all over. And the weather, I seriously couldn't ask for it any better....75 and sunny. I remember when I thought 75 was sweater weather...man....I have been living in these cold places way too long! Pictures will come later....I need a foot rub.

The Day...

Friday, August 28th...the latest Isabella will be joining us. I'm still hoping for my water to break or something earlier.

And in 9 hours, Dan and I are off to Paris!

My kids and their randomness

We were driving to the base to get Dan his latte and bring him some lunch when Hannah busted out her library book she had picked out Monday. The book is in Spanish...she has been getting the Spanish kid's books lately...weird I know. So she asked me to read it while I'm driving so I tell her I can't, 1, I am kind of busy driving and 2, I don't speak Spanish. Madison interjects and says, "Yes, you do mom! I know you speak some Spanish because hello, you are like all Spanish. So that makes Hannah and me half Spanish so you need to teach us."

"YEAH!" shouts Hannah.

So on my to due list, get Grandma Nancy to teach the girls Spanish....and then I'm sure they'll be asking Grandpa Gary to teach them German. I have already had Madison calling my dad since "he knows EVERYTHING" except Jesus knows a little more than him according to Madison (seriously, she has said those words), to find out some words in German.

Anxious....

3 days until we find out the date of Isabella's arrival....

4 days until Dan and I are off on our romantic getaway....

I so hope Wednesday at 2:50 comes fast.

Dan and I are off to.....

Paris!!!

Alone! Ryann is once again showing her super fabulousness (yes, I know that's not a real word) and willing to take the girls for three nights. (Dan is like, we're so in the negative.) Dan and I will be off next Thursday at 5 am on the train and be in Paris by 11 am. We're excited. We're staying just one night but won't be home until late Friday so that will be plenty of time to see a few things and enjoy just us plus Bella.

YAY!

My parent's have their plane tickets!!! My girls are so excited...I'm so excited. Dan is too....even if it's just about the butter dish they "HAVE" to bring if they want to stay.

So last night Dan and I were talking in the kitchen, he was making himself a cup of tea and randomly said, "You need to tell your parents that if they want to come, they need to bring a butter dish." It made me laugh...we have been looking for a butter dish the WHOLE time we've been here with no such luck. So sad...I KNOW! My husband, when first married he looked at me so weird when I came home with sticks of real butter and not margarine in a tub (Yuck!). So he's really looking forward to having that butter dish instead of using our Ikea, kid plastic bowl.

Times I wish I had a camera with me...

I made Madison a doctor appointment since her eyes have not been getting any better. It was actually sunny this morning so I had sunglasses on. I look back in my rear view mirror, and there are my two girls, one with huge, white "pop star" glasses and the other in her "Fancy Nancy, pink star glasses" looking all too serious. It made me smile the whole 15 minute drive.

Nesting

I'm starting to get things kind of ready for Isabella. I am more in my I HAVE TO ORGANIZE EVERYTHING mode. Today since we were locked inside due to Madison's pink eye in BOTH eyes, I rearranged the kitchen cupboards...a task I have been needing to do but procrastinating it the past year. I was amazed to find all the food in the corner cupboard. Yesterday, I totally cleaned and organized all the closets upstairs and cleaned the bathrooms...every nook and cranny....I busted out the toothbrush.

Here is what Isabella's room looks like so far. I had ordered a dresser but am unhappy with it so I'm on the look out for another. The one I ordered it just too small, I have loads of clothes already for her since a lady at Hannah's school gave me a huge bag of infant clothing. It's more like her lounge wear but that's perfect. One can't have too many of those onsies and knit pants. This week my mission....find the dresser and some cute pictures to hang and decorate!

Sports Day for Hannah and Last day of School

Today was the girls' last day of school. They were pretty excited. Madison received a huge card that everyone signed wishing her off to her new school. I also picked her up early today since I thought we were going to go to a BBQ but we didn't since she said her eye was bugging her and they both looked extremely tired. Hannah had sports day today and it was so much fun watching her. We had a down pour of rain...which is still happening by the way along with thunder and lightning.....and so it was held inside the school.

Hannah wasn't the fastest but she made sure she hopped on one foot the whole way or didn't drop the egg.

She was the model the kids had to dress....such a Hannah role.

Showing off her award she received. It says "winner" and she's been telling everyone today that she's a winner....sounds like a Grandma Nancy saying.

A date and another date

Dan and I went to the 11 am showing of Harry Potter. Poor Dan, he had been working all night and then came home, took a 30 minute nap and then we headed to the cinema. We both stayed awake the entire movie! I tend to fall asleep on his shoulder whenever we go lately. It's dark and that pretty much does it for me. We had to take advantage of our last day of both kids being in school all day and just it being us....come next school term we'll have Isabella!

