8.07.2010

{ Summer With a Pregnant Mom }

Going through a summer with a pregnant mom is tough! I think all my kids should win “Kid of the year” award for enduring it so well. We had record breaking temperatures this summer which didn’t help. Anything outside, including a day at the pool seemed out of the question for me. I got drained so quickly, and having a fainting mom at the pool didn’t seem like the best idea to me. The kids spent most of their days playing on the trampoline with the sprinkler for hours at a time. They were such good sports and didn’t complain too much. We started out the summer with our summer points fun, but by mid July, I was too tired to actually keep up with who had earned what. Erika came to me one day and said, “So basically we don’t really do summer points anymore right?” Good catch kid. Instead, I would happily let them watch TV in the morning while I slept in if they would take care of Scott. A great little trade I think.

Don’t worry kids, there will actually come a day when your mom isn’t always pregnant, has an overabundance of energy, plans all kinds of fun activities to do, rides bikes with you, takes you to the pool all the time, and doesn’t constantly say to be quiet so she can take a nap. Someday kids..someday. Until then, I feel very lucky to have kids who see the vision and can’t wait for the “little brother who is making mommy tired” to join our family. Only a few more months guys!

8.06.2010

{ Our New Piano }

Piano reflection blog

Brianna and Austin have been taking piano lessons for a while, and have been constrained to using our keyboard for practicing. We have looked for a piano, but every time came up empty handed. Finally, last week our piano teacher had run into someone who had one. She had a dentist appointment with a dental hygienist she normally doesn’t see. They got to talking about her teaching piano lessons, and the dental hygienist mentioned she had a piano she was wanted to get rid off. She had asked around, but no one seemed to need one.

Piano board tilt blog

Piano blog Our piano teacher gave us her name and number and we set up a time to go see it. We weren’t sure at first how much she would be asking, but thought we would take a look anyways. It was in great condition, setting down in their basement storage. Her parents had bought it for her when she was young and now it only got played on occasion at Christmas. She only wanted $200 for it. We were shocked and couldn’t pass it up. Even if we only kept it for a few years until we got something newer it would be worth it. We set up a time to go pick it up later that week, and the kids excitedly counted down the days until it arrived. Austin hands 2 blog

When Aaron returned from picking it up, he handed me a envelope form her. In it was a note from her saying how she had had such a hard time in the past getting rid of it, but when she met our family she knew it would be going to a home where it would be loved. In the card was the uncashed check we had given her. We were shocked and felt very blessed.

Austin playing piano 1 blog

 Austin playing hands blog

Our new-to-us free piano now sits in our front room, getting hours of attention a day, and yes, she was right, it is very loved. Austin playing piano 2 blog