A Big Announcement

We are having another baby! Abby is about 3 months pregnant with our 3rd child, due in late April/early May. We are very excited to be welcoming another person into our crazy little family of four. The boys ask every day when the baby is coming. (Maybe we should have waited to tell them until, oh, the day we go to the hospital........). Jesse has already decided it's a "sister", he walks around all day saying, "I can't wait to meet my baby sister". Josh says he wants a sister too. I hope a brother doesn't dissapoint them! We would be thrilled with either a son or daughter. We already know boys are so much fun and a daughter would be a new adventure for us so either way we win! God is so good, we are blessed for a third time with His gift of a child. So now you know our big news, we will keep you posted.

Josh's quote of the day

Jesse and Josh were "playing" together in the other room. Josh came walking into the kitchen and says "Dad, Jesse is destroying me." Long pause and Dad gets it "You mean he's annoying you?". Josh "Yeah."

The End of Swimming Season

It's very sad but we have had to hang up our swimming suits for the year. Even though it's still 90 degrees outside our pool is a chilly 68 degrees and it doesn't feel very good. Two weekends ago Grandpa Drinen was down and he took the boys swimming. Grandpa and Josh actually got in and swam a bit even though it was just for about 10 minutes. Jesse splashed on the sidelines. We will miss the swimming but I have found just sitting by the pool with a good book is very peaceful and relaxing. What is it about water that makes you sigh and sit back?

Jesse's Quote of the Day

Jesse: I don't like pink! Pink has gluten in it!

Note: For those of you who don't know, Jesse is on a special diet where he can't eat anything with gluten in it.

Joshua's Quote of the Day

Joshua: So Dad, how's work going lately?

John: Do you really want to know or are you just asking?

Joshua: I'm just asking.

Question of the day

Last night we were driving home and were stopped at a light. I looked to my left and saw a Maricopa County Sherriff's truck. As we sat there we watched two teenage boys running back and forth across the street on the other side of the intersection. There was a vacant lot with 8 foot high construction fence around it and one of the boys started to jump the fence.

John: I can't believe that cop is not seeing this.

The sheriff immediately flashed his lights from the turn lane and hit his siren.

Abby: Those boys are in trouble.

Josh: What is the police man doing?

Abby: He is going to take those boys home to their daddy and they are going to get a whuppin.

Josh: What's a whuppin?

John: That is a step up from a spank.

Josh: (solemnly from the back seat) Oh.

I sat there and thought of the dumb things my friends and I used to do on Friday nights and wondered if I am really up for this parenthood business. Joshua's Oh killed me and I can not get over how he now knows what a whuppin is, it will be fun waiting to hear him use it in a sentence, I am sure somehow this is going to come back and bite me in the butt.

My Sweet Boy

I was pretty sick this week. Spending most of my time on the couch one particular day. The boys were being really good letting me rest. Josh was fetching me water, kleenex and stuff. I went upstairs to watch a little TV while the boys were occupied coloring. After 20 mins or so, I heard Joshua say, “Jesse, you’d better ask mom.” So I quickly came downstairs. Jesse was standing at the counter in our kitchen; he had a little round purple plate, he’d cut up a banana (don’t worry, butter knife) and was putting grapes on the plate. He looked up at me and smiled and said, “See mom, a fruit salad for you.” I have never seen him do something like that for someone else! This truly was a milestone!

Joshua's Quote of the Day (again)

Mom: Josh, you are a cool kid.
Josh: I know. But do you know why I'm cool?
Mom: Why kiddo?
Josh; Because I like cool things, like tattoos. Can I have a tattoo right now?
Mom: Um, no.

Joshua's Quote of the Day

Joshua was drinking a fruit smoothie. He tends to get "ice cream headaches" easily. So, as he was drinking his smoothie he was holding his head. I asked him if he had an "ice cream headache" and he said "No, I'm just keeping my head warm so I don't get a cold headache."

Mt Hood from a Plane

John took this majestic pic on his phone returning from Seattle.