I also called the hospital to see if I could get an actual date for my c-section....no such luck but I did get my appointment moved from the 10th of August to July 29th! Woohoo! A date...an actual date to set up THE DATE!

I also had a fabulous facial this evening and my eyebrows done. I like how it's evening out my pigment....pregnancy has made my face darker in some spots....Dan likes my "brown blush". He's so weird....but I love him that he loves my imperfections.

Why we love her.

Grandma Nancy even takes the books (Strawberry Shortcake, Curious George and Clifford) while on vacation so the girls can call her cell phone so they can ask her to read. Amazing she knew my kids would be calling her....but perhaps that's cause they call every cell phone (my mom and dad's, Shannon and Ryan and occasionally Christina) to ask why she's not answering the phone at her house. Madison has the number to their house pretty much memorized....pretty good considering it's 13 numbers to call.

Converation

"Mum, what do you think they are building there?" asked Madison this morning while walking from the car to school.

"Hello, they are building a building!" Hannah answers.

And that's when I start laughing.

Raptor Foundation Field Trip

Hannah and I went on her school field trip this morning and had a wonderful time. The weather was nice, our lunch we packed was tasty and we enjoyed looking at all the birds. Hannah was so cute around the bald eagles...she made the comment, "Hey, we had loads of those at my house in Oak Harbor!" She is so right, they were all over the place there.


She was a very brave and big girl wanting to hold food for the owl and have it land on her hand. She was so super cute! I was a little bummed the girl wouldn't move out of the way while I was taking pictures...oh well.


Getting ready...


The bird coming to Hannah...


I had my setting on action so this picture is a little out of focus.


Well done Hannah!


We enjoyed watching the bird flight show. Hannah just sat there and watched the whole hour.

Sports Day at Hartford Infant School

Today was Madison's sports day at school and at first I couldn't even find her. So many kids!!! It was fun watching her do the many events. We were there for like an hour and a half.

And then here is Hannah....

We then came home, had lunch while Madison still had a full day of school. So Tim, Madi (different from my Madison) and Hannah played outside and then after they left, my girls played outside some more. We had the neighbors over and then it turned out to be a sleepover at my house. I think I still hear little girl giggles and it's 10:30!

Hectic and then it all ended pretty well I'd say

This morning was the usual morning....trying to get the girls ready for school...they have been waking up at 8 which has been good and bad. Dan was home and was suppose to try and sleep in but he didn't so he dropped the girls off with me. Then it started...my sudden burst of "I'm super grumpy mom" happened all because as soon as Dan gets back to the truck, I learn Madison was suppose to bring cupcakes for some thing they had going on during lunch. I'm thinking great....I have to mail these things off and have other things I needed to do so I'll just pick some up at the commissary and call it good. So we drop off Hannah, Dan takes Hannah up and some of the mom's ask where "his sweet wife" is and this puts Dan in a instant good mood and laughs his annoying laugh and they don't get it. I'm anything but sweet right now...I'm "crabby mommy" as Hannah put it waiting in the truck so I can just mail these pictures to people and just get the cupcakes and go home. So we head to the coffee shop since nothing is opened until 10 and it's 9:30 and so we are killing time there. We get the cupcakes, I wait forever at the post office but then I cheer up since I get Isabella's bedding in the mail. YAY! So I'm in a better mood but then Dan wants cupcakes so we go yet again into the commissary to pick up some more cupcakes since the idea of him taking one out of the boxes is so tacky and I'm like tired by the time we get to Madison's school which is around 10:50. So Dan drops them off and then my cell phone rings and it's Madison's school, I didn't bring a mermaid costume for Madison like she had told Dan to tell me. Didn't get that message. So I ask what time and they are changing at lunch which is 12! Where in the world am I suppose to get a mermaid costume and why didn't I know about these things before the day of???!!! So we rush home and I head to the city centre to try and find something that will work. I actually get a parking spot on the side of the road where I don't have to pay and can just walk straight into the centre. I then head to the only store I know that has costumes and there it is...a high school musical dress that's blue and long with kind of ruffles that would so work as a mermaid. So I pick it up for 20 quid because seriously I don't care at this point how much it is. I get her some blue flip flops and figure I will go home, get a white shirt for underneath and make a coconut bra out of cardboard and that will be good. I do all this and I get to the school at 11:50. Madison comes home and she's like what was that cardboard circle thing? She obviously didn't get the bra thing but she liked the dress minus the fact it was a little long. Hey, you can't be too picky when I have an hour to get this stuff in a town that is limited.

