Visit with a Good Friend

Here are pictures from the Washington trip when we visited with my friend Anita and her family.

Pictures from the Washington Trip

Trip to Washington

I have been meaning to post this stuff since we got back! At the end of January Jesse, Joshua and I (abby) went to Washington state to visit Grandpa Steve (abby's dad) and Great-Grandma Dorris (abby's grandma). The live in a small town called Port Townsand, located in the very Northwestern part of the state. On a clear day you can see parts of Canada. It was a great trip. It was quite cold for our thin desert blood but still enjoyable. Here are some of the highlights:

• The boys loved going on the first airplane ride that either of them could remember.
• More than the plane the boys loved the ferry ride from Seattle!
• Grandpa took us to the park and let the boys walk his dog, Dundee.
• Great-Grandma Dorris took us to a 50's diner where the boys got ate yummy hamburgers, drank soda from a real soda fountain and got to put quarters in the jukebox.
• The boys got to see the ocean for the first time. Way to cold to swim, but they had a blast just the same!
• We spent one day in Seattle. We went to the Zoo. They have a great zoo! I highly recommend it if you are ever in the area.
• While we were in Seattle, I also got to see one of my very good friends from college, Anita. We had dinner and her house and her girls got to meet my boys.

The only thing that would have made the trip better is if John could have come with us. Well, next time!

Abby's Christmas present

I have been playing with Abby's Christmas present...

Desert photos

First post in 2007

SO we have been so busy with work, school and pregnancy that we have failed in our blogging.

My company has been experiencing a great deal of change with the new CEO and Abby has been trying to get as much time at the hospital as she can handle with the pregnancy, but as we enter the home stretch of this pregnancy we are both trying to pull back somewhat on our work schedules and focus on being home and with the boys.

The boys have both been more interested in riding bikes and for a while there it was warming up and looked like we would be able to start swimming soon.

Jesse has been out of school for the last two weeks on spring break and I think both he and Abby are ready for school to start and the routine to return. He began piano lessons (thanks to great Grandma!) and seems to be very interested in learning.

Joshua has moved up a level in gymnastics and is finally with a group of boys that have more ability with him. I hope he remains challenged and continues to enjoy this as much as he has been. He is also turning into the world's biggest Star Wars fan. He has been showing more interest in reading and we are doing our best to keep him focused on that.

Abby is extremely busy with the boys and girl. She is a true champion. I can not believe the amount of things she is able to accomplish with a 30 lb beach ball attached to the front of her. As the due date draws nearer the time has seemed to slow and she is ready to be done with this stage and to move on to the next.

I have been working and travelling for work. My dad came down and helped me get our pool and back yard ready for summer after we had a bad freeze this winter. One of my new hobbies has been to introduce the boys to their desert home. We have spent several Saturdays exploring and taking pictures. I will try to post some of them.

We have decided to start looking for a new church as a family. Jesse was not growing and even though it is difficult to start over we needed to do what was best for all family members.

Alita Naomi

We had the ultrasound yesterday and found out we are having a girl! Alita (Uh-lee-ta)Naomi Drinen will join our family in May 2007. She is healthy as far as the ultrasound can detect and quite active. The boys came with us and were mesmerized by the little black and white figure moving around on the screen. Since a sister is what they wanted they are quite happy with the results. John and I are just happy she's healthy and we are excited to go on this new adventure. John asked me on the way home from the doctor, "What do you do with a girl?" "Don't ask me," I replied. "I have sons!" I'm sure we will figure it out and enjoy every minute getting to know our daughter.

Joshua's Quote of the Day

Mom, you smell strange.

Well, isn't that special Josh.

Joshua's Quote of the Day

"Girl football is for pregnant ladies."

Your guess as to what the heck this means is as good as mine.

Turkey Day at the Drinen's

We had a lovely Thanksgiving. Celebrated a couple of days late. Abby worked on Thursday and Friday so we had family over on Saturday to enjoy a Southwestern Thanksgiving meal. John made a turkey but shredded the meat and put it enchiladas! John also made his famous chile rellenos! For sides we had Mexican cornbread, rice with cilantro, southwest bean salad, queso fundido and tomotillo salsa. After all that cookin' we opted for store bought cookies for dessert. John's parents, Gordon and Karen joined us along with John's sister Amy, John's sister Molly, her husband Daniel, John's brother Paul, his wife Amber and their precious new baby Anamarie! With our beautiful weather we ate outside by the pool. We were having so much fun we forgot to take a picture! Shame on us! Well, you will have to use your imagination.