So then at 4, we were taking the girls to try out their first karate class to see how they like it. Dan was excited since he's starting it back up again and they wanted to do it too. We get there and Madison is just complaining about not wanting to do it. We say fine, just sit here and be bored. Hannah was all into it...our sweet, girly Hannah. When she punched, her bottom would wiggle, she would yell what she thought everyone else was yelling and she was the only girl there. Her friend wasn't there tonight but that didn't bother her, she had her other friend from school. The two of them were just too cute to watch. She really enjoyed it and when it was done the Dojo mentioned how next week they will play some dodge ball. Madison was all about that and an instant attitude change happened and she was all about doing karate. She also mentioned how she would learn the kicks and hits so she could beat up this certain girl. Dan and I laughed...we don't particularly like this little girl and Dan fixed it by saying she could only try her moves when she's a blue belt. Nice one Dan....our daughter is going to be on speed track trying to get her blue belt. We picked up dinner on the way home and called it a night. Dan is now at work and I'm going to now try and tackle my laundry pile since he's working all night I won't be sleeping very well....or perhaps I will just watch some TV.

Absolute and total grumpiness

That has been me for the past 3 days. I don't know why...well I do...I will blame hormones and being pregnant...since if you ask Dan, a pregnant woman can do no wrong. Wish he would have remembered that one while I was on my grumpiness rampage. Everything and everyone was irritating me. I would feel bad but then I didn't feel bad enough to say I'm sorry.....although I did say it at least 3 times in the past couple days...I think I filled my "sorry quota" for like a year.

Update and new things!

I had a doctor appointment today and it was the best one yet. I actually saw the doctor at the time my appointment was at and she was correct about how far along I am. And I only gained 3 pounds in 5 weeks! I was pretty excited about that one since I feel so bloated...water retention is terrible and I have been enjoying my smoothies and ice cream shakes. They are only in 10 oz cups and I don't even fill them up so I guess it's a bit different then having one in one of our monstrous cups. I did find out why I am so tired and feel like I'm going to pass out...I'm low on iron as always when I'm pregnant. And I have 7 weeks until Isabella comes! I love it when they start scheduling the appointments from 4 weeks to 2 weeks apart....the end is coming!

Then I came home and what is in the front entry....the moses basket and stand I had bought! YAY! That will be a project I have for tonight after the girls are in bed. And I have to mention again....only 7 weeks left!!!!!!!

And HOLY MOLY COW...it's pouring buckets and thundering! Dan and the girls went and saw Ice Age 3....they are going to have fun walking in the down pour.

Progress

The crib is now out of the garage and in the baby's room! Woo hoo! I also bought a dresser today and all the stuff I ordered online is coming this week....so super exciting. No pink for this baby...well at least in the baby room. Now just the waiting for Isabella's arrival....

4th of July

We had a fun day on Saturday. I was dreading it a little since I let my girls stay up until 11 the night before and Dan was working all day...luckily it was his last day though so he was able to participate in some 4th of July festivities after he got home. The girls and I went with the neighbors on base to check out the carnival on base. Man, those things suck up your money. They did have some free things going on, but Nick and I were there only a little over an hour with the kids and we spent a lot! We had to bring our English neighbors. We came home and Hannah passed out on the couch...she had only 7 hours of sleep the night before and Madison played with the neighbors outside. We were going to go to a BBQ but with Hannah sleeping and Madison having such a good time outside and I was able to clean up my house, we opted not to go and just wait for Dan to come home. He actually showed up early...8:35 and so we got ready and left the house again around 9:30 to hit some more rides and watch the fireworks on base. The girls enjoyed being able to be with Dan, Hannah's favorite ride was the tea cups since the three of them got to do it together. Madison and Dan went in a tunnel thing that beat up Dan pretty bad. We watched the fireworks....and it actually started at 10:30 which was a surprise since last year it was about 11:30. I always think it's so funny how I get emotional when I hear the Nation Anthem now a days. I am proud of the men and women who serve our country. I guess I always took it for granted since I never had anyone close who served and now I'm married to one and have such a different outlook on it.Madison was pouting since we left the rides to watch the fireworks....occasionally I would see her sneaking a peak to watch them. And then she was all smiles again when we went back...so spoiled. Another late night for the Brown girls.

It's already starting...

My girls are flirting with the older boys. Chasing them around, talking to them, showing interest and telling them they are so cool and lying about their age...and these boys are 10! Oh my goodness...Dan and I are going to be in trouble....

What we've been up to

Well first off, we went to some friends house on Monday and the girls learned how to ride bikes without training wheels. Hannah and Madison then begged Dan the whole way home for him to take off their "stabilizers." YAY for them! They are doing great and we've only had one skinned knee.

We have been so HOT here too. It's been upper 80s and with no A/C it's been a little warm. Luckily our house has been staying relatively cool since I learned last year not to open all the windows. We've been living off water, smoothies and watermelon. Tasty. Multiple showers a day is a must too. There are some nasty wheat bugs here that just stick to you and are EVERYWHERE and on EVERYTHING. Kind of annoying but I have to say, my kids and my bug fear has gone down.